Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill emphasized that the family background of new call-up Eoin Kenny did not factor into his selection for the upcoming Nations League matches against Ukraine and Hungary.

Eoin Kenny, a 20-year-old attacker who plays for Portsmouth, is the son of former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny. Despite representing the Republic of Ireland at under-19 level, he was born in Northern Ireland and recently switched to play for the Northern Ireland under-21 team, where he has made 11 appearances and captained the side against Greece last month.

O'Neill stated, "The background is not really that important for me, if I'm honest. I just look at the lad as a player." He expressed confidence in Kenny's capabilities, noting that he has enjoyed being part of the Northern Ireland setup and earned his spot following a strong under-21 campaign.

O'Neill clarified that he did not consult Stephen Kenny before the call-up, relying instead on the recommendation from Tommy Wright, the under-21 manager. He stated, "It wasn't me that brought him in, it was Tommy Wright that brought him in initially."

Kenny has had limited playing time at Portsmouth, making only one Championship appearance. O'Neill sees this international window as a valuable opportunity to assess Kenny's potential and demonstrate a pathway from under-21 to senior international football.

He concluded, "It's important that the 21s players see that there is a pathway for them because too often for a lot of players their international careers stopped at 21s."