Doncaster Rovers: Luke McCullough ready for Northern Ireland duty

McCullough is with the Northern Ireland squad in France as they prepare to begin their campaign against Poland on Sunday.

His game time is expected to be limited as he is seen as the fifth choice centre back in the squad with players also ahead of him in the battle for a defensive midfield role.

But he says he will be ready if called upon by boss Michael O’Neill.

“I’ve been trying to enjoy the experience but making sure I’m in the best possible shape should I be asked to contribute,” he said.

Northern Ireland are competing in their first international tournament in 30 years and McCullough says managing excitement levels has been important.

He said: “There’s been so much build-up around this tournament that sometimes you have to sit back and realise you’ve actually got football to play.

“There’s that much hype around it’s easy to forget your job is playing football. That’s the most important thing.”