'Needs games' - International boss praises Sheffield Wednesday man but wants more

Charles, 19, got his latest clean sheet at international level this week as he helped his side to a 1-0 win over Iceland, and it was a game that took his tally of caps to eight - the same as his appearances in the Championship for the Owls.

The expectation is that he’ll be Wednesday’s number one next season after ending the season as Danny Röhl’s first choice between the sticks, and that eventuality will be music to the ears of the NI boss, who is eager to see him get more minutes under his belt in order for him to keep progressing.

A fine save at the death, keeping out Isak Bergmann Johannesson, showcased his quality as a goalkeeper rather than just a player with fantastic ability with the ball at his feet, and his manager was keen to stress that he’s got plenty in his locker.

“A different side to him”

"I think it showed a different side to him," O'Neill told the BBC. “In the brief time we've had with Pierce, he's played more international games than club games. That's the challenge, and he needs games. Everyone would look at Pierce and know how good he is with his feet, but how he commanded his box was excellent. It was a good night for Pierce and he got a clean sheet, which is always nice."

Northern Ireland spent a chunk the game down to 10 men after Brodie Spencer’s dismissal, but held on for the victory - something that Charles was proud of.

"With the 10 men it showed that we can hold on to a result,” he said. “And obviously the past few games maybe or so we've gone up leading and then we've thrown it away. I was hoping we could do it, and obviously we did it, so it's good momentum going into the next. It shows the real determination, desire, character, everything that any manager wants to see."

Charles will now finally get the chance to have a bit of a break before returning to Middlewood Road in a couple of weeks’ time, and after a busy schedule it’s a break that is well-earned. Having declared that he’s not looking to leave Hillsborough, Wednesdayites will be excited to see what’s to come from the talented teen.

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