Release Date: 02/09/2010

AARON Hughes will hand over his captain’s armband to Stephen Craigan for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovenia – on the night when the 33-year-old Motherwell defender will win his 50th senior international cap.

And Hughes is full of nothing but praise for his team mate.  He said: “Stephen has been one of the solid performers for Northern Ireland over the last number of years.  And he fully deserves to be winning his 50th cap. 

“In every game he has given 100 per cent.  He has never let anyone down.  And it is players like Stephen who I think younger players or anybody aspiring to be a Northern Ireland player, should look up to and see, not just want he’s does on the pitch but also how he conducts himself off the pitch as well.”

When Northern Ireland played Slovenia in Maribor in October 2008 they were very unlucky to lose – with Nigel Worthington’s boys being hit by two late goals (83 and 84 minutes).   It was a difficult game back then and it is sure to be the same again on Friday night.

Hughes added: “It’s going to be a tough test, the form which Slovenia showed in the last campaign, they took in to the World Cup and they beat Russia in the play-offs to get there which was a massive result.  Personally I rate Slovenia as high as Italy and Serbia – I don’t think there’s any difference in class, they all pose the same threat. 

“So if we are to take something from the game it will be a massive point or three points.  On the flip side – if things don’t go as planned I don’t think it’s the be all and end all.  Slovenia are a top side and sometimes you’ve just got to hold your hands up because the better side won on the night.

“But I think if we do things the way we want to do them and put in another good performance like we did here last time and learn from the couple of little things which cost us in the last game, there’s no reason why we can’t be going home on Saturday having taken something positive from the game.”

« Go Back