Release Date: 02/03/2010

GOALKEEPER Maik Taylor will captain Northern Ireland on Wednesday night for the international friendly against Albania in Tirana.

The 38-year-old has been handed the skipper’s armband on 13 previous occasions – with the last being for a friendly against Hungary at Windsor Park in November 2008 - and it is an honour which is he always delighted to accept.

“It’s always a proud moment for me to captain the side and I’m looking for a positive result on the back of that against Albania on Wednesday,” said Taylor who is set to win his 83^rd cap.

However he knows that it will be a difficult game.  Albania may be currently ranked 97^th in the world; but in recent times they have proved that they can compete against some of the top nations.

“It’s going to be a real test and the conditions aren’t going to be fantastic.  We trained under the lights last night at the match stadium having arrived early evening – the pitch was very, very soft to say the least and very difficult to play on and since then we have had a lot of rain as well, so it’s really going to make things tough in terms of getting the ball down and trying to play some football. 

“I was just looking at Albania’s last campaign and they had some decent results – they drew at home against Sweden and Denmark who topped the group and also got a draw away to Portugal; so it’s going to be a real tough game for us," he added.

But it is a challenge which the Northern Ireland boys are certainly more than capable of stepping up to.

The game against Albania at the Qemal Stafa Stadium on Wednesday night kicks-off at 8.45pm (local time in Tirana).

BBC digital viewers can watch the game via the red button from 1940 GMT, just follow the links to the BBC Sport Multiscreen. There will also be full coverage on BBC Radio Ulster 1341 MW from 1930 GMT. Highlights will be shown on BBC1 NI at 2315 GMT.

« Go Back