Kyle Lafferty has found sanctuary in international football, at various times throughout his career.
He hasn’t always been a regular at club level.
In fact, even when he’s played week in, week out, he’s been at best a goal every three game kind of striker.
With Northern Ireland, though, he’s managed to find an escape from troubles at club level. Especially, since Michael O’Neill took over the reigns in 2011.
There can be no better example than the qualification campaign for Euro 2016.
Throughout that period, he barely featured for Norwich City. He even struggled to make match day squads.
Yet, every time an international break came around, he was able to turn it on. His seven qualifying goals almost single handedly dragged his country to qualification for their first major tournament in over 30 years.
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Four years later, and another European Championship qualifying campaign awaits.
This time, he’s not quite as frozen out domestically. Steven Gerrard rarely excludes him from the match day 18, but rarely starts him either.
He has scored just six goals since rejoining Rangers from Hearts.
Time to stand up for club and country
With just eight games left in the SPL season, he finds himself behind Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe in the pecking order. Furthermore, the likes of Ryan Hardie and Zak Rudden are scheduled to return in the summer.
He may be contracted until the end of next season, but his Ibrox future doesn’t look overly bright unless he stakes a claim for selection.
Two fixtures against Estonia and Belarus in Belfast, this week, offer an excellent opportunity to do just that.
The venue, Windsor Park, has witnessed some of the finest moments of his career so far.
If given the opportunity by his long-term supporter, O’Neill, let’s hope he can add to an already impressive tally of 20 international goals. That way, he might finally give Steven Gerrard something he can’t ignore.
