Farewell Mr Versatile: Portsmouth and Northern Ireland favourite on no longer playing where he wants
The versatile performer has been named in Northern Ireland’s squad for two forthcoming World Cup qualifiers
It was Pompey who spotted it, then Northern Ireland were won over - now finally Terry Devlin has been convinced.
While the versatile 21-year-old plays where he wants, as the Fratton faithful are fond of reminding, he has at last come to terms with his right-back conversion.
Certainly by his own admission, Devlin now considers that to be his preferred role having ditched his central midfield aspirations - for now.
It was John Mousinho who first introduced Devlin to right-back, starting 12 Championship matches in the position last season as the Blues finished 16th.
That caught the attention of Michael O’Neill, with the Northern Ireland boss handing the youth international his senior debut in March against Switzerland - as a right-back.
Since then, Devlin has totalled three caps, either featuring at right-back or right wing-back, and is again in their squad for two World Cup qualifiers during the international break.
‘I’m feeling more confident there’
Devlin told The News: ‘As long as I'm getting on and able to help contribute to the lads, I have absolutely no problem with it. I’m going to improve, no matter what position I am playing.
‘I probably now see myself as more of a right-back, it’s something I feel more comfortable with at the minute. I’ve played there more recently, so I’m certainly feeling more comfortable there.
‘I did well there last season, got my new contract off the back of it and obviously the gaffer sees me as a right-back and believes it’s my best position. It’s nice to hear that, I just have to push on and keep learning.
‘I've played a couple of times on the right wing this season as well, which is much the same, just a bit further up the pitch, although you don’t have as much defending. I just need to keep working on small details such as the crossing and getting at people.
‘So far for Northern Ireland I’ve played right-back or right wing-back, so it seems that, if I’m to have an international future, it’s also going to be at right-back.
‘They probably saw me there for Pompey, maybe they saw I did well in that position for Pompey last season. Now it’s where they see me too.’
Northern Ireland are presently second in Group A of their World Cup qualifying campaign, positioned behind leaders Slovakia, having taken three points from their opening two matches.
And Devlin will be challenging Liverpool’s Conor Bradley for the right-back/right wing-back position during those forthcoming fixtures.
‘I absolutely loved it’
He added: ‘My first call up was in March and, when I got back to Pompey, the gaffer (Mousinho) asked me how it was and I absolutely loved it.
‘I just want to keep getting picked for the national side. That’s four back-to-back squads now, it’s unbelievable, hopefully I can keep returning.
‘I have three caps so far, it’s more than a lot of people, you can never take it away from me.’
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