McNair relishing Windsor Park return for Luxembourg game

Northern Ireland midfielder Paddy McNair is relishing a return to Windsor Park as his side host Luxembourg in their opening Nations League game.

Michael O'Neill's men have not played at home since their impressive 2-0 win against Denmark in November last year.

McNair is hopeful that NI can give their fans another night to savour on home soil and end their wretched Nations League form which has yielded one win from 16 games.

"It’s been too long, 10 months [since the last home game] so I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully we can have another night like Denmark," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We have had some good results recently but our Nations League campaigns in the past haven’t been great so it would be good to get that momentum going into the World Cup qualifiers."

Experienced defender McNair is back in the squad after missing the summer friendlies against Spain and Andorra.

November will mark 10 years since his first call up to the senior squad and he has since won 68 caps for his country.

McNair and Josh Magennis are the only two players in the current squad that went to Euro 2016 after Jonny Evans announced his retirement from international football in the summer.

The 29-year-old will be among the favourites to succeed Evans as captain but concedes he will be happy to lead the young players coming through irrespective of if he has the armband.

"To be captain of your country would be a dream come true, but I have to wait and see on that, I haven’t had that conversation with him [Michael O'Neill]," McNair explained.

"Jonny is going to be a miss, he was someone with many caps and experience. He had an unbelievable Northern Ireland career, for me one of Northern Ireland’s best ever players.

"I probably don’t realise how experienced I am myself, so I’ll help the young lads as much as I can."