Baraclough believes IFA will stick with him as part of shared vision

Under-pressure Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough has said his bosses at the Irish FA understand the rebuilding phase his squad are in and believes they will give him time to see it through.

For a second match running Baraclough heard chants from Northern Ireland fans calling on him to go before his side rallied from 2-0 down to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Cyprus.

Although the result could have been worse, a second draw in eight days against a Cypriot side they were expected to beat handily was not what Baraclough needed to stem the tide of criticism which ramped up with Thursday's 3-2 defeat in Kosovo, where fans chanted 'Cheerio' after full-time.

But though frustration has spilled over on the terraces, IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson used his programme notes on Sunday to talk of "a squad in transition", pointing to Baraclough's "track record of bringing young players into the squad".

Asked if the IFA were behind what he was doing, Baraclough said: "We have a strategy that is going to develop this nation and make us stronger in the next few years.

"How do you do that if you don't give these young players the experience? You won't find out about them, and I think we have found out some really positive stuff in the last fortnight."

Baraclough, who has a contract through to Euro 2024, did not help himself with a bold assertion two weeks ago that Northern Ireland were targeting 12 points from four fixtures this month, only to deliver two as their winless record in the Nations League continued.

He set that goal despite knowing he was without a string of regular first-teamers - Stuart Dallas, Craig Cathcart and Josh Magennis among them - and relying on untested teenagers like Shea Charles and