O'Neill urges Hendrick to "throw the shackles off"

Ireland manager Martin O'Neill has urged Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick to "throw the shackles off" in September's World Cup qualifiers.

O'Neill admits Hendrick has been struggling for form this year, and believes the Dubliner could have been affected by a court case dating back to a nightclub incident in October 2013, which was only resolved this month when he was found not guilty of a violent disorder charge.

"Now that it's over and you can maybe mention it, it may well have done [affected Hendrick's form]," said O'Neill.

"I don't think you want things hanging around you like that. They can be disconcerting. It's good it's cleared now and he can get his mind totally fixed and ready."

O'Neill also believes Hendrick's Clarets' team-mate Brady has struggled at Burnley, following his club-record £13m move from Norwich City on January transfer deadline day.

"Robbie Brady as well possibly hasn't made the impact he wanted to," he continued.

"He got that move from Norwich to Burnley and is still finding his feet. I'm expecting better things from them as they get older."

O'Neill also urged Hendrick to improve his goalscoring record, and hinted that he may play the 25-year-old in the Wes Hoolahan playmaker role in September's World Cup double-header away to Georgia and at home to Serbia.

Hendrick scored just twice for Burnley in 32 Premier League appearances last season, and his only goal for his country came in the September 2016 2-2 World Cup qualifier draw with Serbia in Belgrade.

"I think he can play behind strikers, and I think he should score more goals," he continued.

"I think he's got the ability to do that. At club level, if you've midfielder who can score 10-12 goals from normal play, you've got yourself a proper player and that's something he can aim for. Can he sit in and do a holding job? That's not outside his capability.

"He played in the game in Austria [the 1-0 win in Vienna last November] and was excellent in a defensive role and taking the ball forward for us but in terms of kicking on from the Euros, I think it's been a stop-start season for him. 

"I think he should throw the shackles off and go and play again."

Image: Inpho/Ryan Byrne

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