Northern light shines on Taylor

Like every other player, Maik Taylor has dreamed of playing international soccer - but he never imagined it would be with Northern Ireland.

The Fulham goalkeeper is eligible to represent Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland as a British passport holder - as well as Germany, where he was born and grew up.

But he has decided to try his hand with Northern Ireland and he will make his international bow in the under-21 friendly against Switzerland at Mourneview Park tomorrow.

Craven Cottage chief Kevin Keegan was the matchmaker who recommended Taylor to Northern Ireland manager Lawrie McMenemy.

McMenemy knew all about Taylor's talent from their time together at Southampton last season and he offered him the chance to play for Northern Ireland. Taylor, 26, said: "To be honest I had not thought much about international football and I was just concentrating on doing well with Fulham.

"Obviously every footballer has goals, which you strive to achieve, and I hoped to play international football one day.

"But in saying that I never thought it would be for Northern Ireland."

Some people, including Taylor's own father, may question his choice of international team. He had never been to the area before and worse still the former soldier does not like Guinness because he is a lager man!

Taylor, though, has no problem with the situation and since his call-up he has discovered that he has a few drops of Irish blood in him after all.

"When I told my dad he replied that I wasn't Irish," he said.

"But then other players are in the same situation and these days you can qualify for countries in different ways.

"I'd never been to Northern Ireland before, but I've just found out that I had a great-grandmother who was Irish.

"I'd never heard of her before and I don't know what part of Ireland she was from."

Taylor claims he does not have to commit himself fully to Northern Ireland just yet and he sees the under-21 match as an opportunity for McMenemy to have a closer look at him and vice versa.

"Lawrie has invited me over to have a look at me and to give me a run-out for the under-21s as an over age player," he said.

"He obviously wants to see if I come up to scratch.

"He's not asked me for a decision yet on whether I definitely want to play for Northern Ireland.

"Once the World Cup is over and before the European Championships start then I will decide what is best for me."