Aaron Hughes tempted back to play for Northern Ireland

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.22.4/69693?ns=guardian&pageName=Aaron+Hughes+tempted+back+to+play+for+Northern+Ireland%3AArticle%3A1706166&ch=Football&c3=Guardian&c4=Northern+Ireland+football+team%2CFootball%2CSport&c5=Football+World+Cup&c6=Press+Association&c7=12-Feb-20&c8=1706166&c9=Article&c10=News&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c51=MVT+group+&h2=GU%2FFootball%2FNorthern+Ireland" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">• Former captain had retired from international football<br />• Michael O'Neill selects first squad for Norway friendly</p><p>Michael O'Neill named his first Northern Ireland squad with the former captain Aaron Hughes the standout name in a party of 24 having been persuaded to reverse his retirement.</p><p>O'Neill takes charge of the side for the first time on 29 February when Norway visit Windsor Park and he will have the Fulham centre-back Hughes at his disposal less than six months after he announced his decision to end his international career at the end of the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.</p><p>Also back after a lengthy absences are the Burnley defender Michael Duff, who last featured in 2008, and Kilmarnock midfielder Dean Shiels.</p><p>Hughes' Fulham team-mate Chris Baird, a veteran of 56 caps, was not in the squad, but his club confirmed he was in training as normal.</p><p>As expected the goalkeeper Maik Taylor, who was captain against Italy in Nigel Worthington's last game in charge, has been left out in favour of Lee Camp, Alan Mannus and Michael McGovern, but the 40-year-old has no plans to announce his retirement and will remain available if required.</p><p>Wolverhampton Wanderers' 19-year-old midfielder Johnny Gorman, a regular squad member under Worthington, misses out as does Andrew Little of Rangers.</p><p>Elsewhere, O'Neill has opted against handing senior calls to Rory Donnelly, who moved from Cliftonville to Swansea City earlier this season, and Daniel Lafferty, who made the move from Derry City to Burnley in January.</p><p>There are no uncapped players in O'Neill's squad but McGovern, Jamie Ward and Shane Ferguson – the Newcastle United defender once thought to be considering switching his allegiance to the Republic of Ireland – have each played once.</p><p>The Ipswich Town midfielder Josh Carson, meanwhile, has been promoted from the Under-21s and will be looking for a third cap.</p><h2>Northern Ireland squad for the friendly v Norway on 29 February at Windsor Park</h2><p><strong>L Camp </strong>(Nottingham Forest), <strong>A Mannus </strong>(St Johnstone), <strong>M McGovern </strong>(Falkirk); <strong>J Evans </strong>(Manchester United), <strong>G McAuley </strong>(West Bromwich Albion), <strong>M Duff </strong>(Burnley), <strong>S Ferguson </strong>(Newcastle United), <strong>R McGivern</strong> (Bristol City, loan), <strong>A Hughes </strong>(Fulham), <strong>L Hodson </strong>(Watford), <strong>C Cathcart </strong>(Blackpool); <strong>J Carson </strong>(Ipswich Town), <strong>S Davis </strong>(Rangers), <strong>D Shiels </strong>(Kilmarnock), <strong>S Clingan </strong>(Coventry City), <strong>G McCann </strong>(Peterborough), <strong>C Evans </strong>(Hull City), <strong>N McGinn </strong>(Brentford, loan), <strong>P McCourt </strong>(Celtic); <strong>D Healy </strong>(Rangers), <strong>W Feeney </strong>(Plymouth Argyle), <strong>J McQuoid </strong>(Burnley, loan), <strong>J Ward </strong>(Derby County), <strong>M Paterson </strong>(Burnley).</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/northernireland">Northern Ireland</a></li></ul></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" />
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