PERS. INFORMATION

CLUB HISTORY

Club	Years
Linfield FC	Youth –

INTERVIEW

Introduce yourself…

Hi, my name’s Finlay Ross and I live in Cookstown, Co Tyrone. I moved here with my family from Scotland when I was five years old. I’m currently still in high school but my dream is to become a professional footballer. 

How would you describe your playing style as a central midfielder?

I would say I’m comfortable on the ball with a good range of passing and the athleticism to get up and down the pitch. 

What was your very first impression when you arrived at Linfield?

I moved from Dungannon United Youth to Linfield in 2021 when I was just 13. It meant quite a bit of travelling up and down the M1 to training at Olympia, and I remember seeing Windsor Park in the background and thinking I’d like to play there one day!  

Can you take us back to your first training session—what stood out to you?

I had quite a bit of success playing for Dungannon at youth level. We had good coaches and the training sessions were intense, but there was definitely a difference in terms of quality at Linfield. Pretty much all the best players in Northern Ireland were in the squad so I had to raise my own levels.

Which aspects of your game have improved the most since joining Linfield?

I’m a much better all-round player now. I feel I’m very comfortable on both feet and rarely give the ball away. Positionally, I’ve learned how to play across the midfield, either as a six, eight, or ten.

What did it mean to you to represent Northern Ireland at youth level?

I am incredibly proud to represent Northern Ireland. Nothing beats playing for your country and challenging yourself against the best players in the world. 

How did your first international call-up come about, and how did you react? And Can you describe your debut for the U16s/U17s?

My first international call-up was actually for the U15s. The selection process was quite tough, with the squad being chosen from a large group of players who met every Sunday to train, mainly at Stormont in Belfast. I was really pleased to be selected because I’d actually missed out at U14 level, so was determined to work harder and get in the squad. 

My first trip away with NI was to Clairefontaine in France for two friendlies against the French. They were very tough matches and although we didn’t win, we competed with them well. I then played in the Victory Shield for the U16s in 2024. The tournament was held in Scotland and after a 3-3 draw against Wales we managed to beat Scotland before narrowly losing to the Republic of Ireland. 

I was then part of the U17 squad that travelled to Cyprus last year in the first round of the UEFA Euro qualifiers. Obviously, there was more riding on these matches compared to the friendlies, and added to that was the fact the games were placed in 30 degree heat! We certainly weren’t used to the conditions, but we managed to qualify for the second round, which was recently held in NI. We had a really difficult group in Spain, Turkey, and Scotland. I started the first game against Spain and enjoyed testing myself against lads who mostly played their club football for either Barcelona or Real Madrid. We ended up losing 2-0 but I felt we played well and could have got something from the game if some refereeing decisions had gone our way.  

What differences did you notice between club football and international football?

The pace of the game and the technical ability of the players at international level is a step up from club football. In some ways the games are more cagey and tactical, too. When you come up against top teams like Spain or Turkey you need to be incredibly disciplined. You have to work hard off the ball and stay focussed for however long you’re on the pitch because one lapse in concentration and they will punish you.

This season, you made your senior debut, how did you find out you’d be stepping up to the first team for the first time?

Getting my debut for Linfield was up there with representing my country as one of my proudest moments in football so far. I was told the week before by the Linfield U20 manager Michael Gault that David Healy wanted me to train with the first team that Friday, and that I’d be in the squad to face Larne the next day. I was really pleased to be included in the squad but to be honest I didn’t think I’d get much game time. Then on the morning of the match David told me I was starting so I was pretty nervous before kick-off walking out onto Windsor Park! Once the game started, though, I forgot about nerves and just concentrated on doing a job for the team. It was a fantastic experience, and I was lucky enough to start the next game against Coleraine, too.

Where do you see yourself developing most in the next year?

The whole experience of playing at Windsor Park for Linfield has made me more determined than ever to work hard and challenge for a place in the first team squad next season. Like most footballers my age, the dream is to one day play in a top European league, but I’m well aware that to reach that level I need to take one step at a time. In the short term, I plan to continue working on my strength and fitness so that I can cope with the physical demands of playing senior football. Some lads my age are playing academy football with English clubs and although that appeals to me, I’d also love to follow in the footsteps of players like Trai Hume, Terry Devlin, and Stuart Dallas, who all proved themselves in the Irish league before getting moves across the water.