The Wigan striker has withdrawn due to personal reasons.
Wigan’s Will Grigg in action with Walsall’s Paul Downing
Northern Ireland have confirmed on their official Twitter account that Wigan Athletic striker Will Grigg has pulled out of the squad to face the Czech Republic.
Grigg, who failed to play a single minute of the team’s memorable Euro 2016 campaign, has reportedly withdrawn due to “personal reasons”.
According to Goal.com, cult hero Grigg is looking to spend time with his partner, who is reportedly expecting a baby.
Elsewhere in the squad – Michael O’Neil’s first since the European Championships – there were call-ups for Burton Albion defender Tom Flanagan and Celtic youngster Michael Duffy.
Northern Ireland travel to Prague’s Generali Arena for their opening qualifying match for Russia 2018 on September 4th, and their manager has already warned their rivals that his team will be itching to get back into the limelight after their Euro 2016 exit.
He told their official Twitter account: “There’s a obviously a sense of disappointment. We feel we shouldn’t; have gone out when we did. I think the nature of how we went out was very unfortunate.
“But I think the belief and experience that the players have got from not only the finals but the whole qualification process, will help us immensely in what’s going to be a very difficult task.”
Northern Ireland will certainly have to be at their best if they are to qualify for a place in Russia, with O’Neil’s men taking their place in Group C alongside Azerbaijan, Norway and San Marino, as well as world champions Germany.
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