From pestering David Healy to captaining Northern Ireland, the rapid rise of Trai Hume

From pestering David Healy for game time at Linfield, to wearing the captain's armband with Northern Ireland, Trai Hume has barely had time to reflect on his rollercoaster career to date.

The 22-year-old forged his name in the Irish League with the Blues and Ballymena United before earning a move to Sunderland in January 2022.

He quickly became a fans' favourite at the Stadium of Light, and forced his way into Michael O'Neill's international plans.

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Hume's rapid rise was punctuated by O'Neill's recent decision to hand the defender the captain's armband for games against Luxembourg and Bulgaria.

The Ballymena native admits it has been a rollercoaster career so far, but insists there is plenty more to come.

“I try not to look back but it wasn’t that long ago I was playing in the Irish League. I loved playing in the Irish League and obviously there wasn’t as much pressure as there is at Sunderland or with Northern Ireland but I feel I worked hard to get to where I am now and I’ll keep working hard and enjoying it," he said.

"A lot of people ask what changes when you get the armband. But nothing did for me.

"Michael gave me the armband for a reason, so I don't know why I would change my personality or approach all of a sudden.

"I think you keep doing what you have been doing. That's the reason you got it in the first place.

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"I learned off Jamie Mulgrew at Linfield, and Jimmy Callacher was a big personality too. I had Jim Ervin at Ballymena and then Corry Evans when I first went to Sunderland. And now it's Dan Neil.

"You pick up things from captains. You watch how they carry themselves and learn off that."

The Irish League moulded Hume into the defender he is today. He made his name at Ballymena United during a hugely successful loan spell in the 2020/21 season, and carried that form into the next campaign when Linfield boss Healy gave him his chance at Windsor.

His stellar form prompted Sunderland to come calling midway through the season, and in January he was heading to England.

"The Irish League was massive for me. When I was 17 or 18 I remember being in and around the Linfield first-team and going up to David Healy after every training session and asking when I would be playing," he recalls.

"When I went on loan to Ballymena in the summer, I said to David I was ready to play. He said I could go out on loan and see how I do, and obviously I did something right.

"I played basically every game for Ballymena under David Jeffrey at the time and loved every second of it. He put his faith in me at Ballymena.

"Coming back to Linfield that summer, David (Healy) probably had no choice but to play me. And six months later I was on my way to Sunderland."

Hume is now targeting success with Northern Ireland. Last month's 5-0 drubbing of Bulgaria has O'Neill's side on the cusp of promotion in the Nations League.

Next up it's the visit of Belarus to Belfast on Friday night.

"There is definitely a lot of confidence there, especially after the last performance (5-0 win over Bulgaria). We are coming up against Belarus who we drew with before so we need to be ready for them sitting off against us," Hume said.

"They won't come out of their half as much and we need to move the ball quickly. Hopefully we can top the group."

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