Maik Taylor insists he will be fit for Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Austria despite being troubled by back pain.
The Birmingham goalkeeper, outstanding in the defeat by Arsenal on Sunday, is due to captain the side in both matches in the absence of Aston Villa's Aaron Hughes after a hernia operation.
Taylor was due to see an osteopath at his club before linking up with the national squad. He said: "I have been taking painkillers to get through games and training. We're not sure if the problem I've got is actually to my back itself. What happens is that when I kick a ball, a pain goes through my thigh joint and up to the top of my backside.
"It's a bit of a puzzle and it's been nagging away at me for a while, but I've got through games okay up to now."
Manager Lawrie Sanchez is down in numbers at the back with Hughes absent and Chris Baird suspended for the home match against Wales on Saturday.
However, the Southampton full back will be free to face Austria in Vienna in what could be a showdown for third spot four days later.
Lincoln defender Gareth McAuley has been recalled to 21-man squad after missing the victories over England and Azerbaijan because of a calf strain.
Cardiff midfielders Jeff Whitley and Philip Mulryne have, as expected, been left out after being sent home for breaking a curfew before the Azerbaijan match.
Strikers Ivan Sproule and Andy Smith as well as defender Michael Duff were called up following the pair's departure and Sanchez has retained the trio.
NORTHERN IRELAND (squad v Wales, October 8th and Austria, October 12th): Taylor (Birmingham), Carroll (West Ham), Ingham (Wrexham); Murdock (Rotherham), Craigan (Motherwell), Capaldi (Plymouth), Duff (Burnley), McAuley (Lincoln); Davis (Aston Villa), Johnson (Birmingham), Brunt (Sheff Wed), Elliott (Hull), Gillespie (Sheff Utd), Robinson (Luton); Healy (Leeds), Quinn (Peterborough), Feeney (Luton), Jones (Crewe), Smith (Preston), Sproule (Hibs).
Chris Baird of Southampton is available for the match against Austria.
