Soccer:Michael O'Neill has given Alex Bruce the chance to reinvent himself as a Northern Ireland international, but goalkeeper Lee Camp may have played his last game for the country.

O’Neill included Hull defender Bruce in his 24-man squad for the World Cup qualifier against Portugal on October 16th, the 28-year-old’s first call-up since switching his allegiance from the Republic of Ireland.

Bruce rejected Northern Ireland earlier in his career when the FAI came calling but made only two non-binding friendly appearances for the Republic, one apiece in 2007 and 2008.

Camp, meanwhile, is absent after opting to put his international career on hiatus.

The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper, a former England Under-21, was drafted in by former boss Nigel Worthington and has nine caps. But he withdrew from the squad after O’Neill chose to drop him in favour of the returning Roy Carroll in Moscow last month and has remained unavailable for the trip to Porto.

Reflecting on Bruce’s selection, O’Neill said: “The paperwork for Alex was all in place before I took over. It wasn’t a case of me being involved in that process; that took place under Nigel but Alex wasn’t featuring much in the second half of last season so he wasn’t selected.

“This season he has been playing regularly and doing well so it was an easy decision to make.”

Asked whether his decision to snub Northern Ireland earlier in his career would make it hard for him to win over fans, the manager was pragmatic.

“To be honest all of that was before my time, but it’s not an issue for me at all,” he said. “Players have options in relation to their international futures, Alex has decided now on Northern Ireland and I’m focused on that. The past is the past.”

Camp’s international career may also be in the past, but O’Neill is willing to consider a return when the player is ready.

“For personal reasons, Lee asked to be excused last time and that moment in time he felt had to make himself unavailable for international football for personal and professional reasons,” he said.

“That situation hasn’t changed and I didn’t anticipate Lee being available for this game. If Lee makes himself available again I will consider him, we don’t have enough players to close the door on any of them.

“The only thing I was disappointed by was the timing of Lee’s decision but I’ll have future dialogue with Lee if he makes himself available.”

O’Neill is without three players who would have been sure picks if available, with Chris Brunt and Jamie Ward both suffering from hamstring injuries and Gareth McAuley suspended after picking up two yellow cards.

McAuley’s absence sees Hibernian’s James McPake called up for the second time, while there is a return for Peterborough’s Grant McCann in midfield.

Wingers Niall McGinn and Paddy McCourt and striker Martin Paterson are also called up after missing the first two World Cup qualifiers against Russia and Luxembourg through injury.

Most significantly for the supporters, though, is a recall for record goalscorer David Healy.

“I was going to call him in for Russia and Luxembourg, but ultimately he picked up an injury and was unavilable to us,” said O’Neill.

“David’s always wanted to be involved, simple as that. We had a conversation when I took over and he said under no circumstances did he want to be excused. I don’t think David has ever pulled out of a Northern Ireland squad and that’s a very positive thing to see.”