Scunthorpe midfielder Grant McCann will join the Northern Ireland squad as scheduled on Thursday after being given special dispensation to complete a coaching course at a later date.

McCann, 29, has returned home to Belfast to take his UEFA `A' Licence badge but the course is not due to finish until Friday and that posed a dilemma for the player.

However, the Irish Football Association are allowing him to leave 24 hours early so he can prepare as normal for the friendly against Italy in Pisa on Saturday.

With 21 caps under his belt, McCann is the third most experienced player in the squad behind record scorer David Healy and Damien Johnson.

McCann helped Scunthorpe make a swift return to the Coca-Cola Championship with victory against Millwall in the League One play-off final at Wembley.