CLARETS midfielder Chris McCann is dreaming of playing in next year's Under-20 World Cup.

That's the incentive driving the young Burnley star on as he lines up for the Republic of Ireland in the first of three important UEFA Under-19 Championship games against Slovakia.

Sean McCaffrey's side then take on Turkey and Georgia in the next week as they aim to make the finals in Poland later in the summer.

And if they get far enough in the finals, they'll qualify to take on the cream of world football at the World Cup in Canada next year.

The 18-year old burst into the Burnley first team last season, playing 26 games for Steve Cotterill's side and scoring twice - and he's ready to lead his country into battle.

He said: "Even to get one cap playing in the under-20 World Cup would be an unbelievable achievement in this early stage of your career.

"The next stage would be hopefully to get into a senior squad and do the same with them. It's a huge incentive.

"If you go to a Youth World Cup then you never know, in a year or so you could see some of those lads with senior caps."

And he said he has every confidence in the squad, which also features former Accrington Stanley stopper Darren Randolph and Blackburn Rovers defender Eddie Nolan.

"This team is very strong", he added. "Everybody is playing first team or on the fringes of first team and just to go away we know we're capable of winning.

"Hopefully we'll get three good results and qualify."

Slovakia is our first game so we're concentrating on that one and hope we get a good start.

"I've come in a little more determined to work my way into the picture and hopefully get a start.

"We trained on Monday and Tuesday and you could see the strength of the squad. I think the lads are getting on well enough."