The midfielder was expecting to spend the recent international break with Northern Ireland Under-21s when he got called up to Ian Baraclough’s senior team.
McCalmont was then handed his first start for Northern Ireland against Estonia earlier this month and helped his national team to a narrow 1-0 victory.
Reflecting on his experience with Northern Ireland, McCalmont explained that earning the call-up to the senior squad was a big achievement for him and admitted he played more than he expected.
The Leeds loan star went on to express his desire to take confidence from his experience with Northern Ireland and transmit it into his performances for Morecambe, who he joined on a temporary deal in the summer.
“I played more than I was expecting to, because obviously I thought I was going with the under 21s, and then getting the call-up to the seniors was a big achievement for me“, McCalmont told Morecambe’s in-house media.
“Getting my first start just topped it off, 90 minutes and I had a good game, I really enjoyed it.
“I want to take it [confidence] to my club football as well, I want to be able to replicate my performances there [internationally] and take it into games on a Saturday and a Tuesday.”
McCalmont has made five League One appearances for Morecambe so far this season and will be hopeful of adding more to the tally before returning to Elland Road next summer.
