Success means you lose players shrugs Dundalk’s striker
THE news of Andy Boyle’s departure was confirmed on Friday night when his agent tweeted that he had signed with Preston North End. Daryl Horgan is also weighing up his options with the likelihood being he will follow his former Dundalk teammate to the Championship club.
‘It’s this success… this is why you lose players’, says David McMillan, whose goals helped the Lilies into the Europa League pool stages.
‘I’m sure that’s tough for Stephen but I’m sure he’s delighted for them, he’s a great reputation for getting player moves, the like of James McClean and Stephen McLaughlin [at Derry City], it’s due to the success for the lads and I’m sure he’s grateful to the lads for the years they’ve given the club.’
How Dundalk, and manager Stephen Kenny, react will prove vital. They have been used to losing key players every winter – striker Pat Hoban and midfielder Richie Towell both departed after standout seasons in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
‘Its been strange finishing up in December, normally by now you’d have a full squad and we’ll lose one or two. It’s up to Stephen to look after the playing side and hopefully we’ll see a couple of new players in that can emulate the lads that leave.’ McMillan failed to find the net during their Europa League group stages but without him their journey of a lifetime would never have been possible.
The Lilywhites striker scored three times against FH Hafnarfjordur – including an all-important brace away in Iceland – before hitting another famous double when BATE Borisov came to Ireland in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
That victory ensured progress to the Europa League as a minimum but the goals dried up for him once Dundalk hit Group D.
‘I’m disappointed in my own performance, if you
don’t get the goals, you don’t get the chances and in a lot of the European games I didn’t have the chances.’
McMillan is keen for further success.
‘It’s been incredible experience. You know we want more of that I suppose. We want to try and get back [into European group stages]. It’s something that brought this team to a different level on the national stage and it’s been great for everybody involved in the club and hopefully it builds the reputation of the league.’