The Irish market has served us well... a few more and Fitzy might let me fly the tricolour over stadium
Goodie chuffed Ronan is latest in the door
JIM GOODWIN spent four transfer windows trying to land Wolves kid Connor Ronan – and his two-goal show against Aberdeen last Sunday showed why.
Now the St Mirren boss believes the 23-year-old loanee can strike up a midfield partnership with Jamie McGrath that will lead to international recognition for them both and prove to other targets Paisley can be a pathway to stardom.
McGrath is now a Republic of Ireland international and Ronan, already with 14 caps at Under-21 level for the Irish, isn’t far from making the step.
Goodwin is adamant it will happen sooner rather than later and with a clutch of Irish players already under his wing, he’s planning further raids on his homeland in January.
If he does, he’s joked he’ll ask chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick to let him fly the tricolour over the stadium.
He said: “The Irish market has definitely served us well and the boys who’ve come in have had a great impact.
“Jake Doyle-Hayes, Jamie McGrath, Joe Shaughnessy, Alan Power, the list is endless.
“Hopefully if I get another couple Tony can let me fly the tricolour over the stadium!
“I tried for four windows to get Connor – January last year, then the summer, then this January and we finally managed to get him in this summer.
“I wasn’t holding out great hope, to be honest, because he played such a key role in Grasshoppers’ promotion last year and I imagined Connor going back out there (on loan).
“It’s not a tough sell explaining what we can offer them. The great thing in my favour this time round, with Connor, was Jamie.
“I sold it to Connor and his agent, ‘Have a look at what Jamie is achieving here’. He was at Dundalk two years ago and is now an Irish senior international. He’s in the squad again this time around.
“That had a big factor to play with me trying to sell it to Connor. He can see the bigger picture and has great advice from his agent. They saw St Mirren as a really good opportunity to showcase his talent. Everybody is starting to see the quality he brings. We’d love to have him for the rest of the season. Fingers crossed he stays and helps us achieve what we want to achieve.”
Goodwin is convinced Irish players are a great fit but he reckons other clubs are beginning to cotton on.
He said: “I’m biased and I do have a soft spot for the Irish
boys. In the main I know what I am going to get from them.
“They are low maintenance and the majority here are a laidback bunch. They get stuck in and work hard. A close family friend, Alan Reynolds, works within the FAI and he is quick to tip me off with the guys he thinks are good enough.”