Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
To Portadown’s no-nonsense defender PADDY MCNALLY of Celtic dream addy shattered ’s thankful now opportunity to rect Portadown
I’d be very good friends with Gavin Whyte and I think he has done it a better way, not that he gets to choose everything, he just so happened to be playing so well at the time, but what he did is much more beneficial than going over at 16 because at that age, you are just a boy.
“Over here, you are playing a men’s game, you are playing for managers who are managing for their careers, their job, their mortgage, it really means something to the fans, and mentally you are learning a lot at such a young age and that’s the most important thing.
“You obviously have the ability, you just need the other side of it, which to be honest, me being so young, I probably didn’t have when I went to Celtic.
“And it’s not just me, so many lads go over and have the potential to stay but don’t, so I think doing it that [Whyte’s] way is much more beneficial for young lads now.
“But listen, it’s very hard to turn down an opportunity if it comes your way.”
Since switching from Larne over the summer, Mcnally has been a key player for the Ports, exerting a big influence in both boxes and bringing his experience to bear on a young side.
Indeed, many Ports fans feel they wouldn’t have squandered a threegoal lead at Queen’s late last month had Mcnally, at that time sidelined with a broken nose, been in the team, cajoling his team-mates and shepherding the defence.
He’s quickly established himself as a fan favourite, but as he’s quick to point out, the love-in is mutual.
“I would say this year and last is the most I’ve enjoyed my football,” said Mcnally.
“I’m getting to that age where I’m more experienced now and I’m building consistency into my game and I’m playing well for 10 or 12 games in a row rather than previously where I was really good for two and poor for one.
“I was inconsistent and picking up a few injuries as well which is frustrating because it knocks your progress, but this is the most I’ve enjoyed my football for definite, and it’s the best I’ve been in my own head as well because there were stages there where my head wasn’t there
“I kept training and I kept plugging away, but you can only do so much, if you’re not enjoying it and you’re not loving your football, you’re not going to get the results.
“And that’s the biggest change for me, the enjoyment factor, and being able to compete as well, because that keeps your hunger, and we are certainly doing that at Portadown.”
Mcnally admits Matthew Tipton, an old team-mate from their Ballymena days, was a huge factor in his decision to stay in the Championship after winning the title with Larne last year.
But he’s adamant he wouldn’t have moved to Shamrock Park had the club’s ambition not matched his own.
“I was at that stage where I needed something concrete and I looked at Portadown as that club,” explained Mcnally.
“They are a big club in Irish League football and Tippy is great, he’s brilliant to play for, all the backroom staff are brilliant people and they are the type of people who make you want to play for them.
“If I was to go out and let them down with a poor performance, it would kill me, and I think most of the lads would say the same to be honest.
“I’d a good season last year and I was very fortunate in the summer that I had a couple of good offers.
“I’ve been on the opposite side where you might have been injured or you might have been out of the team and you are trying to find a club whereas I was in the position this time where I just had to make the right decision.
“I’d some offers from the Premiership too but I just looked at Portadown and the whole thing about it and thought, ‘Do you know what, it’s a big challenge to try and achieve something great at a big club’.
“Everyone wants to play in the best league and the Premiership has come on so much if you look at the players coming in from overseas, and the standard and the quality, that’s where you want to be.
“And I believe that’s where we will be next season or else I wouldn’t have moved here.
“The easy decision would have been to go to a team in the Premiership. Everything is a risk, but hopefully it works out, that was my thinking behind coming to Portadown.”