Magennis hoping to channel Euros magic with Killie
A EURO 2016 hero for Northern Ireland, Josh Magennis could have rounded off the best summer of his life with an extra week’s holiday but instead opted to return to Kilmarnock in preparation for what he believes could be a pivotal season in his career.
A used substitute in three of the four games contested by Michael O’Neill’s team in France last month, Magennis produced one of the team’s most memorable moments, dropping his shoulder and speeding past Ukraine captain Vyacheslav Shevchuk to help set up the Niall McGinn goal that clinched a victory and a place in the tournament’s last 16 where they lost narrowly to Wales.
Thrilled simply to have been involved, Magennis admits his confidence is at peak levels and, now 26, the former Cardiff City and Aberdeen man is determined to maintain momentum going into the new Premiership campaign. ‘It was surreal,’ said Magennis of his French experience. ‘Playing for Northern Ireland, we are always the underdog. People were writing us off, saying we wouldn’t get out of the group, wouldn’t even get a point.
‘It was just crazy the way we were written off. Our group dynamic is incredible. I was fortunate enough to be in a training camp for six weeks with quality players who ply their trade in the Premier League.
‘Everybody aspires to that level. I learned as much as I could, talking to the strikers and trying to be a dry sponge, so I could develop my game and help my team when I came back.
‘My confidence is at an alltime high. I know there is a fine border between confidence and arrogance — I had too much arrogance when I was younger — but the gaffer is keeping my feet on the ground.
‘The Euros has given me a confidence I will never again match — unless we go to the World Cup.
‘I don’t want to experience the heights of the Euros and then not kick on at domestic level. It’s about myself and the team kicking on, and making sure we are not in the same position as last season.’
In that regard, no one could accuse Killie boss Lee Clark for sitting on his hands over the summer. A Press call to announce 11 new signings may have had the feel of a speed-dating function at Rugby Park, but the squad overhaul indicates that Clark felt bold action was required to prevent the club being involved in another relegation tussle.
For Magennis, the opportunity to be off with his country was a welcome chance to remove his thoughts from the struggle that saw the Ayrshire club slip into the play-offs.
Despite the overhaul, he is likely to be one of the key players for Clark over the coming season and he fully intends to bring his formidable personality and talent to bear on the effort.
‘I had the opportunity to have more time off, maybe up to a week,’ he said. ‘I had a discussion with the gaffer about that, but I’m not one of those players who can leave it for a long time, come back and expect to turn it on. I need to hit the ground running, so I came back on the 11th.
‘I didn’t want to come in and be the odd one out as it’s important the group dynamic is as strong as it can be for the start of the season.’
Hailed for his versatility in advance of the Euros by O’Neill, Magennis started his career as a goalkeeper and has performed at right-back, centre-half and centreforward. It was out wide that he made his mark on the Ukrainians but he admits he has been battling to claim an assist for Aberdeen forward McGinn’s moment in Lyon.
‘I called it an assist but the boys were saying it wasn’t because Stuart Dallas was the one who had the shot,’ he laughed. ‘It was good to get on the pitch and be able to say I got on in that environment.
‘To then contribute to us winning a game in our firstever Euros was fantastic. It was a great time for all of us and especially Niall, getting that goal.’