“There is no better manager for them to have than John Caulfield,” Galway United captain Conor McCormack says about the emerging talent in the squad.
It has been a hugely rewarding stint in the SSE Airtricity League first division for United, who have stitched a winning sequence together. That teenager Alex Murphy and the ever improving Wilson Waweru are contributing so handsomely merely adds to the sense of satisaction and hope sweeping through the club.
McCormack, United’s skipper and talisman, highlights Caulfield’s willingness to afford youthful footballers oppportunities. “He has no problem throwing them in if they are good enough, they are old enough,” McCormack adds.
“He doesn't care about that. Once they are putting it in during training and scoring goals, coming on, they are exciting everyone. They are full of confidence, they are playing really, really well. So they have a great future in the game.”
There has been a marked improvement in United’s results since the mid season break with McCormack stressing the relevance tomorrow’s fixture away to Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds carries.
“We are delighted, we are starting to come together a lot more now,” McCormack replies. “I know a couple of results didn't go our way at the start of the season, but you can see the confidence is throughout the team at the minute and we have had a couple of clean sheets.
“We aren't getting too excited, we are just taking it each game as it comes. Now we look forward to next week which is the biggest game of the season for us.
“We were a bit shaky at the start of the season, but we have nipped all of those mistakes in the bud. We are starting to play an awful lot better, the confidence is there, the guys are coming out of their shells too. I'm there as an experienced player trying to help them all of the way.
“We have got a lot of good young talent in this squad. It can take time sometimes, but it is great to get a fifth win in a row, but we can't get too carried away.”
Leaving Tolka Park following a harrowing loss to Shelbourne at the end of May hurt United deeply, but McCormack was adamant about the promise in the squad.
“I actually think that we were unfortunate against Shelbourne, I thought we started the better in the first 20 or 25 minutes,” McCormack reflects.
“Again it was a mistake, a lot of mistakes at the start of this year have cost us in games when I thought we were the better team. We could have edged some of them, but things didn't go our way, things looked down and whatever, but we knew we had good players and a good squad.
“We train really hard, we push each other, it was only a matter of time before the ball bounced on the right side for us. We are delighted to go on this little run.”
Former Manchester United youngster McCormack, who has enjoyed a decorated career domestically with Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick’s Athletic, and Cork City, is enjoying coaching various teams with Maree/Oranmore.
“It is something I really like to do,” McCormack remarks. “In my spare time I did my coaching badges really young. It was something I was really interested in, I have my A licence for three years.
“It is something I like to do, whatever team I'm with I like to help out junior clubs and amateur clubs. It is great to see young talent coming through. It is definitely something I will have in the future.”
