Dundalk manager Seán McCaffrey has confirmed his club’s interest in former Blue Shane O’Connor, but says the 21-year-old has other options both in England and Ireland. O’Connor has also been in talks with hometown club Cork City and could play for the Leesiders in a pre-season friendly against Wexford Youths this evening.

Former Republic of Ireland youth coach McCaffrey told Dundalk’s official site: “I have spoken to Shane. I’m going to talk to him again. He wants to come home. He has had three or four offers from English clubs but he wants to come home.

“There have been several League of Ireland clubs on to him, including Shamrock Rovers. I had him in the Irish underage sides at U17, U18 and U19 level, so I know him well. When he comes into Dublin he’s going to meet up with me and we’ll have a chat.

“He’s a good player. He can play left-back but he can play left-wing also. And he has a great attitude. He’s only 21 and he has played a number of games in Ipswich’s first team.”

McCaffrey admits that his club would struggle to match the terms available elsewhere: “It will be difficult to compete financially with Shamrock Rovers.

“But we’re as big a club as anybody. That’s the bottom line. If Dundalk are doing reasonably well we’ll have as big a crowd as any match in League of Ireland football.

“It’s a great place to play. Shane has played for me before, and the type of football we’ll be playing will suit him. I’d certainly be very interested in him and I’d like to get him. But we’ll see what happens.”

O’Connor’s Town contract was terminated by mutual consent a week ago with the former Liverpool trainee expressing his frustration at his lack of involvement at Portman Road over the last year.

Photo: Action Images

Warkys_Tash added 13:26 - Jan 27 Phil, what is the point in reporting on players that have now left the club and one in which Ipswich do not have a sell on clause.
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PhilTWTD added 13:31 - Jan 27 People are always interested in where players are going, particularly those that have been popular.
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JayITFC added 13:52 - Jan 27 Spot on Phil. When the club wrongly lets young talent like this escape I'm always interested to see how they develop. Keep it up.
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Wallingford_Boy added 14:05 - Jan 27 I don't think it was wrong to let O'Connor go, but either way I am always interested in the careers of ex-Town players. So you have my permission to carry on as you were Phil.
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TractorMan added 14:11 - Jan 27 We haven't let him slip through our fingers - he wasn't good enough for us or as it panned out a L2 side with huge injury problems where he didn't get a game. It's not PL or Championship sides looking to sign him either is it? Hope he does well, but clearly something was not right as you don't just let good players go.
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newboy added 14:20 - Jan 27 Sorry tractorman would have to disagree professional clubs don't let young talent go - but this one is acting on pj s whims disagree with him once and you are gone and i don't call that professional
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TractorMan added 14:26 - Jan 27 Professional clubs lets hundreds of "young talent" go every season if they aren't good enough. On your argument should Liverpool have not let him go either before he came to us? Jewell is not one to hold a grudge as proven with players here and at previous clubs. People just have to accept O'Connor isn't good enough. The same for Peters. Running around alot quickly does not make you a good footballer. He may prove us wrong, but it looks unlikely given who is looking at him now. Each to their own opinion, but this looks like a sensible and fair one - we don't believe he will make it and we've given him the chance to find a club more suited to his level.

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newboy added 14:59 - Jan 27 Yes each to their own opinion but saying PJ does not hold a grudge is like saying no one had a problem with RK - this man is no better
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TractorMan added 15:02 - Jan 27 Difference is PJ admits mistakes, RK didn't.....
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Surco72 added 15:30 - Jan 27 PJ is a lot different to RK ,he has accepted his mistakes unlike Keane who blamed the chairman,the chief exe,the club ,the area ,the youngness of the team , the fans who know nothing ,the head of irish football ...have i missed anyone ? O connor is not good enough which is why he may end up playing for Dundalk or will drift to nothing at all ,it is not Jewels fault he has been released because he is crap it is Keanes for signing him and raising his level of expectation when he is not up to this standard . Newboy name me one signing Keane had as a sucesss in his time here ? And you cannot count Scotland or Martin as both were poor until Jewell turned them around and one was even on loan ?

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Jeff_winger added 15:50 - Jan 27 I agree phil always interested what players next step is after leaving ipswich, so please keep reporting
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saffronblue added 16:30 - Jan 27 Phil, keep up the good work, most of us want to know what the ex players are doing and I suspect that Shane has found his level. Each club releases loads of young players for a variety of reasons, some are not good enough and some just don't have the right attitude, in my younger days I played with many ex PL youth players who had not made it, some were very good technically but didn't have the desire/attitude/team ethic it cut it at a high level. Sadly I had the desire but not the skill.

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Wallingford_Boy added 17:14 - Jan 27 Tractorman, RK didn't make mistakes?? JR?
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jas0999 added 17:58 - Jan 27 I thought Shane did well for us; but like Martin, Healy, Carson he fell out with PJ. This is not a Roy v Paul debate - but what is clear is despite the rubbish spouted by a few on here prior to PJ's appointment, Paul has demonstrated that he is certainly NOT an 'arm round the shoulder' manager! Anything but! In fact, no better than Roy when it comes to falling out with players! PJ OUT!

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TractorMan added 18:27 - Jan 27 Wallingford - er NO! I said RK doesn't admit them. Jewell has admitted when he has got it wrong. Not the point though as O'Connor would be released no matter the manager - he's just not good enough. Add Healy, Peters, Ainsley, Ingi to that list.
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sotd78 added 08:41 - Jan 28 I don't think anyone including our revered manager and coaches can really decide if a player is good enough until they have played ten or so games in quick succession. This lad never let us down, looked the part and never got a chance. I simply don't see why we never gave him a proper go...especailly when we clearly had no left sided players at the time.
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Warkys_Tash added 18:10 - Jan 28 Phil, fair play to you. It seems that people do want to read stories about our released former players. Keep the stories coming then! I just felt that the O'Connor story has run and run, I for one was disappointed that he fell by the wayside after what seemed a promising start. What we really wanted to know is why? (Not where he is going) Was he a negative influence around the ground or simply not good enough? No-one from the local press ever asked the question!! He certainly looked a player at Crewe away in the Carling Cup & at home in the snow against Leceister!

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