Most liked posts in thread: Paudie O'Connor

I had the insecurity that he'd completely switch off from time to time and could easily be out paced by a half fit Sam Stubbs.

He also, wasn't as commanding in the air as people used to suggest.

That said, he'd run through a brick wall for the team, always gave everything and was solid enough for our level.

I'm surprised he's got championship interest though if I'm honest but he was young with us and has clearly developed so good luck to the lad, I hope he makes it.

When we kept going up the divisions, no one thought Wayne Jacobs would keep his place but some players just improve and get better playing with better players so perhaps that applies to Paudie too.

 

All the best to him. Players deserve to play at the highest level they can, but frankly I've never understood why he got so much praise amongst fans - or rather was always let off the hook.

He's too erratic for me - memorably against Mansfield (it might have been Swindon) when it was Songo constantly bailing him out.

However, he could be a player who plays better at a higher level, where he has to concentrate more and has better players around, i.e. like Andy O'Brien.

Anyway, he was last on my Paudie, Vernam and Watt list - so not that bothered.

 

Platt seems fine. Not certain why he gets bracketed in with Kelleher. I'd be OK with Platt / Songo and would wager it would be a more consistent pairing.

However, we do need another CB as the way Hughes plays, Songo would be ideal playing a pure CDM role.

 

He definitely looked better than Paudie up at their place.
He's only 22 though so we will have to pay a fee.

 

We will when you drive your mate DMac triumphantly through the Valley Parade gates and we start our feeder club programme with Huddersfield.

 

I think Watt is very good. Not certain he's needed at L2 level is you're going to have Walker and say two other ball playing attackers.

Vernham did end the season well - but some seem to have forgotten that earlier in the season he could fade better than any of them. And he was dropped for arguably our best away performance at Swindon (or certainly 2nd best)

 

or it might have been Mansfield

 

Good luck. No real loss, very much replaceable.

 

decent defender for this level. Does now have the chance to showcase whether he is cut out for League One football. He wasn’t afraid to put his body on the line an he was good in the air. Downsides were he was slow, wasn’t the best on the ball an always had a reckless moment in him that either lead to a red card or a goal

Either way, best of luck to him

 

I think we can all agree that the away wins at Mansfield, Swindon and Sutton were probably the three best performances of the season

 

“ Linked” my bottom……Agent talk!

 

I'm confident that DMac and DFerg will bring Paudie, our Eternal Captain, back as soon as they are in situ at VP.

 

I guess he didn’t want to ‘own the moment’

 

Good luck to him, he's put a shift in over the last 3.5 years and leaves without owing us anything. I've got to say that given his "in demand" status and the types of clubs who were rumoured to be after him I'm surprised he hasn't ended up a little higher up L1 but hey, I don't know anything about the Imps' setup so maybe I'm doing them a disservice.

That said, I think it's relatively easy to find decent L2 centre backs and I think that we will probably be OK.

 

All good points well made. Wish POC the best for the rest of his career and hope he improves in a higher division. For us he was the veritable 'curate's egg' - sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes indifferent. For the style of play MH is looking towards, we definitely needed someone more mobile and quicker of thought.

 

They've both got time on their side so no need to rush a move to the championship so a move to someone like Lincoln would make sense.
This is from O'Connor's interview on the Lincoln website which is nice to see that he's looking long term at his career not just the big move now.
"I wanted to pick somewhere I could develop and have the opportunity to play another 40 plus games a season, as I have over the past few years.

"My next career move needed to be right football-wise. I wanted to step up to League One and it’s clear there is a structure in place here to allow me to kick on.

 

I like Paudie committed, aggressive defender who gets stuck in and seemed to be one of the few who has consistently given 100% despite all the rubbish of the last few seasons. He has his limitations on the ball for sure and needs to improve on that to really step up. Of the three out of contract I would say he is the least difficult to replace (not that I wanted us to). Watt on the other hand would be the most difficult to replace for me because he is so consistent. Vernham is a good player and capable of something special but I think he can also be replaced. I suspect if he doesn't get a manager that can get him going he'll drift in and out of any team at what ever level he's at.

Good luck to Paudie though

 

When the fixtures come out I hope there's a Lincoln game we identify and travel down en masse and pay tribute.

It might help tempt him back further down the line.

 

Imagine what there forum will be like when they sign all three and still go down.

 

Red card waiting to happen for me
Good luck to him, with a good defence coach to iron out his well documented (on here) shortcomings he could get to the championship puzzles me to think he can get this at Lincoln rather than here under MH