O’Callaghan handed Maltese opportunity

AFTER an unhappy spell with Dundalk, George O’Callaghan’s next port of call could be Malta.

New Floriana FC manager Roddy Collins has identified the former Cork City playmaker as one Irishman he would like to bring to the his new club under rules which permit him to use three non-national players

“I’ve great admiration for George O’Callaghan,” says Collins. “George to me is a player who has underachieved. He obviously went and played in the Championship but he has underachieved since he came back – badly. He needs to play football. I had a chat with him and George would be happy to move down with his partner and his baby. It would be a good move. I’ll be having a look at George, not on his performances with Dundalk. That wouldn’t bother me, he can regain what he had.

“George is to me what Paddy McCourt was when I picked him up from Rochdale’s reserves. George can be a top player. If he is played the right way and given the right management and looked after. He will be an absolute legend.”

Collins does not believe that O’Callaghan’s well-documented personal problems would be an impediment to his playing successfully in the Maltese Premier Division.

“Go back through the players I’ve worked with,” says Collins. “You don’t get top, top quality players if they don’t have a bit of baggage. Players that have a colourful background are a piece of cake for me. We’ve to talk again but he is very enthusiastic about it.

“I obviously have to sit down with the president because the situation in European football is that presidents decide who come and go in consultation with the head coach so I will discuss that particular player with the president and I’m sure we can come to some agreement.

“We’ll get him down for a couple of weeks’ training and see if he can settle there. If he’s happy, we’re all happy.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed Shamrock Rovers – with whom Floriana are ‘twinned’ – will play a friendly in Malta next February.