2016 FAI Cup winners Cork City FC are delighted to confirm that midfielder Conor McCormack has signed for the club.
The 26-year-old is a former Manchester United youth player and had a spell in Serie B with Triestina before returning to the League of Ireland in 2011. The midfielder made 54 appearances in the green and white of Shamrock Rovers, before joining St. Patrick’s Athletic in 2014 and then Derry City in 2015.
“Over the last few years, since I came back to the League, Cork has always been a tough place to come to. They are always a tough team to play against so it’s great I can be part of the team for the upcoming season,” he told CorkCityFC.ie.
“I had a couple of offers on the table but when I met with John, I liked the feeling I had. I talked to players that are already here and they told me that it’s a great club, a club that’s going places. We’ll definitely be up there challenging (for the League) next year and hopefully we can win it.
“I want to play well myself next season but it’s always about the team and I’m a team player. I want to win the League next year, the Cup as well and have a good run in Europe. You get to play against the top players from across the leagues in Europe, in top stadiums and with massive crowds and that’s where any footballer wants to be.”
Manager John Caulfield has started his recruitment drive early in the off season, announcing that Jimmy Keohane and Achille Campion have agreed terms with the club in recent days. However, the arrival of McCormack is another crucial piece of the jigsaw, according to the City boss.
“I’m delighted to get Conor on board. He’s a very experienced lad. He started with Rovers and was with Pat’s when they won the League. In the last two seasons, he very much came into his own in Derry and you can see by his appearances that he literally played every match. We’re getting a player in the prime of his career – he’s the right age, he’s energetic, he can pass the ball and he creates things. Great work ethic, great attitude, and a player that will mould in very well into the set up here.
“For us, it’s about moving forward and making sure that we’re better next year than this year, and that’s what we’re aiming to do. We have 50 competitive matches that we’re hoping to play next season between Europe, the league and the cup competitions so you need a very strong squad, and you need personnel that if someone is injured, suspended or has a drop in form are equally as good. The strength of your bench determines how good your team is. By bringing in players such as Conor, players that can go straight into your first team, it shows we are progressing. Players now want to come to Cork City and see us as a top club in Ireland.”
The next term will kick off in just over three months’ time and Caulfield revealed that preparations are already well underway.
“Pre-season starts in the second week of January. The lads will do an off-season programme for six weeks before that. We’ve brought in three new players in the last week and certainly we will have one or two more before the start of pre-season but it will take a couple of weeks to iron those out.
“The most important thing is that the lads that won the Cup have gone away on holidays and are already looking forward to cracking on next season. So too are the new players and the management team. It’s going to be another long, hard year and if we want to do well in Europe and win trophies, we need to be at our best from the very start.”
For all the latest news about Cork City FC, stay tuned to the club’s social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram!
