‘It’s part of my development just to play as many games as I can’ – McNally makes most of loan move
Luke McNally during his St Patrick's Athletic days
Irish defender Luke McNally is determined to make the most of his loan spell in the Championship with Stoke City to prove his worth to his Premier League employers.
Burnley signed Dubliner McNally from Oxford United for a reported fee of €2million in 2022 but he has made only two league appearances, both as sub, for the Clarets as he was loaned out to Coventry City last season with a further loan, at Stoke, this term.
That has offered the 24-year-old some game time, with 26 appearances this season and the former St Patrick’s Athletic man is pleased to get that opportunity as he plans to force his way in at Burnley in the future.
Today's Sport News in 90 Seconds - 11th January
“The Championship is a good level and I think it’s part of my development just to play as many games as I can and try improve as a player. That’s been the main thing for me and I’m enjoying it and I'm really benefiting & developing from it so far,” says McNally.
This season also saw him claim a rare goal, the winner in a 2-1 defeat of Sunderland in October, his first time to find the net in 43 games.
“I didn’t score last season so I was kind of waiting to hit the back of the net, so it’s great to have got that first goal and we won that day against Sunderland,” he told Burnley’s website.
“It’s always nice to score, whatever the position you are in and I would say there’s still no better feeling than the ball hitting the back of the net. I was buzzing. I've got my head on a good few this year, just some of them haven't dropped I’m so hoping to get another one soon."
