Long-serving Eoin Bradley may well have played his last game for Derry county football team – at least while Brian McIver is in charge – after turning out yesterday for Coleraine in the Danske Bank Premiership.
Eoin Bradley.
McIver believes the Glenullin forward is vital to the Derry set-up and is understood to want him for the McKenna Cup competition which begins in January.
However, it is understood he is not happy with Bradley playing soccer on a Saturday and Gaelic football on a Sunday and has told the 29-year-old to choose between the two. Bradley, on the other hand, is believed to have told McIver HE would be happy playing both games.
By lining out for the Bannsiders in their 4-0 defeat by Crusaders at Seaview yesterday, Bradley has firmly placed the ball back in McIver’s court.
Coleraine boss Oran Kearney is refusing to get involved in the row.
Speaking before yesterday’s game, he said he would leave it to Bradley – who has agreed terms until May – to make his own decision.
However, he did say he was keen for him to stay at the Showgrounds.
That comes as no surprise as Bradley has scored five goals in eight games since joining Coleraine in September.
Kearney said: “Eoin is welcome to stay with us and see out his contract, which runs until the end of the season. At the same time, if he comes to me and says that he wants to go back to GAA then he will go with our blessing.
“Although players are under contract I don’t own them as such. I have told them that when they finish playing I want them to be able to look back at their career as being dictated by their own decisions, not decisions that I made as their manager.
“I haven’t had a conversation with Eoin about the matter, but I did speak to him a couple of weeks ago and he told me he is loving it at Coleraine.
“He said that he’s enjoying himself more than he thought he would and he is very settled at the club and gets on very well with everyone.”
Prior to joining the Bannsiders, Bradley played soccer for Ballymoney United and Kilrea United.
He plays his club football for John Mitchel’s GAC Glenullin and gained his first call up to the Derry Senior panel in 2004 by Mickey Moran.
Tags:
