St Pat’s Ryan McLaughlin admits he stayed at Liverpool too long and lauds Conor Bradley’s ‘unbelievable’ rise

Just like the journey Conor Bradley embarked on not too long ago, in 2011 McLaughlin left Northern Ireland to sign for the Merseyside club at age 16 in the hope of progressing to the first team, and while there were highs like being included on pre-season tours under Brendan Rodgers, there were lows too.

After loans at Barnsley and Aberdeen, the right-back just couldn’t make his way into the Reds first team and after six years it came time to depart. Almost a decade has passed since McLaughlin left the Premier League club and he admits in hindsight, there are things he would do differently.

"At the start I was obviously very homesick and I probably didn't want to go over, being truthful,” said McLaughlin, ahead of St Pat’s home clash with Drogheda tonight (7.45).

“I signed a three-year deal and I was thinking to myself that after, I'd want to come back home. I was a real homebird. After a few months you are a bit more settled, and I loved my time at Liverpool.

“I probably stayed too long there, because you need men's football as early as you can. I did have loans in that, but I didn't go out on loan as much as I should have. I should have taken more opportunities to go out, but these are things you learn from as you get older.

"It is hard. You get tagged ‘oh you play for Liverpool.’ But you played for Liverpool reserves. You are not playing week in, week out in the Premier League. I said no to a few teams (about a loan) when I was younger, which I probably shouldn't have done. You are a bit younger and thinking, ‘I should be going somewhere better.’

“You have made some mistakes when you are younger, but I suppose it shapes you into who you are now. Sometimes you do have regrets that you should have gone on loan a bit more, but when you are at Liverpool it is difficult.”

Now 29, McLaughlin, who has five Northern Ireland caps, looks back on his time at the Anfield club fondly despite not having made the first-team breakthrough.

“I played a few friendlies. I played against Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva Stadium, there were 40,000 Liverpool fans. I'm still very close to everyone at the academy today. The relationships I made, I don't regret it at all.”

Some clubs are often criticised for how some players are left out in the cold after being released, but McLaughlin says this couldn't be further from the truth for Liverpool.

“They are putting me through my (UEFA) B Licence at the minute, I don't have to pay a penny,” said McLaughlin, who signed for the Saints in July of last year.

“I’m not saying I want to go into coaching after playing, but it’s just nice to have. It’d be stupid for me not to take the opportunity. They are giving me punditry, media work, things like that, which I'm very thankful for. It's brilliant, they don't have to. Obviously there’s a stigma that when players leave clubs, the clubs don't help them out afterwards.

“But Liverpool have always been very good. If you want to go and learn Spanish, or learn the guitar, they will help you. Coaching badges, media work, all of it, they'll help you out. I know it's massive, but it's actually quite a family club. It's a cliche, but they are all down to earth, normal people."

It’s been a stunning breakthrough season for McLaughlin’s compatriot Bradley, with the 20-year-old Tyrone man, also a right-back, impressing with 22 first-team appearances to date this term under Jurgen Klopp.

“It’s been unbelievable. I know the scout who brought him over well, he also brought me over,” added McLaughlin.

“I think the best thing about Conor is that he’s just a normal down to earth fella. You wouldn't think he played for Liverpool if you spoke to him. He doesn’t let it phase him playing for Liverpool’s first-team. Playing behind Mo Salah, some could think ‘flip, what's going on here?’. But it’s just a normal game for Conor. For any young player in Northern Ireland coming through now, I’m sure they are looking at him and that it gives them inspiration.”

With the Saints winless in four coming into tonight, the defender says it’s a massive weekend with a trip to Sligo Rovers also ahead on Monday, with Jon Daly’s men looking to lift themselves off sixth.

“It's massive for us. We know the talent we have in the dressing room, but we need to go out there, show it and get wins. I know we didn’t have a great week last week, but we have two games now in quick succession where we can put things right, and we’ll have that positivity and confidence back again.”