Paudie O-Connor signed for Leeds United in early March this year, telling the Limerick Leader today that he doesn’t regret the move.
In fact, speaking to the Leader, he says just how much he feels that he is getting out of the move that saw him swap the League of Ireland with Limerick for a chance to mix it with some of England’s upcoming talents in the Under-23 Development league with the Whites.
Specifically on the move, and his progress at the club, O’Connor says, “I feel it was the right decision (to move to Leeds) and I am reaping the rewards with the fact of the level of football I am getting there, obviously training with the first team and that under Christiansen. He is a really good manager and knows his stuff.”
However, it is comments earlier in the interview with the Leader that shed light on another aspect of his time with the Leeds Under-23s – the Brawl of Rhyl. United had taken their Under-23s to the Principality to face Huws Grays Alliance side in a game that turned from a tussle to a battle beside the sea-side after a tasty tackle from Leeds player Bryce Hossanah.
Rhyl Football Club played a friendly against Leeds United XI. Game was abandoned #lufcِ pic.twitter.com/tVjtDWKVxS
— Football Away Days (@footyawayday) November 22, 2017
Ducking and diving in Rhyl
O’Connor can be seen ducking a hefty swinging haymaker from the Rhyl #4 before coaches and players from both sides managaged to defuse the situation. This incident led to the game being stopped, United’s Under-23 boss Carlos Corberan leading the young Whites from the field and back onto the team coach.
O’Connor said of the incident that is was obvious that things would get out of control and quickly. Speaking of this, the young Irish defender said, “The pitch wasn’t great. Within about two minutes there wasn’t a blade of grass to be seen. The home side took a physical approach to the game. Myself and a couple of English boys in the team were the only ones used to it. They flew in on the Spanish boys in our side who didn’t like it. It was getting heated. We were sticking up for ourselves, but you could tell it was a game which was going to get out of hand fairly quickly.”
After the late tackle by Leeds youngster Hosannah, O’Connor said that he stepped in as support for the former Crystal Palace youngster. Commenting on the flare point, O’Connor said, “At the start of the second half, our right back [Hosannah], played a pass inside and a guy left another one late on him. He thought, ‘I’m not having this’ and squared up to the Rhyl player who lands a haymaker out of nowhere. It was something like you would see outside a night club in town.”
Getting involved in the building brawl, the former Limerick centre-back said, “I am the closest man and have seen it, so I went in to give him one back. The hand bags start flying then. It was one of these things that happened.”
United’s Under-23’s next game is on January 5 against their Burnley counterparts, a team that has already beaten them 1-0 twice this season – once in the league and in the FA Youth Cup.
