Luke O'Donnell signs first professional contract with Derry

Buncrana teenager Luke O'Donnell chats about signing his first professional contract with Derry City

Transcript

00:00 So look, congratulations, your professional contract, I'm sure you're delighted, the family

00:06 are delighted that it's done and dusted and you've got that signed.

00:08 I'm delighted to officially sign for Der, it's a big moment for me and now just pushing

00:12 off to the future and just trying to do my best, get myself on the team.

00:16 Yeah obviously Rory and the coaching staff here, underage coaching staff all have huge

00:20 belief in you as well too, they hand you, first of all the manager getting pre-season

00:25 as well which you haven't lucked out of place but you must take real confidence from that

00:30 as well, the belief that they're putting on you.

00:32 It's great, it's always great when a manager believes in you and gives you the opportunity,

00:37 I really appreciate all the coaching staff, Rory and everyone else involved for giving

00:40 me the opportunity, I just try to take my chance.

00:44 And learning off the mudfield department there at Derry City, the man at the back, especially

00:49 the likes of Fats who has done it all in the League of Ireland, how beneficial has he been

00:54 to you and the other guys around you as well?

00:56 Fats has been unbelievable for me, on and off the pitch, he's always someone I can go

01:00 to for advice, he's always given it to me and I'm just trying to take it and learn everything

01:04 off him because as you said he's an amazing player, amazing guy too and all the rest of

01:08 the mudfielders, they're all helping me out too so they're great players to learn from

01:12 and great people too.

01:13 Obviously Derry going for the league title this year hopefully, but guys being so competitive

01:19 in training as well too, that's only going to be good for your development as well too

01:23 when you're playing with these guys day in and day out and getting minutes under your

01:26 belt along with them as well too isn't it?

01:28 Yeah every time I'm training matches I'm learning because they've got big goals this year so

01:33 hopefully we will try our best to achieve them but every session, every match I'm just

01:37 trying to learn off them.

01:41 Obviously you're Derry City, you signed the contract but I'm sure like any young player

01:46 with talent you've got ambitions to go across the water and play at the highest level as

01:50 well too isn't it, that's more long term isn't it but definitely your ambition.

01:55 Every kid's dreams of playing in the Premier League, Champions League, that's definitely

01:58 my goal but for now I'm just focused on trying to get into the Derry team and do my best

02:03 here.