'He has a lot of interest': Former Irish League manager backing Glenavon teenager for big summer move
Stephen McDonnell – the manager who brought Paul McGovern to Glenavon – believes the teenage sensation has what it takes to thrive across the water and claims “there's a list of clubs” tracking him closely.
McDonnell went all out to get McGovern, who was 16 at the time, after his Glenavon side came up against Newry City in the Mid-Ulster Cup and signed him to a two-year contract – which is due to expire this summer.
While McDonnell’s Lurgan Blues reign lasted just shy of 14 months, he recruited the likes of Len O’Sullivan, David Toure, Barney McKeown and McGovern during his spell at Mourneview Park.
The acquisition of McGovern looks particularly shrewd with the 18-year-old a shining light amidst troubling times for the Co Armagh outfit – he has scored seven goals in 28 Premiership appearances this season.
While McDonnell believes the young attacker could have his pick of clubs in the Irish League, the ex-Warrenpoint Town chief feels McGovern has the ability to excel at a higher level with his situation one to watch this summer.
"He could choose whichever Irish League club he wanted, but what I would be thinking is about going across the water, that's the level he's at,” he said. “He has all the raw credentials and he has now backed it up in a senior environment.
"I do know he has a lot of interest across the water. I would be surprised if he doesn't go across the water. He has done so well, which I knew he would.
"I went all out to get Paul and put him on a two-year deal at 16, which is now up this summer so he's in an unbelievable position. I know there's a list of clubs all over it, so for him it's brilliant.”
McGovern, the younger brother of Shamrock Rovers striker John, had made 11 Premiership appearances at Newry before joining Glenavon.
The Northern Ireland youth international has gone on to score 10 times in 50 league games for the Lurgan Blues and could yet prove to be the difference in their fight to escape relegation.
McDonnell always believed McGovern would take the Premiership by storm and predicts there’s even more to come.
"We had the second-lowest budget in the league and a lot of managers would complain about that, but we were more than happy,” he added. “We had a head scout, myself very active on the ground and with my finger on the pulse in the League of Ireland, I knew what and who we were looking at.
"In my first week at Glenavon, we had Newry in the Mid-Ulster Cup, and Paul played that night but wasn't playing regularly.
"I thought 'wow, this lad is a player'. I fancied him more than his brother, who has went on to do magical things. I just thought you could really do something with Paul because he was 16.
"We brought Ben Wilson through and pushed to get him on a first team contract, Troy Savage went to Burnley, our ambitions for Chris Atherton, to be able to sell that to Paul...we had 21 players and I told him he was going to be part of our senior panel and will play.
"There was one or two other clubs sniffing around at that time, but not as many as there are now. He has proven at 18 that he's very much got more levels to go up."