Cardiff City's Mark McGuinness has no regrets over club or international callsBy Aidan FitzmauriceTaking the decision to leave Arsenal and also to reject an approach from England is a brave move for any young footballer.
But Ireland under 21 defender Mark McGuinness believes he is on the right path, with club and country, after making those career-defining calls as a teenager. International duty looms, again, on Tuesday when the Cardiff City man will marshal the Irish defence for a key European Championship qualifier away to Sweden. An Irish win in Boras, to back up the home victory over the Swedes last year, would revive qualification hopes.
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Where we’re sat in the table, every game now is a must-win,” McGuinness says. Progress from the under 21s to the Ireland senior squad is slow due to the surfeit of central defenders available to Stephen Kenny, though he is well aware of the Cardiff man.
If fit, McGuinness is certain to start in defence for Ireland in Sweden and win his 10th under 21 cap. Recruited by the canny eye of London-based FAI scout Mark O’Toole, he first hooked up with the boys in green in 2016, lining out for Paul Osam’s under 16 side in the Victory Shield. One of only two UK-based players in that squad, along with Bolton’s Luca Connell, the then Arsenal man was in demand, from England by birth and Northern Ireland through his Derry-born father. But that first taste of life with the Republic won him over.
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There was always interest, and other things. But my heart was always set on playing here. It’s difficult because when you are a young player at Arsenal it’s always going to be people asking questions. But I was very clear where I wanted to go and play. That was here. That was my first taste of it. Once I had that I was hooked.”
The Londoner says it was not a difficult decision to leave Arsenal when Cardiff came calling. “
I was there since I was 10 but it was a no-brainer for me. I had that loan spell at Ipswich and had racked up 25 games or whatever and had that spell in first-team football and it’s completely different to academy football, miles different. And I didn’t want to go back to that.”
Cardiff have given him the first-team exposure they promised, with McGuinness starting 30 of City’s 36 league games this season. It’s been a disappointing campaign for the Bluebirds but he has done well in trying circumstances.
He got a look at life at the top end when Cardiff played Liverpool in the FA Cup last month. Scoreless at half-time, Liverpool fired home three goals in a 25-minute spell after the break. It was an education for McGuinness, who saw up close the benchmark for his position that is Virgil van Dijk.
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When you’re in the moment you’re focused on your job and the game, but he’s an amazing defender and one of the best in the world. To look back on the game, you only realise then he’s top class.”
Promotion with Cardiff is out of the question and elevation to the senior Ireland squad will be tough, given the competition at centre-back. “
That’s the goal to go and play in the senior side. But my focus is on it being a huge honour to play for the Ireland under 21s. We’ve got a big job to do in this month and in June, so I’m looking forward to just being involved now. Whatever happens after that, happens.
“I’ve had conversations with him [Kenny] before and that’s exactly that. That will come, hopefully. But at this point in time, the 21s are where I am focused on in these next games. Ireland is a big country and producing a lot of good players so there is always going to be competition in every position. You just got to do what you can at your club and see what happens.”
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