O’Sullivan Decision Explained

If I’m completely honest about it I was a little surprised Paul Lambert allowed John O’Sullivan to leave Blackburn Rovers for a loan with Rochdale!!

I thought his signing a new Blackburn deal meant he was in the plans of Lambert?? In the strictest sense he’ll be in the long term plans but for the immediate future he’ll have his chance to play regularly with Rochdale for the time being.

Upon reflection it’s got to be better for the twenty two year old to play regularly with Dale until January than simply training with Rovers and getting a few minutes here and there from the substitutes bench hasn’t it?? Which when you look at it this way he’ll be better off from this time with them and should (if this loan works as it’s meant to) come back better for it.)

Lambert told The Official Blackburn Rovers Website: “I think it is important for any young player to play men’s football as they call it.

“I think with John going out will do him a world of good because he’ll start to realise that it isn’t a hobby any more and that it is a job that you’ve to earn a living out of and you’ve got to go as high as you possibly can in your own career.

“For our football club it is important because hopefully when he comes back he’ll be a lot better for it.“

Talent isn’t something the Irish midfielder lacks but he needs more minutes on the pitch (we’ve always thought this about him) to start showing what he’s really capable of with this loan to the SkyBet League One side a perfect opportunity for him to do this.

Lambert added this was a loan O’Sullivan had asked for: “I spoke to him the other day and he wanted to go out on loan. He wasn’t just sitting here, he wanted to go out and play men’s football which is great.

“He’ll come back better for it with the more games that he plays. He’s definitely got a talent, he just needs to be brought out a little bit more.“

O’Sullivan made his Rochdale debut at Spotland on Saturday, however, I noticed this lasted only thirty minutes (was he injured??) and he’d also collected a yellow card!!