Coventry City's latest recruit, left back Stephen O'Halloran has stated he is raring to go and to put in impressive performances and is aiming to help get his new team into a promotion challenging place in the table.
The 22 year old Irish international has put a double cruciate knee ligament injury behind him to regain full fitness. It was his form for the Aston Villa reserves, after his recovery that drew the attention of City boss Aidy Boothroyd and his subsequent free transfer.
O'Halloran can't wait to prove his form and fitness to The Ricoh crowds and he thinks he has a lot ot offer, He said, “I am delighted to be at Coventry, which is a great opportunity for me,”
“I am a very positive person and I have put all my injury problems behind me now and just want to look forward. I’m excited about getting a good pre-season and hopefully impressing in the friendlies and getting a place in the first team."
“Although I have had a bad time with injuries, I came back strong last season and helped Villa win their reserve league and then played in the play-off final against Manchester United’s reserves. I have come from a Premier League club and hopefully I can help Coventry achieve their ambitions of getting back there as well."
O'Halloran joined the Sky Blues on an initial one year contract with an option for a second year on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract with Aston Villa.
O’Halloran explained his two cruciate ligament injuries, the first of which happened during the warm up prior to what would have been his loan spell debut at Leeds in March 2008.
“It was just one of those things, an accident,” he explained. “It set me back but then I came back and in the December that year when I was out on loan at Swansea and it went again. The specialists said I was really unlucky, that it was a one in a hundred chance of happening again, but I have taken my time with my rehab this time and I am confident in the knee and I feel stronger as a person for having come through it."
“I never once thought about giving up and I am not the sort of person to sit around and moan about it. I just knew that all I wanted to do is play football.”
While playing in the reserves for Aston Villa following his recovery, he was spotted by Boothroyd whom he impressed.
“I sat down and had a good chat with the gaffer last week and he was really positive and upbeat,” said O'Halloran. “I can sense there is a real buzz about the club with the new manager and I can’t wait to get started.”
Commenting on his style of play and his strengths, he said, “I like to think I am a strong defender but I like to get forward and help the attacking players as well."
“The club have just signed Gary McSheffrey and hopefully there will be a few more to follow, so I hope to help players like him get in on goal. I like to get the odd goal myself and that’s something I would like to continue at Coventry.”