ALAN BROWNE BELIEVES Sean Maguire is capable of improving a Preston North End side who are hoping to be in contention for promotion from the Championship next season.
Maguire will leave Cork City at the end of next month to join Preston, who will begin their bid for promotion to the Premier League at home to Sheffield Wednesday on 5 August.
“He’ll have to bring the confidence he has at the moment with Cork City into the Championship,” Browne told Cork’s RedFM. “I think that’s a massive factor when you’re playing that well, to just keep that confidence going and keep trying new things.
“But don’t take it for granted either. He knows himself anyway that he still has a long way to go and he has a lot of work to do. But with the form he’s in there’s no reason why he can’t kick on again next year.”
Maguire has earned his move back to England after a stunning 18 months with Cork City. Having been unable to make a breakthrough during a brief spell at Dundalk after he returned from West Ham, the 23-year-old striker ended last season as the SSE Airtricity League’s leading goalscorer. His form has only improved in 2017, with 18 goals in 19 league appearances for the Premier Division leaders.
Kilkenny native Maguire will join a substantial Irish contingent at Deepdale, which also includes Greg Cunningham, Eoin Doyle and former Dundalk team-mates Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle.
Browne made the same move in January 2014, when he swapped Cork for Preston. The former Republic of Ireland U21 midfielder made his senior international debut earlier this month in the 3-1 defeat to Mexico in New Jersey.
“When he [Maguire] went to Cork City it just changed things completely. I don’t understand how he wasn’t getting in the Dundalk team because ever since he went to Cork he’s been unbelievable,” said 22-year-old Browne.
“It’s not just a good signing for him, it’s a good signing for Preston. I know exactly what Seanie is like — I played with him with the Irish U21s — and he’s a fantastic player. I know he’ll add that bit extra to the Preston side. It’s something I’m looking forward to.”
Preston finished last season in 11th place in England’s second tier, 18 points adrift of the play-off places. But with Norwich City goalkeeper Declan Rudd and Manchester United midfielder Josh Harrop also heading to Deepdale, Browne is confident that Simon Grayson’s side can challenge for promotion.
He said: “We’ll be looking to improve on last year. We don’t want to be too ambitious and talk about going up automatically, but the play-offs is something we’ll definitely look at.
“To be honest, I don’t think there’s any reason why we can’t go up automatically. It’s a tough league, we’ve experienced that over the last two years, so it would be something difficult and it would be a massive achievement.
“Realistically speaking I think the play-offs is well in our sights. We came close to it last year and with the new additions this season I think there’s no reason why we can’t go and get a spot in that for next year.”
Who?
Lisa Kearney.