KERR MCINROY is confident he can find his voice as Damien Duff – sometimes literally – drives for more success with Shelbourne.
Duff is a big fan of the player with whom he had previously worked at Celtic, eventually persuading him to join Shels ahead of this season.
He has described him as the best midfielder in the country and handed him a new extended contract last month.
McInroy repaid some of that faith with a composed last-minute finish to earn Shels all three points against St Pat’s on Friday.
But the ex-Ireland international did air one criticism of the 24-year-old with McInroy admitting that he could be louder in the dressing room.
McInroy said: “I’d agree with him that I’m definitely too quiet. It’s probably something I need to improve on in the group.
“It’s something I’ve never really done but I probably need to push myself out of my comfort zone and talk more in the group.
“Obviously, as a person, I talk away to the boys, it’s probably more speaking in the changing room. I’m quite quiet when it comes to that.”
But the ex-Kilmnarnock and Partick Thistle player admitted that – as a newcomer to a league winning squad – he had to bide his time as well before he started shouting the odds.
He said: “It isn’t in my nature anyway to kind of be a loud one, but if I was to come in here, a Scottish guy that none of the boys really know, and just start ranting and raving, they’d probably be like, who’s that?
“So you kind of need to earn your stripes first before you do it, but it’s probably something I’ve never ever done in any dressing room I’ve been in.”
But, although McInroy did not know any of the players at Shels beforehand, Duff’s presence was enough to convince him to take the plunge and move here.
He said “I just came straight over myself and just dived two feet into it and I’m so happy I’ve done it.
“I obviously knew the manager previously so was looking forward to working with him.
“The first day I came over, I came over and trained for a couple of days and played a friendly in pre-season, and he picked me up from the airport.
“So it just kind of shows the kind of sentimental touch, he could have sent a taxi for me, could have sent a member of staff, but he came and got me himself, which was a warm welcome for me.
“I’m probably not as close to him now as he’s the manager, but probably he’s the exact same as what he was when I worked with him at Celtic. I got on so well with him then and I do now.
“I think it was actually not long after he originally got the job here that he got in contact with me. Maybe a couple of times over the three and a half years he’s been in charge. He’s been in contact with me to come over and just for whatever reason the time wasn’t right.
“I was signing with clubs in Scotland so it just never aligned. But when I spoke to him in January I was like ‘Let’s go over to Ireland, let’s have a crack at it.’ I’m delighted with my decision.”
It has not been a straightforward title defence with Friday’s triumph ending a run of five games without a win but McInroy believes the side has come out of that stronger.
He said: “We’ve obviously been on a disappointing run of late. So it was massive to get a win in the manner we did.
“Coming back from a goal down and getting the last minute winner probably couldn’t be any better
“So it’s about using that momentum going forward now.
“It’s obviously been a disappointing run but in the long run maybe it’s going to be good for us. We’ve handled the disappointments, the mistakes.
“Everyone’s stuck together which is a big thing and hopefully we can kick on now.”