Bastien Hery admits he's got a point to prove as he looks to reignite his career at Derry City

The talented 29 year-old playmaker joins Ruaidhri Higgins side on a loan deal from Bohemians until the end of the season. And after a frustrating start to his career at Dalymount Park where he was restricted to just five appearances, the former Paris St Germain youth can't wait to show Derry fans what he's all about.

"It didn't work the way I wanted and probably from the coaches' view as well but that's football," said the Madagascar international. "Sometimes you move on and don't know where you're going to end up and don't know what's next. But I took it on the chin really and kept working hard and I won't change the way I am.

"Definitely I have a lot to prove and first of all I want to prove it to myself I can still do it and if I can prove some people wrong as well.

I've played (at Brandywell) quite a few times now and I look forward to getting back on that pitch and show what I can do."

Bohemians pipped Dublin rivals St Patrick Athletic to the player's signature as he arrived as the Gypsies' marquee signing from Linfield at the start of the league campaign.

Higgins is delighted he's eventually found his way to Foyleside and the Derry boss reckons he will add the 'creative spark' his team badly need. Hery is a player he's admired for some time and he's confident the ex-Waterford and Limerick star will be able to express himself at the Brandywell club.

"It's an attractive thing to me hearing Bastien say he has a point to prove to himself and other people. That's an attractive thing for me as a manager that I know that he has got the bit between his teeth to go and get his career back on track and I'm sure we will give him the platform to be able to do that.

"He's someone who I for a long time admired as a player. I think Bastien would be the first to admit that the last year, year and a half hasn't gone the way that he would've hoped. But when you have that much talent and ability and he's not 34 or 35 years of age, he's 29 and very much in the prime years of his career as a midfield player.

"And hopefully this loan spell can be the start of him getting his career back on track and in turn helping us to keep getting good positive results."

Following Will Patching's return to Dundalk, Derry have struggled to break down defences in recent games, particularly at the weekend against nine men Drogheda United. And Higgins believes Hery will supply some much needed creativity in the final third.

"When you look in particular at the St Pat's game when they went down to 10 men and the cup game at the weekend, I think we have a lot of really good players at the cub but I think someone to make that final pass and open up the defence, I think he brings that.

"Structurally we're good as a team and are well organised but we definitely needed a player who could add a creative spark and play a cut throat pass. He can certainly do that.

"His performances for Linfield in Europe when he first went there spring to mind when he made an unbelievable pass for Kirk Millar away from home in one of the games. Straight away that pass comes to mind and he's got that in his locker and I'm delighted we've been able to bring him to the club.

"The fact that he has got real League of Ireland experience is a huge plus," he added. "I said at the start of this window, it's a difficult window. It's really a loan window for League of Ireland clubs, that's the way I would look at it.

"But I think we've done good business so far and I'm delighted we've been able to add Bastien as well."

The Limavady man also admitted the fact the midfielder wasn't involved in Bohemians' FAI Cup win over College Corinthians last week was key to the move and something which was discussed between himself and Bohs boss Keith Long during negotiations.

"That was very, very important, I first made contact with Keith (Long) over the weekend and that was important to me that he wasn't cup tied.

"He's been training all along and hasn't got any injury problems so straight away he's in our thoughts (for Longford Town) and we'll see what Saturday brings.

"Derry City supporters know what he's capable of," he added. "They've seen it first hand at the Brandywell and the RSC. I even remember being involved with Dundalk working towards a game against Waterford and when you discuss the opposition and how were going to stop the opposition playing, Bastien's name was at the forefront of everything.

As I said, he's 29, he's not 35 and he's still got good years ahead of him. Hopefully we can tap in and get the best out of him."