Derry City's ‘Mr Versatile’ Danny Lafferty happy with comparison to Liverpool’s James Milner

Since his return last season, the former Northern Ireland international has played in numerous positions from left-back to centre midfield, something very similar to Milner and, just like the Yorkshire man, Lafferty doesn’t complain.

“Yeah I’m a bit like James Milner, ” he joked. “But to be honest, it doesn’t bother me and I actually kind of enjoy getting moved about a bit and trying different things.

“Obviously everyone has got their preferred positions and maybe where you see yourself as a best position but, as I said, it doesn’t bother me what position I’m playing.

“I don’t know if it was just about getting a lot of experienced players on the pitch at the one time and then I was moved into different positions, but I think it was for a reason tactically, I don’t think the manager thought ‘OK, that’s where I think you should play from now on’, I think it was to help the team, so whatever I have to do to help the team it doesn’t bother me.”

Derry are the bookmakers’ favourites to be Shamrock Rovers’ nearest challengers for the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title next season, but the former Burnley and Sheffield United full-back isn’t getting carried away with the hype.

Having played his part in the Tallaght men’s FAI Cup and Premier Division title successes in 2019 and 2020 respectively, Lafferty knows what a winning dressing room is like and he hopes that winning mentality is now on Foyleside.

“We hope so and while everyone wants to hear about all these big ambitions at the minute, we aren’t looking anything further than our first game of the season and we have a really difficult start,” he added. “We aren’t looking anywhere beyond that but in terms of what the manager has brought into the club this year, it’s definitely strengthened us so hopefully we can improve on last year and by doing that hopefully that puts us a wee bit higher up the table, but who knows.

“At the minute, we are only looking at the first game away at Dundalk and then the first home game against (Shamrock) Rovers and then we’ll see where it takes us after that.”

The 32-year-old is the elder statesman in the dressing room, but he does feel that Ruaidhri Higgins’ new additions have added more experience to the club, which he hopes will benefit City.

“I think we have added more experience, yes, I would be at the top end of the age group, but having added the likes of Patrick (McEleney), Michael (Duffy), Shane (McEleney) and we have a lot of other boys who have experience and that’s going to help the dressing room,” he explained. “Even our captain, Eoin (Toal), has been around for years now.

“Hopefully, that does help us in certain types of games as experience can help us get over the line and secure certain results in matches.

“I’m sure that was probably in the manager’s thoughts when he was doing his recruitment.”

The Carnhill native, now in his second spell with his home town club, concedes that the feel good factor at the Brandywell is both exciting and enjoyable.

“I think people see the players we have brought in this year by bringing the likes of Michael, Patrick and Shane back to the club, local boys and by bringing them type of boys back shows that the club is going back to its roots, so to speak," he added.

“It has been exciting times to be around the club, it’s great, it’s enjoyable, everything is positive and we are looking forward to actually the season getting going at Dundalk.

“We have had a tough pre-season and now we are getting into the business end of the season getting underway, so we are all looking forward to the first game at Oriel Park.

“The plans that are in place make things exciting but the manager and the board know the actual long term plan, us as players, we are just looking forward to getting things going.”

Lafferty, who isn’t looking to hang up his boots anytime soon, is already starting to think about what he’s going to do after he finishes playing with coaching certainly an option.

“I think it’s something I want to do and I think it is the natural kind of progression for footballers that they go into coaching,” he said.

“I was in and out last year with Conor Loughrey’s U15 team but yeah it is something I probably will try out more and more again this year and years to come.

“Now I’m not saying that’s exactly where I’m going to find myself, but it is something I enjoy.”