No fall out with Darren McCauley - insists Derry City manager Declan Devine

The Candy Stripes boss confirmed that McCauley took some time off recently but stressed there was no problem between the club and the player, who returns tomorrow (Friday) to be put through some extra training sessions as he builds his fitness levels up.

“Darren is like everybody else; once everybody hits their targets and gets themselves up to speed (they are available for selection),” he insisted.

“There has been absolutely no fall out with Darren McCauley. I have known Darren since he was 12 years old, he’s a player we would like to keep at this club for the foreseeable future. He’s a player I feel can enhance the team when he’s completely fit and he’s working towards that.

“He’s a player who has a huge impact in terms of moving us forward but Derry being Derry, there will always be someone out there that thinks they know more.”

While the ex-Coleraine man won’t be involved for tomorrow evening’s clash at UCD, Devine hopes he’ll be back sooner rather than later and insists the rumours currently doing the rounds about the Gobnascale man are no more than idle gossip

“There are always going to be rumours because very few people know exactly what’s going on here,” added the Derry manager.

“Darren has to get himself very fit but he’s working hard behind the scenes. He has had a couple of days to sort a few things but Darren is a great lad. I have a lot of time for him, but we have to understand that he has been playing football for a full calendar year.

“Yes, he had weeks off obviously after (leaving) Inverness but he’s come here and he has been good here. However, we still have to get Darren really fit and he would be the first to tell you that.

“Darren McCauley is a proper, proper player when he’s fully match fit which we are all working towards. He’ll be in here tomorrow morning (Friday) training hard towards that goal.”