Conor Coventry is a real talent.
After an impressive loan stint at League One side MK Dons, Ireland U21 midfielder Conor Coventry is a man on a mission for the Ireland U21s over the next fortnight.
Coventry, 22, is part of an Irish side on the cusp of qualification for the European Championship, the first to do so, and he is chasing his own slice of history.
Should he play in just two of Ireland’s three games during this window, he would break Graham Barrett’s existing record as Ireland’s most capped player at U21 level.
“It was a missed opportunity but you have to take the experiences you have, we played some really good football..”
However, the path to the top has been full of ups and downs for the English-born midfielder, with the 2021/22 season encapsulating that.
At the start of the season, Coventry was on loan at Peterborough United, where his game time was limited. He then joined League One high-flyers MK Dons, where his opportunities were anything but limited.
In taking the good and the bad, combined with some learnings from West Ham great Mark Noble, he has been able to push on and deliver on some of his early promise.
“I loved my time there [at MK Dons] and it was the first time I really had a chance to get a run of games,” he said when speaking to the media. “I feel I really developed from that.
“It was a bit unlucky and sometimes things don’t go your way in football. I feel like we played a great style of football, we were one of the better teams in the league. It was a missed opportunity but you have to take the experiences you have, we played some really good football.”
“I felt frustrated because I felt I was good enough to play and needed more of a chance..”
His time in Milton Keynes came after a tough stint at Peterborough, with the Posh ending up being relegated to League One following his departure in January.
“I don’t want to be too controversial but there’s a different feel around the place when you’re winning games,” he explains. “Different managers have different styles and different clubs have different fanbases and stadiums.
“They were different feelings but I’m happy to have learnt from both of them, in a way. I’m happy with how both went because I’ve learnt from both sides of not playing and things were tough to playing really well when everything was rosy. I’ve taken from both.”
Conor Coventry vs Charlton Athletic:
Every tackle won 💪
Every aerial duel won ✈️
Passing accuracy of 93% 🎯
11.6KM covered 🏃♂️
Assist 🅰️Some performance, @conorcoventry 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aUx7cAMsjE
— Milton Keynes Dons (@MKDonsFC) February 23, 2022
While he did learn some valuable insights into his game at the Posh, he did also find it to be one of the toughest spells in his career to date.
“I felt frustrated because I felt I was good enough to play and needed more of a chance,” he added. “I thought I was training well enough but it didn’t really come.
“It was a little out of my hands in a way. I learnt a lot more about the game, that it’s not always easy and things don’t come your way. It was the toughest part of my career.”
“It will be really strange him not being there as that’s all I have known, him being there, his influence is massive..”
While it may have been tough, Coventry has been forged into one of the most exciting young talents at West Ham, learning from one of the best in his trade.
Mark Noble’s shadow is likely to remain large at the Hammers even after his departure this summer, with the 20-year-old Ireland U21 one of those who has benefitted greatly from Noble’s presence.
We’ll miss you Mark Noble 👏⚒️ pic.twitter.com/g7urpRNxPZ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 16, 2022
“If you ask anyone at West Ham, whether that’s a signing or an academy lad, they speak so highly of [Mark Noble] and the influence he has over the whole training ground,” he explains.
“It will be really strange him not being there as that’s all I have known, him being there, his influence is massive.
“He was always there with a bit of banter, making me feel welcome. We’re in the same position so at times he’d talk to me about the position, we went through clips a few times, he was a massive help to me.
“Everyone has seen that [Noble cleaning the dressing room] recently but he has been doing that for a while. It’s not like he was posing for that, he has been doing it without recognition and that’s a testament to him and the type of leadership he shows.
“When some get to the top and go a certain way, people don’t like that. That’s not the way I want to be. You’re a team, not just a player or staff. Why should he sweep up and not me?”
“[Moyes] is a very straight talker, he knows what he wants from you on and off the pitch..”
In terms of his own future, Coventry does at least know where he stands at the Irons after a recent discussion with first-team manager David Moyes.
“I was back in and I spoke to him,” he revealed. “We spoke a bit about my time there and the playoff games but not massively. He knows that I know I need to come in and work my socks off, see where it takes me.
Issa Diop, Conor Coventry & Ben Johnson scored as West Ham beat Reading 3-0 in a pre-season friendly 🔥
⚒️ What will they achieve in 2021/22❓#UEL pic.twitter.com/L6zeU1Ziuu
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) July 22, 2021
“Hopefully I will be in contact in pre-season but I know what I need to do. I went on loan to play games, become a better player and a better person, I did that on both counts, it can only help me. I feel closer to the team than I was a year ago, so it can only help me.
“[Moyes] is a very straight talker, he knows what he wants from you on and off the pitch. I spoke to him at a similar time last year, after I’d had a good pre-season, he said you can stay.
“Other players were telling me to stay, and he said you can stay but it’d be better for you to go and play for a year and come back to me.
“He was straight with me, other managers might have kept me around, had me sitting on the bench, but he told me what was best for me, I was appreciative of that.”
He must now put his club ambitions on hold, with history beckoning not only for the Ireland U21s, but for him too. Currently, Coventry is on 23 caps for the Boys in Green at U21 level, one behind Barrett who is the existing record holder at 24 caps.
Only two more appearances for Jim Crawford’s side would see him complete the set. Although history beckons in more than one way for Coventry.
Read More About: Conor Coventry, mark noble, mk dons, West Ham
