JUST IN: Conor Hourihane makes a ‘new’ career decision on leaving Derby County this summer.

JUST IN: Conor Hourihane makes a ‘new’ career decision on leaving Derby County this summer.

The 31-year-old, who left Premier League team Aston Villa earlier this summer, became the most recent player to sign with the Rams today.

Despite having competed at every level of the English pyramid, the Republic of Ireland international feels that Pride Park Stadium’s rebuilding project will succeed this season, and he is still in the peak of his career.

He discussed his motivations for joining the team and their chance encounter with interim manager Liam Rosenior exclusively with https://sportviewers.com/RamsTV.

I’m absolutely delighted and it’s great to get it done. It’s been bubbling away for a little bit over the last couple of weeks but I’m pleased to get it done. I’m really excited and I feel like it’s an exciting time for the club.

I’m 31 now and I was looking for something that was going to excite me and I was going to be a big part of. Fortunately enough for myself, I have played all the way up from League Two to the Premier League so analysing it this summer as a free agent, I was thinking what do I want next and what do I want to achieve and be part of. Derby ticked all the boxes. Everyone knows the difficulties here over the last couple of years but it’s a fresh start, new takeover and the excitement is here and that’s why I’m here and want to be a part of it.

I’m up for it. My workrate to achieve what I have in my career is all about hard work and rising up to challenges so I’m excited for it and I can be a big part of where the club wants to go.

I can’t help but notice what’s going on here when I look at football because I’m so interested with it. Given the circumstances, the club’s actions from the previous year were really great. Although I know a few folks in the background, it hasn’t been easy. I know Jason Knight from the Ireland national team, and our physiotherapist, John Hartley, was at Aston Villa, so I’ve heard bits and pieces from them about how tough it has been. It’s time to move on from that and begin a new chapter. All out forward motion.

It’s always pleasant to walk into a club knowing a few individuals. You can rely on two decent individuals, John and Knighty. The funny thing is that I met Liam Rosenior. As a free agent, Liam just so happened to be in the restaurant where my wife and two children and I were having lunch. It was a small stroke of luck. After my kids ran over to his table and made a little commotion, we started talking for five or ten minutes. Weeks later, I find myself here, so perhaps fate had a hand in it.

There is a feel-good factor around the place. There are new signings already here, there is more to come no doubt and I’m looking forward to the season to start.

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