IRELAND midfielder Conor Hourihane says he’s up for the challenge of leading Derby County back to the Championship after signing a two-year deal.
Free agent After being sacked by Aston Villa at the end of last season, most of which he loaned out to Sheffield United, he has opted to be relegated to the third division but says he is happy about it.
“At my current age, 31, I wanted something that would excite me, something that I could play a big part in,” Hourihane told Rams TV.
“I’ve played all the way from the second tier to the premier league and analyzed it as a free agent this summer. I had to think about what I want next, what I want to achieve and Derby ticked all the boxes. Everyone knows the difficulties they had, but it’s a fresh start.
“I feel like it’s an exciting time for the club now. I’ve worked my way up to achieve what I’ve achieved in my career. It’s all about hard work, about taking on challenges , and I look forward.”
Derby currently have Ireland’s Jason Knight on the books, although he is expected to leave while Festy Ebosele left the Rams for Udinese, but Under-21 captain Eiran Cashin has signed a new contract, while the Rams also have former Ireland striker David McGoldrick in were connected.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/ireland-midfielder-conor-hourihane-signs-two-year-deal-with-derby-41818128.html Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane has signed a two-year deal with Derby