Lambert: McGavin and Drinan Need Senior Football - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Paul Lambert says young duo Brett McGavin and Aaron Drinan, who are at Ayr United on trial with a view to joining the Scottish Championship side on loan, need men’s football at this stage of their careers with U23s football not teaching them anything.

Midfielder McGavin, 20, and striker Drinan, 21, linked-up with the Honest Men earlier in the week.

"The lads are up there, so we’ll see how they get on,” Lambert said. "They need men’s football, U23s football, and this is just my opinion, U23s football isn’t teaching them anything.

"It’s not teaching them the right ways of football, it’s not teaching them physicality, it’s not teaching them streetwise football, it’s not teaching them the real game.

"The real game is a country mile away from U23 football and I think that’s where it’s lost and that’s why I think Brett and people like that need to go and play men’s football.”

Quizzed on how the potential move to Ayr came about, he added: "They just came and enquired about the lads and asked. Scottish football, I know what it’s like, you get absolute honesty up there, that’s for sure.

"And it’ll be an eye-opener for them, that’s for sure. It’s the real world of professional football, it’s going out there and seeing what it’s like against men.”

Lambert wants more if his young players to go out on loan as well but says clubs have to come forward wanting to take them.

"You can only go if somebody wants you,” he said. "You can’t put somebody out on loan if a team doesn’t want you. If teams want the guys we have to weigh it up to see if it’s the right move for them.”

Less likely to go out for a spell are Idris El Mizouni and Armando Dobra, who Lambert says are closer to the senior side.

"They’re a different type those two kids,” he reflected. "They’ve done well. A difficult one for them, they’re in that Catch-22 situation where I think they’re not too far away [from being in the team] but they’re too good for the U23s. That’s an annoying one that one because I think they’ve got a bit more to offer.”

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