Cawley keen to consider all his options

Ballina’s David Cawley is on the lookout for a new club after he was told in November that his contract wasn’t going to be renewed with Sligo Rovers. The decision came as a disappointment to Cawley who earlier in the year had received a testimonial match from the club as a reward for his service. He had been hoping to get a new deal but that wasn’t to be.

“I suppose I went into that meeting open-minded. The week before our last game the word had been going around training that a few of the lads had been told that they weren’t going to be kept on. This was all in the lead-up to our last game of the season which was away to Shamrock Rovers. I didn’t know at the time but I had played in my last home game in the Showgrounds. I was hopeful that I would get offered a new deal but it didn’t work out that way,” Cawley has told the Western People.

“What disappointed me most was that it seemed the decision as regards my future had already been made before the Shamrock Rovers game. Had I known, I could have done something to mark the game to show the supporters how much I appreciate them. But look, that’s football and I will get over it, this is what happens and I won’t be the last player that it will happen to. I had been thinking when I was going into meeting the manager about what sort of offer I would accept, but I did know that it had been a tough year for the club and I have seen things like this happen before in football.” 

It is never a great time to be on the look for a new club, especially coming so close to Christmas, but Cawley has been keeping himself busy in the off season, setting-up a new coaching clinic, David Cawley Pro Coaching, which is starting to take off. Cawley works with players one-to-one and holds training sessions for clubs as well:

“It’s never ideal but that is the nature of football in Ireland, that all the contracts are finished before Christmas. It’s normal and just the way it is for everyone so I am not unique in that regard. The coaching is slowly taking off and this is hopefully only the start of it. I am working on getting the word out and am looking to help out as many teams and players as I can.

“I have only been at it a few months and am hoping to get a push on it and make it bigger. I am always there for any player that wants to lean on me for advice or to do some training. I am keeping myself busy and training to stay fit and am working with a good few young players from around the area.” 

Cawley has received calls from a couple of clubs and it taking his time to decide where he is going to play next but did say that he is going to continue playing and will be making a decision soon.

“Yeah it has been strange, I have been around the League for a few years now and the phone doesn’t hop as much as when you are in your 20s. That said, I have been lucky in that I have had some clubs onto me and have to think now about the next step in my career and I am close to coming to a decision as to where I will be playing next. I’m only 32 and want to keep playing, I still have that hunger and desire and want to do well for my next club.

“I have had clubs from both sides of the border get in touch with me and to see where my head was at and if I would be interested. It isn’t as easy as before in that the family are here in Ballina and travel would be a consideration. But I’m not in the position yet where I will be taking a step back, I want to keep playing and will be making a decision in the next couple of weeks so that I will be ready to go come January.”