HE may be going backwards in terms of his field position, but Conor Loftus is only improving as centre half-back believes Mayo manager Kevin McStay.
The Crossmolina clubman has previously been a forward, then a midfielder, but the new boss has re-purposed him as a number six this season and both player and team are reaping the rewards.
“What Conor brings to it is he’s a gorgeous footballer,” said McStay, in the aftermath of Mayo’s Division One Allianz Football League Final victory over neighbours Galway.
“He’s a forward in a former life, he’s very accurate. He’s also very crispy on the ball, he covers ground very quickly. People just think he’s in there for kick-passing the ball, but he’s doing so much more than that.
“He’s a very good reader of the game. He’s a natural footballer, he knows where danger is. We’re very pleased with him. I know there’s a debate, but that’s just noise as far as I’m concerned.
“We’re very pleased with Conor, we got a great show out of him in this League. That was only his eighth big game in that position so he’s going to get better and better, I’m sure.”
![Mayo's Conor Loftus tracks Tyrone's Kieran McGeary in the 2021 All-Ireland SFC Final. Picture: Seamus Loughran](https://www.irishnews.com/resizer/v2/TN6WJLNPUNNKNNUJIZSLMAN2BE.jpg?auth=f1a9b9aa017c28d50b4a1c5b09f9cba90adef4158258ab556d24e8e5e317e578&width=800&height=450)
Asked about putting the responsibility of playing such a pivotal position onto a player adapting to that role, McStay expressed confidence that Loftus can deal with the challenge, citing his experience and his approach to football and life in general:
“Well, he’s around a good while. He’s 27, 28, he’s around a good while. He’s a confident young man, a very together fella, so nothing out there would frighten him too much.
“He’ll get stuck in, he has that honesty we’re trying to get into the team. Good, strong attitude – he’s definitely a strong centre back for us, we’re very pleased with him.”