WATCH: 'You need to be quality to play in Irish League' Packie McAllister
Legend played more than 500 times for both Coleraine and Cliftonville
Last updated 6th Apr 2018
Irish League legend Packie McAllister has been flying the flag for the local game.
Speaking on our latest BetMcLean Football Show, now available to view in full on Cool FM’s Facebook page (see below), the 45-year-old – at one stage Coleraine’s record signing – says playing in the league is reserved for the most talented.
“The only people who criticise Irish League football in my opinion are the ones who were never good enough to play in it – you can start from clubs up and down the country – it is time-consuming,” he said.
“It is hard work and it is effort in everything and you need to be a quality player footballer to play in it.
“That is my opinion – at the end of the day I have played over 500 games – and I am happy with that.”
McAllister who started his career at Cliftonville believes the Reds have underachieved this season.
“They have found it hard to get a settled system that suits the player there – from the outside looking in, he’s (Barry Gray) trying to fit all these different players in ,” he said.
“They have that many quality players going forward and it hasn’t worked all the time”.
McAllister also revealed that ex Linfield and Bordeaux striker George O’Boyle was the best player he had ever played with.
The two were team-mates at Dunfermline in the early 90s.