Last night, Ben, Charlie and Emily got some face time with Jez George during our deadline day special.
It was a great opportunity to get some insight into the transfer window, and one topic of conversation was JJ McKiernan. The attacking midfielder is currently on loan at Burton Albion and has crept back into the team after a spell out injured.
He gave an interview recently where he seemingly confirmed he hadn’t wanted to stay with us and fight for his place, something which did make a lot of City fans unhappy. It feels like he may be on his way out of the club, but Jez added some context to the situation, where, rather than heart ruling as it does with supporters, the head ruled the decision, and any future decisions by the club.
“He had a really good second half of the season with Burton last year and was instrumental in them staying up,” said Jez, when asked about JJ’s future. “He’s had a bit of a frustrating first half of the season with an injury, which is unlike JJ.
“He’s had a hamstring injury that’s kept him out for a little while, back in their squad. I think he just got back in their squad before we played them and obviously the terms of the loan agreement meant he couldn’t play against us.”
That explains his absence against us, and outlined an expected clause, but it’s little-known that there was also a clause in Burton’s favour, which meant a recall was never going to happen.
“JJ wanted to play football and he wasn’t probably going to be a first choice player this season for us with the squad that we had or certainly we couldn’t guarantee him perhaps the minutes that he really wants and values.
“The best way of trying to deal with that situation is find the solution. Might not be the perfect solution, but it’s the next best thing to the perfect solution, which for JJ is playing in our team every game.”
“He goes back to a manager that he’s done really well with in the second half of last year. Goes back to a club that he’s obviously done well with as well.
“The terms of the loan meant Burton weren’t willing to enter into that loan with a recall. So we didn’t have the opportunity to recall him in January. That was the condition on which they would take the loan and subsidise the loan to the level that they do in terms of JJ’s salary. So we know he’s a season there.”
A full season in League One is what everyone needs in this situation. JJ needs it from a personal level, while for Burton, it’s a valuable asset, albeit not one they own. For us, protected by another two years on his contract, we need our asset to accrue value, and if that’s not with us, then elsewhere will do.
“If JJ plays every week in the second half of the season, scores some goals, one of two options can happen at the end of the season,” finished Jez.
“(If) JJ’s future is away from Lincoln, we’ve got a two-year contract to be compensated accordingly if there’s a permanent move.
“Or he gets to a point where he comes back and he fights and comes back to be a part of our squad and challenge to get in the team for us. All options open for next summer.”
There is no doubt that McKiernan’s comments will perhaps be misguided rather than malicious, and put a section of our fanbase on the back foot. Having backed him after he arrived, I felt a bit let down at the wording of the Burton interview, but maybe it was a case of him being let down more by their media team than by his comments.
Either way, he’s our asset, whether in red and white, yellow and black, or another shirt next season. That’s a positive, even if right now, the former looks far less likely than any other options.