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Larne boss Tiernan Lynch on Patrice Evra chat and mentality monster approach

Photo shows Patrice Evra lifting the Champions League back in 2008
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


Tiernan Lynch has urged his players to become mentality monsters - just like Manchester United legend Patrice Evra.

Former French international Evra is spending the week with Larne as special guest of chief sponsor Nico Leonard.

He visited Inver Park on Tuesday and yesterday he joined Lynch's squad at Windsor Park as they finalised preparations for the UEFA Conference League clash with Shamrock Rovers.

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Evra won five Premier League titles during his time with the Red Devils and lifted the Champions League back in 2008 under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

He also played alongside some of the biggest names in football including Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Patrice's experience is invaluable. Anyone who has played at the level he has played at, and the players he played with and managers he worked under, has so much experience," Lynch said.

"I was fortunate to spend a little bit of time with him last night, and he is going to spend an hour with the players now and share some of his stories."

Lynch added: "Having spent time with Patrice last night, he talked about his time at Man Utd and his time at Juventus, and playing for the French national team. And the levels of professionalism at those top, top players.

"You read all these books and documentaries about the Michael Jordans and LeBron James, and it shows you how those players behave.

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"And some of the players Patrice played with, like Cristiano Ronaldo, they are at a different level."

Lynch believes the entire Irish League needs to adopt a more professional approach, and dig into some of the untapped potential he says remains in football here.

"It frustrates me at times, the part-time attitude. Our boys are a great bunch, and they more often than not really embrace the things we've tried to introduce," he said.

"You also have to realise you can't go from A-Z, you have to go through the alphabet and there is a process. Are we where we want to be? Absolutely not. Have we made good progress? Yes.

"But there is way more in us, and so much more we need to do to get closer to the finished article.

"If you look at the progression of the Irish League in the past 10-15 years, it is like night and day. It is definitely on the up. But I think there is so much more that can be done.

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"If you look around the league now, and the young managers. They are starting to think differently and wanting more.

"Coleraine are full-time. Jim Ervin at Ballymena United is talking about wanting more, and I think that will be brilliant for the league. It will be a massive difference. Not just to the league itself, but also to when our teams get into Europe.

"For a long time, when I was at the Glens, the European venture was a bit of a jolly up, but those days are long gone."

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