OWEN COYLE HAS high expectations for Jack Byrne after bringing the midfielder to Blackburn Rovers on a loan deal from Manchester City.
Byrne’s year-long loan move to Ewood Park was confirmed earlier this week, following the skilful 20-year-old playmaker’s impressive spell at SC Cambuur in Holland’s top flight last season.
“He can find a pass for the Danny Grahams and the Anthony Stokes’ of this world, and the wide players that we’ve got,” Coyle told the Blackburn Rovers website.
“He played in Holland next to a ball-winning midfielder and he was the one who then went to be creative, but he’s also very adept at sitting and playing that number 10 role, behind the striker or behind two strikers.
“He’s got great set-play delivery, he can find that final pass, he can score a goal himself, he’s just turned 20 now, so he’s set for a huge career I think.
“In order to do that, he needs to take the next step in his development and hopefully that’s coming to Blackburn Rovers and showing everybody his undoubted quality.”
Byrne, who made good progress at youth level for Manchester City but never played for the first team, has been capped 10 times by the Republic of Ireland at U21 level.
He was also called up to Martin O’Neill’s senior squad for the friendlies against Switzerland and Slovakia in March.
