Callum Connolly is on loan at League One Lincoln City from Premier League side Everton.
Callum Connolly seems to have learned a thing or two from Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Because, in the Everton loanee’s debut for Lincoln City, he produced a glorious, defence splitting pass that a £45 million play-maker would have been proud of.
After spells at Barnsley, Wigan, Ipswich and Bolton, Connolly left Goodison Park on yet another temporary deal last week, joining the Imps in the aftermath of Wednesday’s thrilling Carabao Cup second round tie between the two sides at Sincil Bank.
And while Connolly might have been overshadowed by another Lincoln loanee, two-goal Nottingahm Forest starlet Tyler Walker, his role in The Imps’ impressive 2-0 win against Fleetwood Town on Saturday should not be forgotten.
It was the 21-year-old who made Walker’s second goal a formality after all. Picking up the ball deep inside his own half, Connolly drilled a perfectly-weighted through ball in behind a stunned Fleetwood defence with Walker coolly putting the finishing touches on an inspired assist.
If Lincoln fans had any doubts about whether a player who has largely featured at full-back throughout his young career had the quality to play in central midfield, no one is asking any questions about Connolly’s role now.
“He’s an incredibly versatile just all round footballer. He’s really good off both feet, he has played for England Under 21’s at right-back and left-back and in central midfield,” manager Danny Cowley told Lincolnshire Live.
“He’s athletic and has good mobility, arrives late in the box and is good aerially as well. Because he’s such an all round good footballer it means he’s able to play in a number of positions but we’re very lucky to have him.
“We’re delighted that we’ve got him.”
High praise indeed. But Connolly deserves every plaudit he gets after that pass.
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