Aaron McEneff: 'It was time to move away, try to kick on and find that new challenge'

It was a move for Aaron McEneff from a club that dominated the League of Ireland last year to one cruising at the top of the Scottish Championship.

McEneff’s transfer from Shamrock Rovers to Heart of Midlothian on a two and a half year deal took place on transfer deadline day last month with the player hoping the move can help his career kick on – with the SPL on the horizon for next season and the ambition of a return to the Republic of Ireland senior international squad.

Speaking the extratime.com this week, McEneff admitted it was a tough decision to move away from the club where he won the league and cup.

“Going unbeaten throughout the league season, be it 18 games or not, was really special. It wasn’t just winning the trophy but also the style of football we played throughout the season. It was a really difficult decision for me to leave Rovers but it came at a point though where I thought I had to move on for my own career.”

The 25-year-old played 60 competitive games for the Hoops scoring 19 goals (including seven penalties) during his two years in Tallaght. He won the 2019 FAI Cup and was part of that Rovers’ 2020 title success earned without suffering a defeat.

“It was time to move away, try to kick on and find that new challenge,” said the midfielder. “It was such a quick turnaround. I got a text on the Sunday saying ‘back your bags, and get a flight’. I flew over on the Monday morning and got all the formalities done. 

“The hardest part was I’d left all the boys [at Rovers] on the Friday after we’d done a gym session and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. That was tough but I spoke to lads over the phone and then it was on to the next challenge.

“As Hearts are in season, it was straight into the thick of things. Generally I’m fit but I was thrown into a completely new fitness programme which is an in-season programme having had no pre-season with Rovers on the pitch. 

“The club were really good in terms of how they let me manage my body adjusting to the new training programme. The gaffer [Robbie Neilson] was really good and brought me off the bench in the first two games and I’ve started every game after that [six in total].”

Hearts currently have a 15 point lead at the top of the table and haven’t lost a league game since January.

“Before I signed I knew the boys had been doing well all year and the aim is to win the league and go up to the SPL. It is up to me to keep performing and working hard so I can stay in the starting XI from now till the end of the season. It has worked out well so far.”

The player was an unused sub for Ireland against Bulgaria in the UEFA Nations League match in the Aviva Stadium last November and has ambitions to be part of Stephen Kenny’s squad again in the future – Kenny is set to name his latest international squad on Thursday 18 March.

“Playing for your country is the pinnacle of most players’ careers. It would be an honour to get that first cap and something I’d like to do in the future. All you can do is keep working hard at your club, keep playing and then it is down to the manager.

"By me coming here [to Hearts], it certainly puts me in that shop window and we’ll see if that happens. It is a target and goal of mine to go and play for my country. I’ll keep working hard as I strive to do that.” 

Dundalk manager Shane Keegan laments unavailability of key players due to international call-ups https://t.co/Oyw0Tqmjyjpic.twitter.com/4Z9a22CJ7P

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) March 17, 2021