Why Ireland is the right loan destination for Rotherham United youngster Ciaran McGuckin

The 20-year-old attacker last week made a deadline-day move to League of Ireland side Dundalk for the rest of the season to continue his development, ending a frustrating four-month spell on the bench with the Millers as he offered cover during the club's injury crisis.

The Northern Ireland under-21 international was raised in Leeds but has roots on the Emerald Isle where he has loved ones ready to offer him a warm welcome.

“It's important he gets his career going,” Rotherham boss Leam Richardson said. “It's a really good loan.

“He has family over there and he's gone into a really good club. He now needs to represent himself and Rotherham United really well.”

The league season in Ireland kicks off a week on Friday.Richardson took the hot-seat at the Championship Millers in December and one of the first things he did was pledge to find match action for McGuckin and also Tolaji Bola, the wing-back who had been omitted from the 25-man squad list by previous manager Matt Taylor.

He was true to his word and Bola has joined League One side Burton Albion until the end of the campaign.

“Tolaji was left out and it's not always easy at a time like that for a player to come to work every day with nothing at the end of it,” Richardson said. “I was very aware of that.

“He carried himself tremendously well. When the opportunity came for him to go and get game-time and be a professional it was only fair to let him go.

“I don't think it's right that he stays around as a ‘training body’. He needs to go and make sure he improves his career.”