Pompey loan verdict: Lalkovic didn't get chance to impress

Milan Lalkovic saw his loan spell at Ross County cut short

That’s because of the wide players County already had.

When he joined, the squad was quite strong at the time.

Lalkovic joined in January alongside Shrewsbury’s Jim O’Brien, who is also a winger.

O’Brien was given more opportunities and I think that’s why Lalkovic’s loan deal was cancelled early and he went back to Pompey.

He only played six games in the Scottish Premier League and two in the Scottish FA Cup.

In a couple of games he was involved in he acquitted himself well but didn’t get enough chances to show what he is really capable of.

County were in danger of going down until the last few weeks when they picked up a bit of form.

Manager Jim McIntyre maybe looked at things and wanted to keep a settled team.

For that reason, maybe Milan just didn’t fit.

McIntyre tended to flit between systems and liked to play three at the back.

It meant there was only really room for one wide player at wing-back, rather than an out-and-out winger playing there. That may have gone against Lalkovic.

There have certainly been no negative impressions of him during his time up here.

There were no issues with him when he dealt with us members of the press.

I was pleasantly surprised when Lalkovic decided to come to Scotland.

It’s a reflection on him wanting to come and prove himself and a credit to County.

It’s easy to say you would have expected more of him during his spell.

But either party can’t take the deal too badly.

It’s worked out a case of County picking up form, which meant Milan was unable to get minutes on the pitch.

The games that Lalkovic did play in weren’t any classics.

It was just the odd draw here and there, or matches that were decided by the one goal.

There wasn’t anything that did stand out. If there was a game he came on and impacted, he may have got more or an opportunity.

But he only made two starts and it’s a mixture of things to why things did not work out for him.

If he’s got the quality and the hunger to come back, Lalkovic is someone who may interest County.

But a lot of their wide players are already under contract for next season.

He also might want to prove himself in League One at this stage of his career.