Starting every game is now the goal for young Peterborough United defender

The 20-year-old defender is one of a number of the club’s academy prospects that are being given the opportunity to impress in pre-season.

O’Connell is looking to take that opportunity after and has mainly been used at right-back in the friendlies to date, prior to the arrival of Peter Kioso, who is expected to be seen in Posh colours for the first time since in Saturday’s friendly away at Colchester.

O’Connell made his senior debut away at Plymouth in the EFL Cup last August and appeared two more times in both the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy defeats against Stevenage before dropping out of contention after irritating boss Grant McCann by turning down a new double-your-money contract.

He performed a U-turn in December before heading out on loan to National League Woking in the same month. After appearing 13 times (four starts), he is now back at the club and recognises it is time to kick on.

O’Connell said: “It’s time to kick on now, I don’t want to put toom much pressure on myself and say I want to be starting every game but that is what I will be looking to do.

“The way the gaffer wants to play- playing out from the back- suits me and it’s a joy to play under him.

“Working with Kieran Scarff (Posh assistant) too over they years has made it really easy to talk to him and helps me to get my point across.

“Making my senior debut was a good start last year but going out and having a good spell in the National League- which is a tough league- and then coming back and being with the first team has helped me a lot.”

O’Connell has spent the last week away with the senior side at St George’s Park and was involved in both matches as Posh beat Leicester 2-1 and pushed Premier League new-boys Luton before losing out 3-1.

Speaking about the experience, he added: “It was really good to play against Leicester and Luton, I did well and the team did well. It was good to be on the pitch with players like that but ultimately, I wanted to prove that I can deal with them.

“I want to prove that I can play for the first team and I’m getting the opportunity to do that in pre-season.

“Leicester like to pop it about but Luton had two big strikers and we coped with them well. The team in the half I was on, did well.”

O’Connell will be expecting to feature as Posh travel to the Colchester Community Stadium on Saturday (July 22, 3pm).