Jake Mulraney had no difficulty sussing out the League of Ireland when he first considered swapping Orlando for Dublin.
His best mate is Shamrock Rovers defender Dan Cleary and his sister Tia is in a long-term relationship with Tyreke Wilson.
And Wilson, following his cross-city move from Bohemians to Shelbourne, just happens to be Mulraney's likeliest direct opponent in tonight’s derby clash between St Pat’s and Shels.
“I know Tyreke well,” laughs the new Saints recruit, who spent the last three years playing in the MLS with Atlanta United and Orlando City.
"They've been going out for years, probably seven or eight, maybe even longer than that.
“He's down in my ma's so I see him often. He's (living) there with my sister so we're going back and forward a bit, it's a bit of a laugh.
“We've been talking about this game so I'm looking forward to it.
“I know how he plays. I watched him a couple of times last year and then I caught bits of the (Shels-Drogheda) game the other night as well.
“It depends what way we set up and what way they set up and if I play or not, but we could be up against each other.
"I'm sure Tia will (be going). I haven't spoken to her yet, but she should be in the home section!
The Drimnagh lad has been one of the most talked about close season signings having returned home after 11-years in England, Scotland and America.
He joined Nottingham Forest from Crumlin United in 2012 and then had spells with QPR, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hearts before his switch to Atlanta.
In the MLS, player salaries are no secret. They are published by the league and Mulraney was earning close to $350,000 annually at one point.
Football, as they say, is a short career so why has he turned his back on that sort of payday for a spin in the League of Ireland where salaries just can't compare?
“I’m nearly 27 and at the age where I’m not starting my life after football, but I’m thinking about it,” said the attack-minded wide player.
“I took a big wage cut, but it's money at the end of the day. I’m a Christian man and money is not the be-all and end-all.
“I was ok with the wage cut. I was pretty switched on with what I saved, what I did with my money over there. I had a plan.”
At this point in the interview, Mulraney stops talking and just chuckles to himself. He’s wondering whether to tell the next bit or not, but decides to press on.
“....I thought I had a three-year contract so I was planning for that, but it was actually four years! I didn't know my own bleeding contract, so it worked out well.”
Mulraney, his partner and their daughter were settled in Atlanta for two years until his 2022 switch to Orlando happened in the blink of an eye.
“I got the call Wednesday from the Atlanta GM and I was in Orlando on Thursday, so it was just like 'whack',” he explained.
“Everything got flipped around. My family were still in Atlanta for a week or two, I went to Orlando, we had a couple of games in Canada, it was just a bit hectic.
“We didn't really get settled. It was a lot different to what we had in Atlanta.
“My partner had a good connection in Atlanta, I had a good connection in Atlanta and it just got flipped on its head.”
Mulraney continued: “Orlando is great for a holiday, don't get me wrong. It's deadly but to live in it's difficult.
“The community we were in was very Hispanic so my partner had trouble finding people to connect with and the same with the baby.
“The baby would be going off to the playground, trying to chat with kids and hadn't got the lingo. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't too bad but it was tough at the time.
“So we had a conversation a few months before the end of the season.
“My missus wasn't really happy, the baby wasn't really happy. She's three but she'll tell you, she'll let you know she's not happy.
“Atlanta was quality and nothing was wrong with the team in Orlando, it was more off the park.
“The manager (Óscar Pareja) was quality, a top, top man, the staff, everything was alright on the park but off the park was more different.
“So we said 'Look, I'll have a conversation with them, I'll speak with my agent and I'll see if I can get back across the water'.
"I didn't know I was going to come home at first. My first plan was probably to go back to the UK or Scotland.
“But we were home for a while and me and my missus had a talk and I said 'if you want to stay, we'll stay'.”
Mulraney had options in Ireland but felt a connection with St Pat’s having attended games with his godfather - a St Pat’s die-hard - as a seven and eight year-old.
In America, Mulraney would come home from training and, because of the time difference, would settle down to watch live League of Ireland games in the afternoon.
He's still a few weeks off being fully match ready but got 37-minutes into his legs in last week’s league opening draw with Derry City.
Mulraney said: “I knew what the league was like as I've watched a few games, but to actually play in it, it was different.
“The pre-season games were nowhere near as high tempo as Friday was. The tempo was really high and that took me by surprise.
“I had a couple of sloppy moments that I shouldn't have been doing, I thought I had more time than I did but it was all in your face.
“In America it's more relaxed. Your team could have the ball for four or five minutes. Here, the gaffer says it's like basketball, you attack then we attack.
“I thought we were decent, they were decent, I know they had players missing but it was a fair result.
“But I was more sloppy than I'd like to be. I don't think I was ready to start. Even when I came on, I was a little bit tired but that will come with games.”
First, though, there are family bragging rights up for grabs at Richmond Park tonight.
READ NEXT:
Ireland's Lowe blow v France shouldn't have been allowed, admits hot-shot James
RTE viewers left disagreeing over Liam Brady's 'hitlist' after Liverpool lose to Real Madrid
FAI policy on trans women revealed in wake of LGFA green light
Ted Walsh "absolutely shocked" with Any Second Now's Grand National weight
Golf star Rory McIlroy wanted as his Ryder Cup partner for 20 years joins LIV Golf
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
