Despite a whirlwind few months that have transformed him into one of British football’s most talked-about young defenders, the newly-capped Wales centre-back says his mind is only on winning promotion with the Bluebirds..
The 19-year-old has risen rapidly this season, establishing himself as a cornerstone of Brian Barry-Murphy’s unbeaten Cardiff side while also winning his first senior Wales cap.
That debut, a man-of-the-match display in a World Cup qualifying win in Kazakhstan, earned him glowing praise from national boss Craig Bellamy, who admitted he was “beyond impressed” by the youngster’s composure and maturity.
But with his performances sparking attention from clubs as high-profile as Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur, Lawlor is clear where his priorities lie.
“Cardiff is a great club to be at right now because there are so many opportunities for young players,” said Lawlor, who has been at the club since the age of seven.
“With this environment, the change of mindset brought in by new boss Brian Barry-Murphy, the positivity around the place and the fact I’m playing every week, means I’d be stupid to turn my head.
“I’m looking forward to my future here, why would I look elsewhere? As a young player at this club you have to feel so excited.”
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Lawlor’s loyalty comes at a time when Cardiff have surged to the top of League One, winning five of their first six matches and keeping seven clean sheets in eight outings.
The new mentality fostered under Barry-Murphy is, in Lawlor’s words, nothing short of ruthless.
“You’ve always got to have the belief that you can make a start like we have,” he explained.
“We’ve got the belief that we can get promoted and absolutely batter the league.
“Our goal is to get the club back into the Championship and then get back into the Premier League. Promotion isn’t a banned word, it’s what we want.
“The mindset Brian has brought in is ‘why can’t we just go and annihilate the league and get promoted’. We’ve got the quality.”
That confidence will be tested again this weekend when Cardiff travel to Stockport County, currently ninth in the table.
Lawlor expects a tough encounter but believes Cardiff’s consistency and self-belief can see them through.
“You’ve always got to have the belief that you can make a start like we [Cardiff] have and I think that stems from the manager and the coaching staff but also the players around you,” he said.
“We’ve got the belief that we can go get promoted again and go and absolutely batter the league.”
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While much of the spotlight is now on him, Lawlor is quick to highlight the role of Cardiff’s academy in smoothing his transition to senior football.
He is one of 11 graduates to feature this season, often lining up alongside teammates he has known for years.
“It’s class. You don’t really see it in any other clubs. You might see one or two coming through at the same time but to have eight or nine academy graduates, it’s been incredible and it’s easy to then go on the pitch,” he said.
“I’m playing on the right side and next to me I’ve got Ronan [Kpakio] and then I’ve got Joel [Colwill] in midfield and Cian [Ashford] on the right wing, it just gives you that confidence in the game.
“We are close-knit because we’ve played with each other for years so we’re really familiar with each other, but I think that the whole squad is really close-knit at the minute, it’s really positive.”
That team spirit, he believes, has created an environment where young players can thrive.
“There’s plenty of opportunity for youngsters. I think that’s probably the biggest thing, that there hasn’t been in the past, is the opportunity and he’s [Barry-Murphy] come in and he’s given everyone an opportunity.
“As a young player at the club you’ve got to be so excited because the opportunity is there. It’s a great club to be at at the minute, so why would you look elsewhere? It’s so positive here.”
Despite the speculation swirling around him, Lawlor insists his support network has kept him grounded.
“I’d like to think I’m quite modest, you prefer people saying nice things than not, so I’m enjoying it,” he said.
“It’s nice to have a good network around you, but my family will have slight digs at me which I enjoy and it keeps you humble.
“When you’re having a month like I’ve had, which has been really positive and people praising you all the time, it’s good to have the family and the support network around you to remind you first of all where you’ve come from and to keep your head down and keep working hard.”
For Lawlor, it all circles back to Cardiff. The defender, who signed a new three-year deal in August, insists that no matter who comes calling, he knows where he currently belongs.
