“IF WE GET a bad result, the fans will go to the training ground and let us know about it. Before we had a group of 20 or 30 fans storm on to the training pitch and address us.”
Intense pressure to perform and intimidation from your own supporters may not be something Irish football fans would associate with Cypriot football, but it’s one aspect Cillian Sheridan has had to adapt to on the holiday island.
“The fans show a lot of passion over here. In the big games they can have a lot of influence and if we get a bad result, they make sure we know,” Sheridan says.
Omonia are the second club Sheridan has played for in Cyprus, having left APOEL in the summer, and he admits he was surprised with the quality of football in the country.
“I think the standard of football in Cyprus is a bit underrated. The top five or six teams are of a good standard but the pace is a bit slower here. You have players at the end of their careers – they may not be big names but they have a lot of experience of playing across Europe.”
The 27-year-old forward is enjoying his most prolific season in front of goal but says that he would swap his goals for the team to have more success on the pitch.
Just like the Scottish Premiership, the Cypriot League is comprised of 12 teams before splitting into two. The top half will battle for the title and European places with the bottom six aiming to avoid relegation.
Although the title is out of Omonia’s reach, they are still in the hunt for a Europa League spot and have already booked a place in the cup final against Apollon on 18 May. The Cavan man has contributed 15 goals in the league this season on top of his three strikes in the Europa League qualifiers.
Sheridan is hoping to continue his fine form into the final weeks of the season after spending time with sports psychologist Niall Stack from the start of this year.
“Since January I’ve been consistently in the starting line-up and involved in lots of goals. Playing the full 90 minutes also helps. Before, I was taken off with 15 or 20 minutes to go in a match. I never thought much about it before but it seems obvious now that the longer you’re on the pitch, the more of an impact you can have.”
Sheridan started his career with Celtic but failed to cement a regular place in the team, while also having loan spells with Motherwell, Plymouth Argyle and St Johnstone and admits that he didn’t always approach those loan spells with the right mentality.
“During my time at Celtic, I probably didn’t use the loans to my benefit. I was going to smaller teams with different training facilities and I was a bit fed up. In the back of my head, I knew I was going back to Celtic at the end of the season.”
He left the safety net of Celtic to join CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria in 2010 but a lack of opportunities meant the move didn’t go to plan but didn’t put him off leaving the UK again and would encourage other British and Irish players to make the move, citing the opportunity to play in European competitions as one of the reasons.
Sheridan is the last Irish player to have played in the Champions League, having been part of the APOEL squad that made the group stage last season and was drawn with Barcelona, PSG and Ajax.
“Playing abroad wasn’t something I thought of doing. I’m not sure if it’s a case of other players saying no or not having the opportunities to go. I don’t know why they wouldn’t want to go abroad, especially if you’re not challenging for league titles or for a place in Europe.”
His faint hopes of getting a place on the plane for Euro 2016 appear to be already over after Martin O’Neill left Sheridan out of the original 40-man squad for the March friendlies against Switzerland and Slovakia, although having already won three caps, he says playing for Ireland remains the greatest honour for him personally.
“It’s not a decision I can make, I just have to keep scoring, it’s nothing I can force. Maybe I’m not the type of player they want. The squad doesn’t seem to change too much.”
Neither O’Neill nor anybody from the FAI has been in touch with Sheridan but he remains hopeful if not optimistic on his role with the team in the future.
“I’m not an U21 player coming through. I’m still young but I’m not the next generation. I had the honour to play for Cavan at minor level, and playing for Ireland is definitely the pinnacle for me.”
Yeah, cheers Tony. I’m sure the lads are delighted with your faith in them.
He’s right though, would we beat the All Blacks or South Africa now? Unlikely. England and Australia ahead of us as well and we caught Wales on a bad day.Also most think we will take Scotland handy enough, not so sure. All sounds negative i know, but its where we’re at right now.
That’s the spirit Tony !!!
Tony Ward is some waffler.
Grrat to have faith in the lads ,I DO!!!!!
It’s amazing how many ex players honestly don’t want Ireland to make a semi final. The begrudgery in this country is scary.
@Chris Mc: I don’t see where he said he didn’t want them to make the semi’s. Just that he didn’t believe they would. Surely nothing wrong with that??
@Chris Mc: Vert true Chris, Ward is right as often as he won with Ireland….
He’s right though. He’s allowed express an honest opinion.
@Bill Clay: right about what?, that Ireland will lose to NZ/SA at quarter final stage, yes he’s allowed to express an opinion, but that doesn’t mean he’s right or wrong seen as this game hasn’t even happened yet.
@DERRY1973: they will lose to sa.. I know the irfu fanboys won’t appreciate that
@Bill Clay: What!? call yourself a fan!?! Call yourself an Irishman?! Call yourself a bill!?…
@Bill Clay: Ward is rarely right. You must be new to the sport….example , here he is picking the 2011 Irish WC team…..https://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/tony-wards-30-man-ireland-squad-for-the-world-cup.22995/ If you read him often enough, you will see most lads on here the 42 are more informative.
Give the lads a chance!
You can’t slate the guy for being honest. And as much as want Ireland to go on to the semi final and further, if im honest, I don’t think they will.
@gillespieonthew: I honestly didn’t think we would beat NZ twice in 3 years.
Christ, that’s the spirt Ward. Can just imagine , you and Neil Francis , hanging around with each other, talking absolute b*******
It might suit us to be underdogs in qf, Last 2 world cups we had so-called favourable draws against Wales and Argentina and were well-beaten in both. South Africa being talked up an awful lot but if we play well we have every chance against them. I would be less hopeful against NZ but even that is not impossible. Let’s not write
ourselves off too soon
I have to say, it’s really frustrating to see commentators write off Scotland. Glasgow regularly put Irish clubs to the sword and we rarely have a walkover with scotland. Their back three have plenty speed and could skin us.
@B Collins: They could but they wont
@B Collins: Scotland have beaten us once in the last 7 games we’ve played against them. A game where they played well, we played badly, which was played in Murrayfield and it was still a 1 score game. Their record against tier 1 countries outside Murrayfield is incredibly poor. They could beat us, but it would be unlikely and would be counter to almost everything we’ve seen on the recent past.
@b collins: not regularly Irish clubs beat them when it counts
@B Collins: Good point, i said it earlier, everyone thinks we’ll take the Scots easy enough, not so sure…. although we will prob get to quarter final, but thats as far as we go i reckon. This is based on current form.
When is the last time we lost to either of those teams? 2 years ago?? After we beat SA to a series at home and beat NZ in Chicago? My memory is not what it used to be but the $h1t€ coming out of these pundits leaves me steaming hastag awkwardfacts
An Ireland vs England final would be my dream scenario too!!!! Fingers crossed!! Éire abú!!!!!!!!
Putting the moan already typical in English football but not expected here lets get behind the team go on Ireland