SHAMROCK ROVERS YESTERDAY drew their biggest European tie against Italian opposition since the last one.
A decade before AC Milan came out of the hat, Rovers were drawn in a two-legged Europa League tie with Juventus. They lost the first leg 2-0 at Tallaght and were then beaten 1-0 in the return leg, held amid a deluge in Modena and won by a stunning Alessandro Del Piero free-kick.
Irish international Enda Stevens played in the first leg and was an unused sub in the second.
“It was unbelievable”, Stevens recalled at a press conference ahead of Thursday’s Uefa Nations League clash with Bulgaria.
“It was a massive occasion for me personally, Juventus coming to Tallaght. It was great that we got to play them at home and then play them away. It was disappointing that we didn’t get to play in their stadium. I think U2 had a concert. So we had to play somewhere else.”
All has changed this time around. The pandemic means Rovers/Milan is a one-legged tie that will – understandably if still cruelly – be held behind closed doors.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to watch it”, says Stevens of the 17 September tie.
“It’s a massive game for them, it’s a bit disappointing that the fans won’t be there but still a huge tie.
“It’s a chance for them to show what they can do. They have got to have that belief that they can win the game. It’s a one-off game. Especially at home. It’s going to be some experience for them but it shouldn’t faze them. They should just go out there and express themselves.”
Milan have stalked the Irish soccer pages for a few weeks at this point, having been linked with a move for Jeff Hendrick, who has ultimately signed for Newcastle United.
“It would have been strange if Jeff had made his debut in Tallaght”, laughs Stevens.
Another Irish international on the move last week was Matt Doherty, who completed a €16.5 million move to Spurs. “We were all delighted for him”, says Stevens. “It’s a brilliant move for him. He has come a long way from his Cabra days with FÁS. It’s unbelievable.
“I think he’s just been loving the attention he’s been getting over the last few days, his face is all over Sky Sports News! I think he’s still on cloud nine. He just needs to get his feet back down to earth in the next few days.”
While there remains debate as to who will start at right-back – Doherty or Seamus Coleman – Stevens looks nailed-on for a starting berth at left-back. Not that he sees it that way.
“I don’t think you should ever be comfortable. Footballers should always be kept on their toes. You have to perform well to play, and that’s what I’ll do, get my head down, work hard, and try to impress the manager.”
And what are the players impression of the new manager?
“He’s brilliant. You can just see his passion in the meetings. He really wants us to do well, he wants us to go and express ourselves. He wants us to just show what we can do when we get out on the pitch.
“He’s setting us out in a certain way that we have to listen, we have to take a lot into account and produce it on the training pitch first and foremost and then take that on to the pitch on Thursday.
“I think he wants to instill confidence in us to play and be on the front foot. With the previous manager Mick, he tried to do that and it kind of worked for a bit. We played well, we picked up performances and we just didn’t get the results. The new manager will come with his own ideas, he still wants to us to play front-foot football, we just need to implement his ideas on the pitch.”
The Irish squad will train at Abbottstown again this morning, ahead of a flight to Bulgaria later today. Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has been promoted from the U21 squad to replace the injured Kieran O’Hara.
And United fans still wish Souness was in charge at Liverpool.
There’s a rumour that Souness smiled once. Nasty rumour to spread.
Souness is obsessed with Pogba..
@John Barry: and the 42 are obsessed with Souness’ obsession with Pogba.
Zzzzzz …
Getting sad at this stage
‘Former Liverpool Boss’, ‘Ex Scotland International’, ‘Former Rangers and Newcastle Boss’.
Think you leftout a few lads. what about Previous Galatasary legend, and ex Southampton flop?
@Ardmore02: I think he won trophies at every club he managed except for Newcastle
@padar: you can add torino, benfica and Southampton to that list.
@Ardmore02: I,m old enough to remember him in his pomp playing for Liverpool, great midfielder, tough f….r, similar to Keane at Utd, (but not quiet as good). Some think he is a p…k, but can’t take away what he did as a player.
Here we go and he hasn’t kicked a ball yet. That Souness is some fcukin spa
No utd must keep pogba coz as long as he’s there they’ll win f*** all
@Dan2078: already won trophies with pogba
@Brian Dunne: but have they won the trophies that matter – PL, champions league? And they won’t with Pogba. He is a good player but the prob is he thinks he’s better than he is
@Dan2078: the lad has won a bloody World Cup mate
@IAmTheTruth: he likes playing for France, has good players to carry him. Come back to me when he wins something of merit with utd and you have something insightful to contribute
@Dan2078: where is your cave at?
@Dan2078: Dan your argument is as pathetic as yourself
@mark: why, do u want to call over?
@Ruairi McEntegart: thanks, I love you too
As a utd fan he’s dead right.
.
Reminds me of when Dunphy had a personal vendetta against Cristiano. Calling him a clown and a spoofer every week as Ronaldo struggled yo find consistency. Dunphy labelled Linekar a clown for saying Ronaldo might be the world’s best. The when CR7 won his first Ballon D’Or, Dunphy made some embarrassing comment how he hated CR7 because he’s rich and good looking.
I wonder what Sounness will say when Pogba wins a Ballon D’Or at Madrid? That the reason he hated him all along is because Pogba’s bird is way better than his own?
@Stanley Baggins: souness is no Dunphy; he knows what he’s talking about. Dunphy just made it up as he went (a true spoofer)
@Stanley Baggins: Ballon d’Ope will be the only thing pogba will win
Stfu sourness no utd fan or employee of club gives a crap what u think