SHAMROCK ROVERS’ DANIEL Mandroiu says away supporters should be permitted at Friday’s Dublin Derby between Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park. 

Bohs have refused to sell an away allocation for Friday’s game after they were not offered tickets by Rovers for the derby at Tallaght last month, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The capacity for that game was capped at 50% under the last of the Covid measures, though Bohs pointed out they offered an away allocation for all of the Dalymount games played under the same restrictions. 

“Bohemian FC was disappointed not to receive any ticket allocation from Shamrock Rovers for last night’s Dublin Derby at Tallaght Stadium”, read a club statement. “As a result of this decision, Bohemian FC can confirm that we do not intend to give Shamrock Rovers a ticket allocation when the sides meet at Dalymount Park in November.” 

Mandroiu, once of Bohs, says he wants to see the issue resolved. 

“There should be away fans at every game, it’s not fair on the away team and it makes for a better atmosphere”, he said after he was presented with the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month award for October.

“There should be away fans at every game no matter how chaotic it is, it’s a Dublin derby and there should be away fans.”

“We’d have liked our fans to be there on Friday, to be singing along, we’re not going to have those away fans but I am sure the Bohs fans will make it a good atmosphere.

“There should be a way to get away fans to every game, it needs to be fixed.” 

Rovers won the league with three games to spare by beating Finn Harps last month, but Mandroiu says his side still have something to play for across the final two games of the season. 

“We obviously want to finish the season strong and win our next two games. There is a record of 11 points that the team won by last year, we’re 15 points ahead now and we want to beat that record.” 

Mandroiu also has a personal target in mind: he was set a pre-season benchmark of 15 goals for the season, and he’s currently on 14. 

“The target was 15, so I’ve got two games to score one goal or I’ll get the boot!” 

In spite of his fine debut season since joining from Bohs, Mandroiu says he expected more of himself. 

“I wanted to win a league, you want to do these things. I expected more from myself. All I wanted to do was come here, do well and win a league, so I’ve done that this year.

“I probably expected to score more goals and assist more. I think my overall play has been good but to score more goals and be involved in more assists.” 

The season also brought a senior international call-up: Mandroiu was included in the squad for the summer training camp in Spain, though did not appear in either of the friendly games with Andorra or Hungary. 

“That is a goal of mine”, says Mandroiu on the prospect of another call-up. “I want to play for my country as that would mean everything. I’ll be very happy if it does come along.

“I just need to keep working hard and see if it happens.

“This is what I play football for. I know I can go to a higher level, wherever it is but I feel I belong up there, yeah.

“All I need to do is keep doing what I’m doing and if he [Stephen Kenny] picks me, he picks me. If he doesn’t, I’ll work hard.”