THE BEAUTY OF European competition is that it allows for the opportunity to experience the contrasting existences of clubs around the continent.
It’s especially so with this UEFA Conference League.
Take Shamrock Rovers in the new 32-team league format of the third-tier competition.
They have already welcomed Cypriot side APOEL to Tallaght Stadium and got a taste of Belfast’s Windsor Park when they cruised to a 4-1 win over Larne.
Their remaining away trips are to Vienna to face Rapid before heading to London a week before Christmas for a glamour tie with the Premier League club.
The New Saints (TNS) arrived in Dublin yesterday and their own journey has already brought them to Florence – losing 2-0 to Fiorentina – while they shocked Astana by the same scoreline at Shrewsbury Town’s New Meadow Stadium.
European can open your eyes to new horizons but on the eve of TNS’ visit it actually felt a bit like a parallel universe as their manager, Craig Harrison spoke about the challenge facing his side.
The former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender talked about Rovers being like “European veterans” compared to his players.
In the 24 hours before the game he spoke with his staff and club officials about how the Hoops, and also Dundalk who reached two Europa League group stage campaigns in 2016 and 2020, were viewed as “trailblazers” and “a benchmark” for what
Then came the more general assessment of the League of Ireland, and how it’s full-time, professional environment is something clubs in the Welsh Premier League “have a long way to go to catch up with.”
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Harrison praised the infrastructure around Tallaght Stadium, gushed about the level of attendances and how, “with the right facilities and management” Rovers had helped to “pave the way for proving what teams from smaller countries can achieve.”
So, yeah, this felt a bit different.
Shamrock Rovers defender Dan Cleary speaking yeserday. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
And it was perhaps why Rovers defender Daniel Cleary was right when he said it was important his teammates take a step back from the disappointment of falling short in the Premier Division finale and take stock of where they are at.
“It would help in that way. I think we as a group need to realise what we’re doing is special at the minute.
“Sometimes you can go through it and you don’t realise it then until a couple of years later. Us, as a group, need to realise, this is huge. The next three games after that are huge. We’ve a chance to create history, something no other Irish club has done. To have that bit of motivation to go and do it. It is huge for us.”
With four points from two games, Rovers are in 10th place and on course for at least one of the 16 play-off spots to try and reach the last 16 in the New Year.
Victory tonight will also allow for Rovers to focus on trying to achieve something even more incredible – automatic progress as one of the top-eight sides.
That is the history Cleary speaks of given no Irish club has done it previously.
Bradley said in the aftermath of that Larne demolition about how the ambition is to push for at least seven points and strive for automatic qualification.
That could go a long way in the club’s negotiations with Celtic about extending the loan deal for striker Johnny Kenny.
The Republic of Ireland U21 international has worked with Bradley since last season and the Rovers boss admits the Scottish champions “hold the cards and will make the final decision” about his future.
He was the young player of the year for 2024 in Tallaght and has scored 16 goals in all competitions so far – including one against Larne.
Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“All last year when I met him with maybe six months left in the season, all the talk was Belgian second division, Holland second division, I said, ‘Johnny you’re mad, you need to stay here.’ I showed him the stats here, we went through it and showed him how we could develop it and to be fair to him he trusted it,” Bradley said.
“He’s done the work, he came back, he had a problem that needed to be sorted in the off-season, an injury he got sorted, he came back here and been a different person. And when you’re having conversations with Johnny now about his future, he’s a different person, he’s really calm about it.
“That young boy I met in Sligo when I tried to sign him the first time on loan, he was in a rush and was probably a bit angry with everything and wanted to prove everything yesterday. He’s nice and mature now and calm and I think he’s in a really good place, that’s the pleasing bit.
“Too many times in this country when players have a season, we get excited, and everyone gets excited around them and the first thought is ‘move them, move them’ and then, within 18 months, they’re lost because they miss so much development.
“Johnny has had all that madness and now it’s about ‘let’s play to Christmas and let’s sit down and talk’. But I would think there is a massive benefit for Johnny in being here next year and leading this team and this club.”
That is the kind of scenario that remains a reality for the League of Ireland’s best clubs, even if games like this, on a European stage like this, are a reminder of the progress that is being made.
Live - Shamrock Rovers v The New Saints, Premier Sport & TNT Sports. Kick-off: 5.45pm
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Surreal backdrop to latest Euro test for Shamrock Rovers comes with stark reminder of reality
THE BEAUTY OF European competition is that it allows for the opportunity to experience the contrasting existences of clubs around the continent.
It’s especially so with this UEFA Conference League.
Take Shamrock Rovers in the new 32-team league format of the third-tier competition.
They have already welcomed Cypriot side APOEL to Tallaght Stadium and got a taste of Belfast’s Windsor Park when they cruised to a 4-1 win over Larne.
Their remaining away trips are to Vienna to face Rapid before heading to London a week before Christmas for a glamour tie with the Premier League club.
The New Saints (TNS) arrived in Dublin yesterday and their own journey has already brought them to Florence – losing 2-0 to Fiorentina – while they shocked Astana by the same scoreline at Shrewsbury Town’s New Meadow Stadium.
European can open your eyes to new horizons but on the eve of TNS’ visit it actually felt a bit like a parallel universe as their manager, Craig Harrison spoke about the challenge facing his side.
The former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender talked about Rovers being like “European veterans” compared to his players.
In the 24 hours before the game he spoke with his staff and club officials about how the Hoops, and also Dundalk who reached two Europa League group stage campaigns in 2016 and 2020, were viewed as “trailblazers” and “a benchmark” for what
Then came the more general assessment of the League of Ireland, and how it’s full-time, professional environment is something clubs in the Welsh Premier League “have a long way to go to catch up with.”
Harrison praised the infrastructure around Tallaght Stadium, gushed about the level of attendances and how, “with the right facilities and management” Rovers had helped to “pave the way for proving what teams from smaller countries can achieve.”
So, yeah, this felt a bit different.
And it was perhaps why Rovers defender Daniel Cleary was right when he said it was important his teammates take a step back from the disappointment of falling short in the Premier Division finale and take stock of where they are at.
“It would help in that way. I think we as a group need to realise what we’re doing is special at the minute.
“Sometimes you can go through it and you don’t realise it then until a couple of years later. Us, as a group, need to realise, this is huge. The next three games after that are huge. We’ve a chance to create history, something no other Irish club has done. To have that bit of motivation to go and do it. It is huge for us.”
With four points from two games, Rovers are in 10th place and on course for at least one of the 16 play-off spots to try and reach the last 16 in the New Year.
Victory tonight will also allow for Rovers to focus on trying to achieve something even more incredible – automatic progress as one of the top-eight sides.
That is the history Cleary speaks of given no Irish club has done it previously.
Bradley said in the aftermath of that Larne demolition about how the ambition is to push for at least seven points and strive for automatic qualification.
That could go a long way in the club’s negotiations with Celtic about extending the loan deal for striker Johnny Kenny.
The Republic of Ireland U21 international has worked with Bradley since last season and the Rovers boss admits the Scottish champions “hold the cards and will make the final decision” about his future.
He was the young player of the year for 2024 in Tallaght and has scored 16 goals in all competitions so far – including one against Larne.
“All last year when I met him with maybe six months left in the season, all the talk was Belgian second division, Holland second division, I said, ‘Johnny you’re mad, you need to stay here.’ I showed him the stats here, we went through it and showed him how we could develop it and to be fair to him he trusted it,” Bradley said.
“He’s done the work, he came back, he had a problem that needed to be sorted in the off-season, an injury he got sorted, he came back here and been a different person. And when you’re having conversations with Johnny now about his future, he’s a different person, he’s really calm about it.
“That young boy I met in Sligo when I tried to sign him the first time on loan, he was in a rush and was probably a bit angry with everything and wanted to prove everything yesterday. He’s nice and mature now and calm and I think he’s in a really good place, that’s the pleasing bit.
“Too many times in this country when players have a season, we get excited, and everyone gets excited around them and the first thought is ‘move them, move them’ and then, within 18 months, they’re lost because they miss so much development.
“Johnny has had all that madness and now it’s about ‘let’s play to Christmas and let’s sit down and talk’. But I would think there is a massive benefit for Johnny in being here next year and leading this team and this club.”
That is the kind of scenario that remains a reality for the League of Ireland’s best clubs, even if games like this, on a European stage like this, are a reminder of the progress that is being made.
Live - Shamrock Rovers v The New Saints, Premier Sport & TNT Sports. Kick-off: 5.45pm
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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