Candystripes trust in their ability to stun favourites Dundalk
mentally strong?
AI think the players have to understand the demands and expectations of the club. Those are to win every game. The minimum is hard work and the fans expect that.
You’ve got to work hard for every minute. Some players maybe thought this is just a County Antrim Shield game and it doesn’t matter as much.
In reality, there are 600 Linfield fans here on a wet and windy night and it’s very important to them. Some players have struggled to cope with those demands and they left the club. Do you see any big difference between today’s game and when you started playing for Linfield in 1989? Players are going down far too easily and the referee automatically awards a free-kick. It sometimes feels like you can’t produce a good tackle any more without being punished. A good, strong tackle is something everyone appreciates but we are losing that.
There’s too much play acting, whereas in my day a good, strong
QAshoulder charge was accepted. But there is still plenty of quality in the league.
The other big difference is there was no social media. You weren’t worried about saying one controversial thing and it appearing on the internet.
Players have made mistakes on Twitter and they need to be very careful. We always had that saying at Linfield to remember who you are and where you are at all times. That’s never more important than today when players are on social media.
Q ADid you get much stick from opposing fans?
You got the odd comment but nothing to worry about. There was, however, the trouble at the Park Avenue Hotel. We had our Christmas parties there but one year it became an experience I will never forget. It was crazy.
Jamie Marks suffered a broken jaw and it was a nightmare. There was another party in the hotel and I don’t know how or why trouble broke out. Players and partners had to give statements to police.
Your No.11 shirt was ‘retired’ after the May 2011 Irish Cup final win over Crusaders. Was that a fitting tribute?
That was not something I asked for. When the club told me they were contemplating doing that, I suggested they didn’t.
Linfield had done enough for me, I had the testimonial and the medals plus the trip to Arsenal for the first time. It was Linfield’s suggestion to retire the shirt but I was happy for someone else to wear the No.11. The club made the decision and it’s a lovely gesture, even though I didn’t feel it was necessary.
QAQ ADo you miss anything about the game?
I’m still scouting for Linfield so I’m still involved in terms of looking at players and how teams play.
I don’t miss the game any more, I’ve been out of it for eight years. I had a brilliant time and I was happy to retire when I did.
The old players meet up at supporters’ club functions and that’s nice. There’s been the odd charity game too and it’s fantastic to meet up with the boys.
Q ADid you get great support from your parents?
Fantastic. My mum Wilma went to some matches and my dad Billy went to them all. Grandchildren came along and my mum made it a day out. For example, if I was off to Institute she would go shopping.
They went to cup finals and dad was encouraging without putting me under pressure. He trusted me to do what I had to.
My son Lee went to the games with my dad. He’s a teenager now, as is Claire who came to the big cup finals with the family.
In one Irish Cup final both Lee and Claire were mascots walking out with me which was perfect. I’ve watched Lee play for Downshire Young Men on a Saturday.
Q AHow special was the chance to mingle with royalty at Buckingham Palace in 2013?
I was one of the lucky ones as I got to meet Her Majesty herself. We didn’t know until the day if it was going to be the Queen doing the honours.
She asked me what I did and what I do now and congratulated me. I never got to ask her who her favourite team was.
It was a fantastic day with my dad, Lee and Claire. My mum had just passed away in the previous few months so that was sad but my dad was very proud. It was a proud and emotional day.
Q AWas your mum aware you were awarded an MBE?
She died of cancer aged 65 and was at that period when she couldn’t communicate. I had got the letter and told her. Hopefully she could hear it. I really hope so.
I didn’t tell the family about the letter because it didn’t feel right to celebrate something when my mum was ill. Losing someone so close to you is hard, particularly for my dad who did everything with my mum, apart from go to Linfield matches!
They were together for more than 40 years and then everything changes, leaving my dad on his own.
The cancer came quite quickly in my mum and I feel for anyone affected by it, it is heartbreaking.
I’ve a brother William who came from Canada for the funeral. My dad’s strong now and he’s fine.
Life must go on and we must all support one another. BARRY McNamee has emphasised the importance of trust among the Derry City players as they bid to retain the EA Sports Cup against a rampant Dundalk at the Brandywell tomorrow.
Despite having home advantage, City are underdogs going into the final, with Dundalk on a 26-game unbeaten run as they attempt to become the first team to win a domestic treble since the Candystripes back in 1989.
Vinny Perth’s side have been too good for all comers this season, only faltering on two occasions against Derry City, and those two draws, coupled with last month’s dramatic FAI Cup tie between the sides, has given rise to hope that City can upset the odds.
Skipper McNamee (below) said: “We’ve been together all year and we have gelled together well. It’s a big game and we trust each other to go out and trust those on the bench and trust the coaching staff. There’s a lot of trust here and, at the end of the day, it’s a big game and it’s up to us to go and deliver.
“We know we’re underdogs and that we’re up against it. They are a great team, one of the greatest in the history of the League of Ireland. We’ve pushed them tight a few times this year and we’ve been unlucky against them a couple of times — we got a few draws and we were unfortunate (to lose) in the FAI Cup.
“They are coming into the game with a lot of confidence but, at the same time, they know how difficult it is going to be.”
A key subplot is Dundalk’s march towards the treble, with City fans desperate for their team to stop the champions elect from securing the first leg of the feat achieved only by Jim McLaughlin’s Candystripes 30 years ago.
“The fans first and foremost want us to just win the cup final, but it would be a wee added bonus for them as it would keep Derry as the only team to win the treble,” McNamee said.
“That hasn’t been spoken about by us though, that’s something Dundalk are looking at but we’re not trying to stop them winning a treble, we’re trying to win the cup for ourselves. It will be a great night for the club. The club won it last year so obviously want to retain it, but, more importantly for this group of players, we deserve to play in big games and they don’t come much bigger.
“A lot of the players here probably haven’t won a senior final before so it’s one for a lot of players to tick off.”
City will be without defender Darren Cole, while Greg Sloggett, injured in the FAI Cup clash against Dundalk last month, is struggling to be fit for the game.