Sloggett’s warming to whole new ball game
REGULAR testing for Covid-19 and temperature checks on arrival for training have become the new norm for Greg Sloggett after the Gormanston native rejoined his teammates at Dundalk’s Oriel Park last week.
Sadly, from a Drogheda United perspective, Sloggett lines out with the Lilywhites these days - he previously played for Derry City and UCD - but he does still have a soft spot for the Drogs and would love to see them make it back to the Premier Division if the League of Ireland season ever gets back off the ground.
The Boynesiders had not yet returned to training at the time of going to press as they waited to see whether a return date for the league would be agreed, but Sloggett has been back a week already as our Champions League representatives Dundalk prepare for a probable mini-tournament behind closed doors against fellow Europa League trio Shamrock Rovers, Derry and Bohemians.
Commenting about the return to training, 23-year-old midfielder told the Drogheda Independent: ‘It’s been great to be back and see all the lads. We’re split into two groups to keep the numbers down, and we’re working on getting the cobwebs off, getting our touch back and getting a feel for the ball.
‘I was fortunate in that I was living with [fellow Dundalk player] Georgie Kelly and a couple of the English lads, so there were three or four of us knocking around together. But there’s nothing like having a coach at your back, encouraging you to do better.
‘There’s a lot you can do. It just depends on how creative the coaches are, but for me it feels normal in many ways bar the match-like situation. All the drills can be quite similar and I just hope that the league can come back and we can have a target date to work towards.
‘I’m excited about the mini-tournament in the sense that it was a sign of a return to competitive games, but what’s happened in the last couple of days is worrying. Everything is up in the air and it’s tough because you don’t know how best to train your body.
‘I am blessed every day that I’m still being paid, particularly when you see the deductions being made [to players] around the league. I’m very grateful that I’m being looked after, but it’s a worrying time for every player and nothing is ever permanent.
‘You want to see football back and fans being allowed back, but I feel it’s difficult for a lot of clubs and I understand their situation. There’s no one way to fix this situation and I don’t envy the senior people in the FAI who have the job of making everyone happy. There’s no denying it’s a difficult situation.’
Sloggett attended St Oliver’s Community College as a teenager, a breeding ground for top footballers as Gary Kelly, Ian Harte, Nick Colgan and Sean Thornton amongst others all studied there before going on to join clubs in England’s top flight.
However, his pursuit of third-level education was a key factor in him deciding not to pursue interest from Drogheda United.
‘I had a trial for the Under-19s at one stage,’ he recalled, ‘but I made the decision to go to UCD and travel up and down.
‘I really enjoyed St Oliver’s and Ian Gardiner and David Bracken were two of the coaches there who would have supported me along the way and played a part in my development and I still keep in contact with both of them.’
Having spent much of his childhood just down the road from United Park, it’s no surprise that Sloggett keeps tabs on the Boynesiders’ fortunes.
‘The pitch has always been very good and the ball runs so smoothly,’ he said, commenting on the famously good surface produced by Matt Kavanagh and his team.
‘I don’t want to go hard on the facilities there, but there’s always room for improvement and it’s the same for every club.
‘I was only in the Sound Shop today and I was saying to a guy there that Drogheda would be my local club and I went to a good few games there with friends when I was younger.
‘It would be great to see them back in the Premier Division. The structure of the club has taken a positive turn and hopefully that continues and they can have a competitive league this year, with promotion and relegation.
‘If you take that competitive element out of the equation, it would be very disappointing for the clubs concerned and that should not be up for discussion.’
Sloggett, like other League of
Ireland players, has been watching closely to see how the talks with the FAI conclude, and he’s hoping that the mini-tournament for Dundalk, Rovers, Derry and Bohs does go ahead as it will help those four clubs prepare for their upcoming games in European competition, with the format and datelines for both the Champions League and Europa League due to be unveiled later this week.
In the longer term, his own ambitions in the game have changed in recent times and his hopes of one day representing his country have certainly received a boost with the appointment of Blackrock-based former Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny as Republic of Ireland manager.
‘At one time I was saying I wanted to go across the water and play in England, but now it’s international football that’s the big dream,’ he said.
‘I used to be a big fan of Man United and I’m still a fan, but there’s something I love about the League of Ireland, home football. Hopefully Stephen Kenny is keeping his eyes open and I can get an international cap one day.’