We are a better side than last season — Bradley
THERE were no grand statements or declarations of intent from the Shamrock Rovers boss ahead of this season’s bow.
Instead, in a rather uncharacteristic turn of events, Stephen Bradley talked down the club’s ambition and admitted he would accept not winning the league provided the Hoops simply made progress on last term when they finished 22 points adrift of champions Cork City and 15 behind runners-up Dundalk.
‘We saw on Sunday [in the President’s Cup] that the other two will be really, really strong and it’s up to us to try and close that gap. Can we do that? I’m not sure. We’ll have to wait and see but that’s our aim.
‘We have to understand where we are. John Caulfield, Stephen Kenny and Kenny Shiels have been there four or five seasons with their squads. They have lost players to England but the majority of the squads have been there.
‘We just need to recognise that last year we made great progress and this year we need to try and better that again. That just means closing the points gap on the two of them. The two of them are ahead of the rest of the league and it’s up to all the rest of us to fight and make it hard for them.’
This is the beginning of the 33year-old’s second full season in charge in Tallaght and while his measured analysis of what constitutes success is only logical, there will be no excuses made for failing to hit the ground running in tonight’s derby away to Bohemians live on RTÉ.
Dalymount Park has been sold out for over a fortnight in anticipation of this clash and it will be how Rovers deal with the atmosphere and expectations that will be of most interest.
‘It’s a great game to see where you’re at straight away,’ Bradley accepts. ‘There is no bedding in process, you’re straight into it. It’s a sell-out crowd and you know what Bohs are going to bring. We have to make sure we’re ready for that and I believe we are.
‘I just believe we’re a better team than we were last year. We’ve a better squad. Time will tell if that’s the truth but hopeUnited fully we can show some of that [tonight]. We know what type of game it will be. It will be a tough game and Keith [Long] did a great job last year. They were flying. They came and beat us in Tallaght [last season], so we know it will be a tough game. But I believe we’re a better team than we were last year.’
One of the new additions to the Rovers squad is former Republic of Ireland international Joey O’Brien. The 31year-old has returned to Dublin after a career in England with Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham which was blighted by injury.
A versatile defender who can operate across the back four and also fill in at midfield, Bradley has urged for patience as O’Brien has not played competitively for two years.
‘You need to understand that he’s a little bit behind the other boys in terms of fitness. Joey knows that and we know that. It’s about taking our time with him,’ his new manager insisted.
‘I think if you asked him to play tomorrow he could play, it’s not a case that he’s not fit it’s just if you push him and keep pushing him you’re asking for trouble in terms of injuries.’
Bradley says it would be a winwin for Rovers to get the best out of O’Brien in ‘60 to 70 per cent’ of games and that the impression made so far has been nothing but impressive.
‘I think you know when you look at players after 10 minutes, their response to other players and I think it was clear after a few minutes what they thought of Joey. We played an 11 v 11 game and he had the cigar out. It’s just that bit of quality.
‘He was unfortunate with the injuries he’s had. When you speak to him he is very clear about it, on his career and what he has achieved and what he wants to achieve. He is a very sensible fella.’