BRADLEY PLANS FOR A TITLE TILT

STEPHEN BRADLEY believes Shamrock Rovers need five new faces to be title challengers in 2019.

But the Hoops first have their eyes on third place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division and securing a spot in the Europa League next season.

The Dubliners have the majority of their panel under contract for next year which Bradley hopes brings stability.

He said: “We’ve been doing things for the past six weeks or so. Europe doesn’t come into the budget. Yeah, we’ve been planning and talking to players, looking at how we can improve. We’re well down the road.

“I think it’s the first time in a while we’ll have a really settled squad. There actually won’t be a lot of chop and change. We’ve targets (of players). It depends if players become available. We need four or five players. We’ve done what we’ve done for two years, so we don’t have to rebuild. Now it’s about adding the right players in the right areas.”

Friday’s 3-0 success over Bray Wanderers saw the Tallaght side move above Waterford for the first time this season.

Bradley added: “The lads `have been excellent for the best part of two-three months. We have the little blip with Drogheda (FAI Cup) and Bohs. If you look at the run we’ve been on, Europe included, they’ve been different class. Credit to the players, they’ve showed great character.

“When we went to Waterford, had they beat us, it looked like we’re out of it. But we caught them, and gone ahead of them. There’s still a long way to go.”

He continued: “We’re obviously too far off the top two (Dundalk and Cork), our target had to be the team in front of us. And that was Waterford. It was our target and it still is.

“At the start of the season, you look to get Europe. I’m sure Waterford, Derry and St Pat’s did too. The top two are still the top two and we’re all still off them.

“Europe was our aim. But we still haven’t had anything. Nothing’s decided yet.”