Derby ends all square in North East Lge

HAVING signed a two year deal with the club last week, Gary Rogers has admitted he would love to finish his career at Oriel Park.

The 35-year-old will remain with Dundalk for both the 2017 and 2018 seasons after becoming the first player to put pen to paper on a new deal last week.

If Rogers has his way then his career won’t end there but with his immediate future sorted out, he is already looking ahead to further honours with Stephen Kenny’s side.

And that’s where Thursday’s game against Maccabi Tel Aviv becomes so important. It would be a dream for Rogers and all at Dundalk FC to reach the last 32 in Europe but a positive result in Israel would also go a long way to helping the club ensure that this season’s achievements are no flash in the pan.

‘It’s the biggest game that any of us might play in when you look at what’s at stake,’ he said.

‘We have an opportunity to get into the last 32 and if we can pull it off it would be an incred- ible achievement. It’s certainly something we don’t fear and we’re embracing it. We just hope that we can play to the best of our ability and get the right result.

‘The game is very important as well for our co-efficient going into the Champions League next year. Not that there’s ever an easy game in the Champions League qualifiers but if we were seeded it would give us that little bit of an advantage and make it that little bit easier to do what we’ve done this year.

‘Not that it’s easy no matter who you get but if you’re seeded it’s obviously more beneficial but you still have to go out and get the job done. From that point of view it’s an important game as well and if we can pick up a point or three points it will help us to try and do the same next year,’ said the goalkeeper.

Rogers insists it was always Dundalk’s aim to be in this position of having a chance to reach the knock-out stages of the Europa League. Now he believes they can fulfil the dream.

‘Everyone going into this game will be giving everything they’ve got to try and get out of the

group. I know it was our goal at the start even though many people didn’t think it was possible but to be going into the last game with a realistic chance of getting out of the group is a testament to all the work the team has put in over the season.

‘People were expecting us to maybe just pick up a point and if we had done that they’d have said it was a good outcome but as it is we’ve a fantastic opportunity where even the possibility of a draw could get us out of the group.

‘Obviously we need to go and win the game and make it as hard for AZ as possible. Zenit are a top class side so we’ll be hopeful that they’ll put out a full strength side as they did against Maccabi even though they were qualified. We can only assume they’ll try and win six out of six.’

While Rogers is aware that Maccabi will be a different prospect from the side which Dundalk beat in Tallaght back at the end of September, he insists travelling to the Netanya Stadium will hold no fears for his teammates.

‘Most lads enjoy going away from home. No disrespect to the stadiums in the League of Ireland but when we went to the likes of Legia there was an unbelievable atmosphere and we’ll be expecting something similar in Israel. Apparently it’s a fantastic stadium to play in and a great atmosphere and hopefully that will inspire us to get that big result.

‘We’ll be hoping to keep a clean sheet out there. We’ve scored in most games in our European journey this year and hopefully someone will come up with the all important goal.

‘If we can achieve that it will top everything that we’ve done. We’ve already had some of the best results in the club’s history but this would be very special if we can go and achieve that.

‘We’re going into it with the belief we’re well capable of doing it. The fact we’ve beaten Maccabi already gives us great confidence going into the game. We’re not trying to do something that’s impossible, we’ve already done it this season. I think we can take great confidence from that going into the game.’

Rogers’ own confidence will be boosted by strong recent displays and his new contract. The Meathman insists there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

‘It’s great to get a bit of security and there’s no better club to be at. Dundalk over the last couple of years have been flying and long may it continue. Hopefully we’ll have another couple of successful seasons.

‘I don’t think at the start of the season we could have even dreamed of being in this situation. It’s testament to how far we’ve come this season that we can reach the last 32 of the Europa League. If we can pull it off it will be a very special night,’ he said.