Brief spell at Dundalk was life-cha
WHEN he lines up in front of the main stand on Friday night and looks across at the opposition, John Sullivan could be forgiven for thinking what might have been.
The Bray Wanderers midfielder was in Stephen Kenny’s side for his opening league match in charge at the same venue almost five years ago, playing most of that 2013 season at right back.
He moved on before the club’s first title under the present manager followed 12 months later but there is no regrets from Sullivan’s point of view.
Having met two of his current closest friends, Richie Towell and Graham Byrne, during his spell at Oriel Park, the 27-year-old describes his time at the club as ‘life changing’.
Those who have kept track of Sullivan since his Dundalk departure will know he is a fitness fanatic, even working as a personal trainer away from football.
While he always looked after himself he puts much of his current ethos down to the influence of Dundalk’s strength and conditioning coach Byrne, who he says changed his mindset for the better to leave him much more contented in life.
‘I didn’t know Graham beforehand and to this day and as long as I live one of the best things that happened from playing with Dundalk is making such great friends like Graham Byrne, Richie Towell and a few others.
‘If Stephen Kenny hadn’t let me go, which I’m delighted he did now even though back then I couldn’t see the other side of it, I wouldn’t have built such a great friendship with the likes of Graham Byrne so there was a massive positive from that setback. Graham is a fantastic guy, very intelligent and we’ve a good friendship.
‘I’ve always been into fitness and looking after myself physically but never looking after myself mentally. I remember when I was at Dundalk, looking back now I probably would have moaned a lot. I’m pretty sure maybe Vinny and the gaffer probably looked at me and said ‘this eejit never stops moaning’ and that was the truth because I didn’t realise how great of an opportunity that I had.
‘Having friends like Graham, who is very honest, he said you’ve got to be grateful and you don’t realise how the words you’re saying and how it’s affecting you mentally, physically and whatever. It was only then I realised he’s right. I was giving out about things I didn’t need to give out about. I should have been thankful for them and that’s why now I apply that rule to my life as much as I can.
‘There’s times I ask myself, I train as hard as the next person why haven’t I had success or trophies? In this country success is judged when your name is on a plaque or a medal. I know it sounds corny but I’ve got happiness. What I’ve lacked in medals and trophies I’ve gained on a personal level. I’m more grateful now than I ever was and that helps me as a player.’
Sullivan has admitted that there will be plenty of slagging between himself and Byrne in the days ahead.
‘We’ll both try and ring each other and neither of us will answer the phone leading up to laughed.
‘No one will want to give away anything. At the end of the game it,’ he I’m hoping I can say I done you but I’m sure he wants to say that too.’ Sullivan said he wasn’t surprised to see Dundalk go onto such heights following his departure and has very fond memories of his time at the club even though he admits to lying about his ability to play right back.
‘I always played in midfield.field. As a kid I played right back, left back and even in goal. The opportunity I had when I went to Dundalk was that they had no right full so I said I can play right full. I lied to the gaffer and told him I played there lots of times and he believed me. ‘He probably realised half way through the season that I was a terrible right back,’ he laughed. ‘It was an amazing season though. We came second and I