PERTH CAME THROUGH TEST OF CHARACTER

FOUR trophies won, and a fifth, the FAI Cup, lost on a penalty shoot-out in the final.

Opinions in football will always differ, and there are many who will argue with some conviction that the 2019 season just finished was Dundalk’s most successful - if judged totally in terms of trophies won.

Others will maintain that Dundalk teams that completed the ‘double’ the League and Cup, in 2015, 2018, in 1978/79, and 1981/82 were more successful because of status given within the game to the two main competitions, the League and FAI Cup.

Then there are some who would forward the view that 2016 was probably Dundalk’s most successful season in their history for although only one trophy, the League title, was won, the quality of football produced was the best seen in the League of Ireland for many a year, culminating in the glorious, never to be forgotten run in Europe, reaching the Europa League group stage, and earning millions for the club plus international recognition for the town and country.

At times cold statistics and an honours lists can unfairly hide the emotions and excitement generated in any one season, and also disguise a real sense of achievement attained against the odds in a season.

That sentiment must undoubtedly apply to Jim McLaughlin’s fist full season at the club, 1975/76 when, with a team assembled with virtually no budget, he guided Dundalk to their first League title in ten years, or equally noteworthy was Stephen’s Kenny’s first League title, won with the club in 2014, when he got the very best of his squad which again was assembled with little money, bridging a gap of almost 20 years.

Both managers, McLoughlin and Kenny will always be guaranteed their rightful place in the clubs’ hall of fame, but even they would have had to concede that had Vinny Perth managed to emulate Jim McLaughlin’s historic treble of League, FAI Cup and League Cup when he was manager of his native Derry City, the Dubliner would have earned for himself a very unique place in the history of Dundalk FC in completing the club’s first treble in his first season in as head coach.

Results

Unquestionably it will always be a source of annoyance to Vinny Perth and his backroom team that they did not secure the historic treble, for given the competitive nature of the game, they will know that they may never get a better chance in the future.

It would be foolish however for the head coach to beat himself up about the defeat to Shamrock Rovers in the Cup final, for he, and others, must reflect on an outstanding achievement in guiding his team to retain their League title, reaching the Cup final, securing the League Cup for the first time since 2017, comprehensively beating Linfield for the inaugural Champions Cup, and overcoming the her first hurdle in the Champions League.

Having to take over the reigns from his mentor, Stephen Kenny, and lacking the coaching badges to be officially appointed manager from the start, the 43-year-old had to overcome considerable scepticism about his appointment, a confused coaching structure that looked geared for conflict rather than cohesion and when, Dundalk fell 13 points behind Shamrock Rovers in the opening weeks of the League campaign, the voices of doubt grew ever louder.

An exceptional almost freak run of serious injuries to one sector of his team, midfield, undoubtedly was responsible for that poor start to the League, for Robbie Benson and Patrick McEleney sustained long term injuries in the opening game against Sligo Rovers, and in the weeks that followed, Chris Shields, Sean Murray and Jordan Flores also struggled for fitness.

To guide the team through that period and embark on an unbeaten run of over thirty games to clinch the League with four games remaining was an outstanding achievement was rightly recognised by the PFA with the ‘Manager of the Year’ award for Vinny Perth.

He must clearly be a contender for “Personality of the Year’ from the Soccer Writers in January, for they will know that clubs, bigger and with a lot more resources in finance, appeal and knowledge within the game, like Manchester United and Arsenal have found it impossible to find a successor within or outside their ranks to replace their most successful managers, for United have never really been able to reciprocate the achievements of Alex Ferguson, nor have Arsenal found a worthy successor to Arsene Wenger.

For that reason Vinny Perth should view his inaugural season as head coach as a graduation with honours, for he has now established himself as a major force in the domestic soccer scene from which he can inspire the club to even greater success.

He had to learn on the job, which is not always easy, and the opening few months must have been a real test of his character, but he came through, was grateful for the unqualified support of the owners, and undoubtedly will be stronger for the experience.

Over the season he earned the respect of the club owners, the players, and most importantly of all, supporters, and he will acknowledge the part played by first team coach, John Gill, assistant coach, Ruaidhri Higgins, goalkeeping coach, Steve Williams and his entire backroom team.

It must be interesting for Vinny Perth and his team when they compare their League record over the season with that of Stephen Kenny’s team the previous season for they will be surprised to see that there was little between them.

Both won 27 of their 36 games, with Kenny’s team drawing 6, and Perth’s team, 5. It will be a matter of irritation to Vinny Perth however that two of the four games they lost in the League, away to Bohemians and Cork City came after the title was secured, whereas Stephen Kenny’s team lost just 3 games in the 2018 season.

The result was that Stephen Kenny’s team finished with a point more, 87, to 86 for Vinny Perth team, who scored fewer goals (73 against 85) but conceded less (18 as against 20).

Inevitably it must start all over again for Vinny Perth and his team in January, and they will know that Rovers, like Cork City after their FAI Cup in 2016 will take inspiration from their first major trophy in years, to fortify their League challenge, as will other contenders such as Derry City and Bohemians.

He has set the bar high for himself, with those four trophies, but if he can maintain the hunger in the squad and supplement it with a few quality additions, there is no reason why Vinny Perth cannot write his very own page in Dundalk’s history.