Europa ties give Dundalk a chance to answer critics
DUNDALK fans, disappointed at the club’s failure to retain the League title and struggle to qualify for Europe, have found it hard to contain their criticism of the team and coaching staff.
That criticism was understandable given that supporters have been fed on a diet of exceptional success for the past six seasons.
Players, coaching staff present and past, and even the owners, failed to escape the criticism.
Yet the perception of the team outside of Dundalk is somewhat different, with Sean Ryan, who has reported and written a number of books on the League of Ireland, offering the view this week that ‘Dundalk did the country proud in Europe this season, playing some good football and only denied by some bad luck’.
That divergence of views between the partisan and the neutral is undoubtedly at the heart of Dundalk’s season, causing committed supporters to query how a team that could perform so well on the European stage could sink to the levels of performance they gave against Waterford, St Patrick’s and Sligo in recent league matches.
In those three last league games Dundalk managed to secure only one point in the 1-1 draw with Pats and their overall record of seven wins, five draws and six defeats in their 18 league games is thee worst in seven seasons.
One statistic more than any other stands out when making a comparison between this season and last season’s title-winning campaign.
Over the 36 games last year the team conceded just 18 goals. This season, with the number of games in the campaign halved to 18, the team conceded 23 goals.
Their scoring record this year is just as dismal - 25 goals over the 18 games, just over a goal a game. Over the 36 games last season they scored 73 times, two goals a game.
Last season Vinny Perth’s first campaign, the League was secured with four games to go. This season, with the first half of the campaign under Vinny Perth and the second under his successor Filippo Giovagnoli, only a Finn Harps victory over Waterford in the last game of the season secured third place and European qualification for next season.
Clearly no dramatic changes will be forthcoming at this stage, for with three Europa League matches remaining, two at home, and the hope that some silverware can be won via the FAI Cup, there is still a lot to play for this season.
Indeed if the team match the performances they gave in Europe they would be fancied to regain the Cup from Shamrock Rovers.
Friday’s quarter-final against Bohemians in Dalymount is therefore of vital importance in the context of the domestic season, and may determine the future of the coach, and some of the players whose contracts end this season.
Both the coach and the players can attribute some of their dismal league form to the demands, both physical and mental, of having to play a game every three days in addition to the restrictions and travel encountered during their European games.
Even top English Premier League clubs, with far greater resources than Dundalk, are finding it difficult to cope with the demanding schedule of games caused by Covid-19.
It is therefore welcome that the players have had an 11-day period to recover from their recent demanding schedule and the disappointment of their defeat to Sligo Rovers, to prepare for the quarter-final with Bohemians.
It is an encounter where they will not be favourites as Bohs have already beaten Dundalk in the League at their Dublin venue and finished 11 points ahead of them as runners-up to Shamrock Rovers.
Bohs will fancy their chances given Dundalk’s poor form, having failed to win any of their last six matches at home and in Europe.
In recent domestic games in particular the criticism of the team’s performances highlighted the lack of energy and commitment shown by the players.
They have a chance on Friday to answer those critics, for they showed especially in Vienna and in the game against Molde in Dublin, that they have quality and desire.
If they can rekindle that spirit they have the quality to make the semi-final.