Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WE AV IT ALL TO DO FOR ANY RESULT..
PRESENTING PERCY will be forced to sit out this year’s Cheltenham Festival as a result of a leg infection which kept him out of Leopardstown last weekend.
However, his trainer Gordon
Elliott is still hopeful that the gelding (above) will be in action at Aintree the following month.
the in-form Leinster back row.
“But we also know the level of performance it’s gonna take - it’s going to be a huge step up in terms of the effort and the doggedness and togetherness which we saw was amazing at the weekend.
“And it’s another massive step up in terms of execution, so it’s going to need a big step up but nothing that this group isn’t capable of.”
Losing to Wales was a body blow, even after going down to 14 men after 13 minute with Peter O’Mahony’s red card, as the players felt it was a game they should have won.
“The mood’s been great,” insisted Ruddock.
“Obviously the first couple of days after we lost last weekend, it was disappointing because the amount of effort that went in and so much good
BLUE AWAY Rhys Ruddock in action for Leinster stuff was done.
“There was enough effort there to get the win, even in those circumstances we were in it for so long.
“So there was a real disappointment that we didn’t quite get the result we were looking for.
“But then when we reviewed it, there’s lots of areas we can get better in but also lots to take confidence from and build on.
“Obviously there’s some disappointment with people not making it this weekend with injury but it’s also an opportunity for other players like myself.
“We know how good a team France are, but we’re looking forward to it.
“You know you’ve got to beat the best and we’ve got to get our tournament back on track with a win.”
WINNING the league title is one thing – retaining it is a completely different matter as Liverpool are quickly discovering.
If the race is run and the Premier League champions flag is destined to be flown elsewhere then Kop boss Jurgen Klopp will find himself in good company.
Bill Shankly, Joe Fagan and Sir Kenny Dalglish have all failed to enjoy a title encore when you analyse football at the elite level since the Second World War.
Bob Paisley (three times) stands alone in Liverpool folklore in achieving the feat.
Sir Alex Ferguson used to eyeball his players on the first day of pre-season training and look to see if they still possessed hunger to go again after finishing on top of the pile in May.
“Winning a trophy didn’t really mean anything to me after it had gone,” he explained.
“The players were brought up to go for the next thing.”
Any signs of complacency or the need to move in a new direction and changes would quickly be made, the Scot never afraid of ushering in a new dynasty.
Kop legend Terry McDermott (above), who was part of Paisley’s history-making reign, admits that fear played a large part in the success.
“I played every game believing it could have been my last,” said McDermott, who won five titles and three European Cups under Paisley.
“Bob might have come over as everyone’s favourite uncle but there was a ruthless edge to him. He wasn’t frightened to bring in new players even though we were still winning trophies.”
There could not have been a bigger contrast in the celebrations surrounding Klopp’s side ending a 30-year wait for the title – fireworks and pyrotechnics – to those which followed Paisley’s triumphs.
“Ronnie Moran (coach) would come around with a box containing the medals on the first day of pre-season,” explained McDermott.
“He would then ask us if we deserved one and if we did to take one out of the box and we’d won the ruddy league! After that it was, ‘OK that’s it, the new season starts now’.”
Vincent Kompany can remember challenging the Manchester City side who had helped him achieve a third Premier League title in 2018 to do something which they had not done before – retain it. “I wanted to see what the reaction to winning it in 2018 would be amongst the players,” he revealed. “I was looking to see if they could carry on and be more successful.”
They stepped up to the plate and, for manager Pep Guardiola, it continued similar sequences at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Now the Spaniard seems poised to deny Klopp a second successive championship, and McDermott added: “It’s difficult for Liverpool because of the strength of Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.”