Clancy insists potential ban will have no effect on team
IT was the calm after the storm yesterday (Monday) as Drogheda United manager Tim Clancy played down his Friday night sending-off and instead turned his focus onto this week’s big Division 1 clash at home to UCD.
In the immediate aftermath of the FAI Cup second-round 1-0 defeat by Waterford last week the Trim native was dismissed by referee Robert Harvey after a heated exchange of words with the fourth official about the amount of time added on.
And in a subsequent interview with RTE, Clancy vented his fury about the match official’s time-keeping and then went off on a general rant about referees, calling them ‘arrogant’ and ‘incompetent’.
Those words, as well as the sending-off, could land him in hot water when the FAI’s disciplinary committee next meet, and there has to be a possibility of a touchline ban being imposed going into the decisive games of the season.
Whether such a situation would be a distraction to the squad or actually give them added impetus remains to be seen, but in public at least Clancy doesn’t seem concerned about what sanctions might result.
‘I’ve no idea what will happen,’ he said, speaking on Monday afternoon.
‘I will wait and see, but I’m not concerned about what effect it will have because it’s the players on the pitch who are getting us the results all season and it [a touchline ban] won’t affect our preparation for any of the games.’
Pressed about what upset him last Friday night, Clancy explained: ‘On the day there was not really any issues apart from that I felt there should have been more time added on, but when I raised that issue with the fourth official he misunderstood me.
‘I said I was disgusted that only three minutes were added and he thought I said he was disgusting and that’s why I was sent off. It was frustration on my behalf.’
UCD will arrive at United Park on Friday (kick-off 7.45pm) knowing that a win will seal the First Division title as well as promotion, if second-placed Finn Harps fail to defeat Galway United. However, any other result would put the Students under pressure going into their penultimate game which is at home to Harps.
From Drogheda’s point of view, a victory would keep them on course to make the play-offs at the expense of Longford Town who visit United Park in a fortnight’s time. Clancy declined to described the UCD game as a ‘must win’, however.
‘We’re not putting any pressure on the players,’ he insisted. ‘We’re still two points ahead of Longford and two behind Shelbourne and we will set out to try and win.
‘It’ll be a good game. We thought the league was over a couple of weeks ago, but then UCD dropped points in Cobh and now they have Finn Harps breathing down their necks.
‘The league is so tight that there will be a few twists and turns yet, but it’ll be a good game and we hope to get a good performance and a big crowd.
‘We’ve not been getting good crowds and that’s frustrating. I was reading online a comment from someone saying it’s a really good young team that we have and it’s a shame we’re not getting more fans to see them play.
‘We are playing good football and even in the games that we don’t win we’re scoring goals.’
Colm Deasy’s suspension for the red card he received in the Cabinteely game will kick in this week, while Drogheda are monitoring an ankle knock sustained by Sean Brennan against Waterford and the top scorer didn’t train last night. On the plus side, Gareth McCaffrey was due to take part after missing several games with a swollen ankle.
Given the selection problems, it could be argued that exiting the Cup could enhance Drogheda’s prospects of making the play-offs and giving a good account of themselves if they do so, but Clancy seems undecided about that argument.
‘Yes and no,’ he replied to that suggestion.
‘It was a completely relaxed atmosphere before last Friday night and again before the Shamrock Rovers game because the FAI Cup isn’t our priority and there’s no pressure on us.
‘Is it a distraction from the league? I don’t know, but that can be a good thing because it gives you a break from the high pressure of the league. Then again, we don’t have a big squad and it’s extra games, more minutes in the legs.
‘The performance was excellent the other night. The lads gave a great account of themselves and maybe with a little more of a spark in the final third we might have got us a result.
‘But we were up against a very good team who aren’t third in the Premier Division for nothing.
‘It’s a good, honest group of lads who’ll keep going until the final whistle.’
I will wait and see, but I’m not concerned about what effect it will have because it’s the players on the pitch who are getting us the results all season and it [a touchline ban] won’t affect our preparation for any of the games