Flying the flag across Europe in some style
THREE games, two home wins, one away draw. It was an astonishing 72 hours for the Irish club football in European combat this week thanks to the swashbuckling musketeers, Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and Dundalk.
Between them, their aggregate Euro record this summer now reads: Played 13, W9, D3, L1.
They haven’t been up against the major players of the Champions League, and probably never will, but the new Europa Conference League gives clubs outside the top 64 in Europe a chance to aim for a realistic goal – and make some decent money on the way.
Already, Rovers are guaranteed €1.15m, with Bohs and Dundalk on the €850,000 mark. Should any of the three advance next Thursday to the play-off round for the group phase, their coffers would swell by another €660,000.
That may be a weekly wage for Lionel Messi wherever he ends up this season but it’s serious moolah for Irish clubs.
There may even be a further ker-ching as progression to the group phase would be worth a further top-up of €3m per club.
When the new competition was unveiled, there were some scorn but Stephen Bradley, the Rovers head coach, not only embraced it but recognised the pathway to the group phase for domestic champions was that bit easier.
Unlike Dundalk and Bohemians, Rovers knew before the qualifying draw in June they couldn’t face the likes of Spurs, Roma, FC Copenhagen, Feyenoord, Anderlecht or Celtic.
Instead it’s AC Omonia or Flora Tallinn, who stand between Rovers and the group phase should they survive the heat of central Albania next week – the return tie against Teuta has been switched from the coastal city of Durres to the muggy interior of Elbasan.
‘The aim was always to win the league last year because the (Europa) Conference was coming in this year, so we knew how important it would be,’ said Bradley. It (being champions) doesn’t guarantee you anything obviously but it can definitely help you, it can give you a favourable draw.
‘And now we’ve had a taste of it. We definitely want more of it,’ he added.
So too do Bohs, who have had the Aviva bouncing this summer, and Dundalk, who were moments away taking out Vitesse Arnhem on their own soil – a result which would have compared to Bohs beating Kaiserslautern on their own turf 20 years ago.
Asked if the clubs were spurring each other on, Bradley replied, ‘I think so, yes. I’ve seen Patrick McEleney’s two goals – fantastic. The second goal was incredible and obviously Bohs had a great result the other night.
‘It’s definitely a positive year for Irish clubs. But I think this has been coming for quite some time. One or two of us have been unlucky with the draws we’ve had the last few years but this has been coming.
‘There is still a long way to go, there are second legs to come, obviously. We’re definitely improving.’
‘I believe the young talent in this league is as good as any in Europe, the leagues that we compete within this competition.
‘We had our say this week about the platform that they need to have, but we just need to keep trusting in them. They are showing week in, week out that these are top players, talented players.’
Thanks to a 91st minute winner from 17-year-old Aidomo Emakhu, Rovers have a 1-0 first leg advantage over Teuta to take to Albania. It was late but they have done that so many times this year, it’s no coincidence.
‘How we play, we take legs out of teams and they get tired mentally and physically and it opens up for us.
‘Had we scored early it could have been a different game but we got there in the end. We always had that belief because we’ve been there a number of times,’ said Bradley.
Should Teuta come out to play after a safety-first approach in Tallaght, that could play into the hands of the Hoops.
‘We watched all their games. In one of them against Sheriff they completely sat off like they did tonight and in all the other games they went and pressed.
‘Obviously, they came here and sat. I think over there it will be a different mentality from them. I’m hoping that’s the case. If they do that (open up), I’m pretty confident we’ll find big spaces,’ said Bradley.
Before that, Rovers play Longford at home in the Premier Division tomorrow, aware of what’s at the end of the rainbow should they retain their title.
‘We need to go again. Longford will have our full attention. There is no messing, there is no thinking of next week. It is all about three points on Sunday,’ said Bradley.