Mceleney: it won’t be easy but

DYLAN WATTS says he has teammates Danny Mandroiu and Andy Lyons to thank for the lack of stick he gets from Bohs fans.

Watts crossed the Bohs-Rovers divide during the summer of 2018 — and was later joined at Tallaght Stadium by Mandroiu (December 2020) and Lyons (last January).

Unlike the latter pair, his wasn’t a straight swap, as he was on-loan at Bohs from Leicester, before making a permanent move to the Hoops.

But he still reckons he should be grateful to Mandroiu and Lyons for helping shield him from the traditionally high levels of stick reserved for players who line out on both sides of the great Dublin rivalry.

“I think I was there the shortest of a lot of them. I was never actually signed, which is another reason,” said midfielder Watts.

“Obviously Danny (Mandroiu) coming in took the heat off me.

STEPHEN BRADLEY has refused to rule out a move for a player affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

FIFA have moved to suspend all contracts of foreign players and coaches with Ukrainian clubs, and have offered foreign players and coaches the right to suspend contracts with Russian clubs until the end of June.

Clubs

Those players can seek clubs elsewhere — and clubs across Europe have been given a list of those

Now Andy (Lyons) coming in has taken a bit of heat off him. It just works like that.

“I was only there for six months or so. I had a few games (with stick) but Danny came in and took it all off me.”

Watts, who lives on the same road as Bohs boss Keith Long, expects a red-hot atmosphere tonight, with all 7,500 tickets sold out days in advance of the game.

Intensity

“The intensity of the game is different to any other game and it’s all about how you handle it,” he said.

“Red cards have been a key factor in the last couple of years so discipline is massive as well as performance.”

Rovers head into the game having lost two of their first four games so far this season, they can sign outside the transfer window.

“You get players every day of the week from agents all round the world so it is really important that you look into all of them and see if there is something of interest,” said Bradley.

“If there is something that really jumps out that we think will improve us, it is something we will bring to the board.”

PATRICK McEleney’s been there, won that and collected both the gleaming silverware and the invaluable knowledge that accompanies success.

So the return of the gifted playmaker to his beloved Derry City three months ago was always going to be a key plank in Ruaidhri Higgins’ blueprint for sustained glory at the Brandywell.

FAI and EA Cup victories with the Candystripes were the prelude to three Premier Division titles at Dundalk during two spells that also featured two Blue Riband and but Watts says their early form shouldn’t concern fans.

“I thought the performance in large parts against Pat’s was very good,”he insisted.

“I wouldn’t be too disappointed with that.

“Obviously to lose the game in the manner we did is something we need to look at, but I think we will get stronger as a group and I wouldn’t be worried.

“We know ourselves that we can go up another couple of gears and I think we will.

“The standards at this club the last few years demand that we win games so it’s a massive game to kick start our season and hopefully we can do.”

Watts reckons there is a huge incentive to perform well this season — both as a club and an individual — with Ireland boss Stephen Kenny watching from the stands.

Teammate Jack Byrne could be fast-tracked back into the senior squad, where he has already been capped four times.

And Watts believes there are more opportunities than ever for League of Ireland players to join Byrne and Mandroiu, who won his first senior call-up last year.

“It’s massive for players that the manager is watching the games. You see him a lot of League of Ireland matches,”he said.

“It’s brilliant for the league that he is watching and if you can put together a run of performances, that there is a chance you can get called into the squad.

“I think it is two League Cup final wins and brace of group stage excursions in Europe.

So when McEleney (left) marked his 200th start for Derry with the winner against Shelbourne at Tolka Park last Friday, there was a certain inevitability about it.

Ooze

Players like McEleney may ooze class but they also bring that crucial ingredient of how to edge tight, competitive matches. massive for every League of Ireland player that he is watching.”

He added: “It’s a goal, it’s every kids’ dream to play for your country and I’m no different.

“I think I need to push on again, go another couple of gears to try and find that but it’s something I believe is possible.”

Hoops boss Stephen Bradley isn’t surprised at the scope of Watts’ ambition.

Ability

“No, because his level of ability can go there,” said Bradley of his midfielder.

“Again, he just needs to focus on his game and what he is doing at the moment.

“He is maturing really nicely at the moment so he needs to keep that going, keep maturing, keep improving in every aspect.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where it led him because his level of ability can take him there.”

Bradley, meanwhile, expects his most recent signing Lyons to deal with any abuse from the 1,000-strong away support.

“When you know Andy as a character he’s nice and calm and takes everything in his stride and doesn’t get too high or too low,”he said.

“He’s real level and I think that helps when it comes to big games and big occasions.

“He’s fine. I don’t see there being an issue there. He’ll play like he always plays. I don’t see it being an issue.

“His character and how he manages himself day to day, helps with that.

“He is never too high or low, he’s nice and calm and level. I think he’ll be fine.

“It’s Tallaght, we’ll have 6,000 there.

“If it was in Dalymount so early it could be a different scenario, but it’s fine.”

Premier Division leaders City are back in Dublin tonight where UCD provide the opposition at the Belfield Bowl (7.45) and McEleney is preparing for a tough game.

“I know how important the game against Shels was — you just tick them off and go to the next match,” says McEleney.

“Fans are going to be excited, of course, it’s only normal. But we’ve just go to concentrate on doing our jobs on the pitch and also each day at training.

“It is a brilliant group with an amazing manager and