Mountney: ‘One win, we won’t look back’

Captain backs head coach to lead Lilywhites out of current spell and says ‘good group’ will start to accumulate points

DUNDALK captain John Mountney has backed his side to pull themselves out of their current slump and insists there is no need to panic despite the club’s sluggish start to the season which sees them sit bottom of the league table with just three points from their opening seven matches.

The 31-year-old made his return to action off the bench in Friday’s 2-1 defeat to Shelbourne at Tolka Park – contributing the assist for Robbie Benson’s stoppage time consolation goal – before starting his first game in 521 days since the 2-1 win over Bohemians at Oriel Park in October 2022 when leading the side out against Drogheda United on Monday.

Having put back-to-back cruciate knee ligament injuries behind him, Mountney showed the kind of leadership which justified Stephen O’Donnell’s decision to hand him the captain’s armband at the start of the year.

While obviously displeased with the club’s current position, the five-time league winners feels the current squad is good enough to climb up the table but insists they just need that first big win to get things motoring.

“It’s a good group,” he said. “Everything within here is good. Training is being done right, demands are high and everything is for our Friday nights to go out and get them wins but when you don’t get them, of course, you’re disappointed.

“As attacking players you want to get goals and assists and as defenders you want to get clean sheets. Everyone individually wants to chip in in their own way so of course it’s frustrating when results don’t go your way and it doesn’t turn out as you might picture it before the game in your own head. Of course, there’s going to be frustration but I fully believe in the group and everything that we’re doing so it’s just a case of getting us up and running.

“I think everyone has seen the way the league is. Anyone can beat anybody on their night. I think once we do get a win we won’t be looking back.

“You watch all games and goals come from everywhere – from set pieces and from all different positions and ways. You’re just looking at their keeper, let’s say the save for example where he hits it off the post. Sometimes you see that goes in and all of a sudden you’re up and running and you don’t look back. We’re just waiting for that moment but like that we’ve to keep our heads up. We’ve a big game now on Friday and it’s a quick turnaround so we’ll just have to dust ourselves down and go up there approaching it in the right manner to go up there and get a result.”

Mountney also insisted everyone remained behind head coach O’Donnell despite speculation over his future on the back of the poor start.

“Of course they are,” he added.

“Everything the staff are doing behind the scenes, it’s not just Stephen – there’s Padge, Burnsy, Brian Gartland, Seán the goalkeeping coach, all of them – everyone is full in on it.

“When we come in in the morning they’re always first in an hour before us. The structure for the week and what we want to do, all the small details are covered. Everything is being run right. The standards are high in training and there’s demands so I don’t think it’s to be read into too much.

“We know what we’re trying to do here so it’s just a case of getting up and running and like I said you can’t underestimate what a win does for a team or goals for attacking players for confidence to get you going. Like that, it’s just making sure as a defender myself that we’re keeping clean sheets and giving us a platform but I fully believe in the group and what we’re doing here to go and have a successful season still.”

The Mayo man was involved in a relegation scrap in his first season at Oriel Park in 2012 but feels there is a real difference between the set-up then and now.

“I would compare it very differently,” he said.

“Dundalk was part-time then in terms of we trained in the evening and there was a turnover of players, managements and different things and it was very messy behind the scenes. This year, like I said, everything is very professional, it’s run right, the demands are there and the structures are in place.

“A lot of the lads are new into the group. I know that has already been said but it is just how it is. So, for me, as a player and for the older experienced players, that’s something we need to take responsibility over and bed in lads as quick as we can and get them comfortable.

“Moving away from home, you need to settle quick to enjoy your football and to get your game out. That’s something we’re well aware of, that it’s a new group as well so, like I said, I won’t underestimate what a win or two or if you go on a little run, what it does for a group and the camaraderie of it. Like that, it has been good. We know results have not gone our way recently but we know it’s still not far away from our reach.

“I definitely don’t think there’s a need for panic. I know you’re going to have people that are going to come out and say whatever they want to say but that doesn’t get between our ears.

“We know we have a good group. We showed that tonight. The fans I’d like to think when they came out there tonight see lads who want to play for the jersey and that’s most important. Fans want to come and see lads giving their everything and that’s the basic I suppose. I fully believe we’ll get up and running,” he said.

EVERYTHING IS BEING RUN RIGHT. THE STANDARDS ARE HIGH IN TRAINING