Defeat to Dundalk a ‘ kick in the teeth’

SLIGO Rovers manager Dave Robertson wants his players to fight through their hurt so that they can come out stronger and turn their season around.

Sligo Rovers sit bottom of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division table following a 4- 0 defeat to Dundalk on Saturday night, with a goal difference of minus eight.

A devastated Robertson said afterwards that he and his players were “hurt deep down”.

“The result hurts more than anyone could imagine. Deep down on a personal level I really am hurting at this moment in time,” he said.

“Second game in and even more so with a result like that at The Showgrounds. It’s a real kick in the teeth, that’s the only way I can describe it,” he said.

“We want the fans to stick with us. Stick with the team. This group of players will give you everything that they have got. We’ll be continuing to work and out things right because that’s what we’re all about. I personally, and I know the players feel it, we’re hurting at the minute. We have to fight through those feelings and make sure we come out of it stronger.”

The former Peterborough boss urged a response from his players following a dismal defeat against Limerick the previous week.

That didn’t happen. But, he felt his side showed more energy.

“The energy was there this evening. We started the game well. Their first opportunity they get a free- kick on the edge of the box and to be fair it’s a great free- kick from Patrick McEleney.

“It puts us a little bit on the backfoot. We stuck to the game plan and we were solid. The second goal is a real disappointing one because there’s a runner from midfield who gets a fortunate touch and we didn’t have that slice of luck at that stage.

“At half- time I felt we were still in the game and at the start of the second half really positively but the sending off of Jonah, who I felt was magnificent this evening up until the point where he got sent off, not that there was anything wrong with it, it really changes the dynamic of the game.”

Striker Ayunga received his marching orders for a second yellow card, and Robertson felt that Dundalk’s Brian Gartland did his best to influence the referee.

But, he praised the efforts of the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee.

“I felt it was soft. The first one ( yellow) is just a header, a 50/ 50, a shoulder to shoulder.

“The lad falls over, rolls over, like something out of a Hollywood film and the referee produces a yellow card which was disappointing because I would never ask my players to do that.

“That’s part of the game. I feel he’s been tricked into it to a degree. The second one is a tackle, a 50/ 50. I haven’t watched it back on video yet but I will do. He gives him another yellow and sends him off. I thought Jonah’s performance levels this evening were excellent. When players do things like that it lifts the crowd and it gets everyone off their seats, that’s what you want. I was really pleased with that.”

Robertson admits that there is work to be done with his side, but he feels the required hunger and desire is there among his players.

“There is obviously work to be done. There’s bits that we need to put right, that we want to put right. We’ve had those conversations in the dressing room, we’ll continue to have them.

“The players will continue to work hard, because they are at the minute and fair play to them. Now is a time where everyone has to show their character. Whilst I’ve got air in my lungs I’m prepared to fight tooth and nail to represent this football club with the pride and the passion it deserves.

“Yeah I do ( believe the hunger and desire is there). There’s a few elements that we need to tweak over the forthcoming days.

“The game against St. Pats now is a real showdown now because they haven’t collected any points from their first two games, we haven’t collected any points from our first two games and that makes it a massive fixture.”

Having dealt with a huge amount of criticism since the season’s start, Robertson says it’s something you have to contend with.

“It’s always tough dealing with criticism but if I’m honest I would also have a look at criticism. When it comes from credible sources then yeah it does hurt.

“You have to look at it in that way and with quite a rational mind and that’s what I would always encourage my players to do.”

With regards to his own future, Robertson understands the pressure he is under considering his side has lost the first two games, but he says the most pressure he feels comes from himself.

“The pressure and the biggest amount of pressure that the manager and any team will have is the intrinsic pressure we put on ourselves. We have that winning mentality and that hunger and desire and pride all of the things that we want.

“Be under no illusions, myself, the staff, the players everybody collectively together.

“We want to go out in any given game and get points and get results and score goals and keep clean sheets. There’s naturally going to be pressure when you lose two games, it’s a famous saying, a manager is only ever three games away from getting the sack.”

Experience is vital when things become difficult on the pitch, and Robertson is adamant his side has enough experience to battle through.

“We’ll be calling on all of that experience and everybody’s character to a man and we’re gonna need to make sure that we all pull together to get a way out of the first two results. What we want to do is put points on the board as soon as we can and the only way you’ll do that is by doing the fundamentals in the right way and that’s what we need to do.”

Robertson also confirmed that the Bit o’Red were close to signing a defender and Robertson was hopeful on Saturday night that he would have all the relevant paperwork done in time for this weekend.

Belgian Bryan Van Den Bogaert was reportedly training with Robertson’s side last week.