ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC manager Tim Clancy expressed disappointment at the manner of goalkeeper Joseph Anang’s exit from the club.
Anang joined Pat’s at the start of the season a season-long loan deal from West Ham United, but left Richmond Park this week to go on loan to Derby County in League One.
It meant that Pat’s played new signing Danny Rogers in goal for yesterday’s 1-0 win against Sligo Rovers, which Tim Clancy’s side finished with 10 men following a red card for Mark Doyle.
Rogers will be the likely first-choice for the remaining 11 games of the season: the 28-year-old Dubliner made 22 appearances for Oldham Athletic last season.
While wishing Anang well at Derby, Clancy was frustrated at the manner of his exit, saying he backed Pat’s into a corner to force an exit by saying he would not play the Europa Conference League qualifier tie against CSKA Sofia if he was not allowed to leave the club.
“Joe has been absolutely brilliant all season, and what a great kid he is, he’s got a big future ahead of him but we’re really disappointed in the way the end of Joe’s loan came about”, explained Clancy.
“There was a recall in June which wasn’t used and subsequently we let Josh Keeley go to Tottenham.
“Joe sort of pushed us into a corner where we had to let him go. He wouldn’t travel to Bulgaria unless we agreed to let him go. I think he’s just been badly advised.
“It’s a massive move for him and we wish him all the best.”
“Danny was in last week”, said Clancy of his new goalkeeper. “He’s trained with us a good few times, over the last week or so. I was really, really pleased to get someone with that experience into the club.”
Of the victory itself, Clancy said “It’s huge. We needed a big performance after the European game, the disappointment on Thursday, and going down to 10 men for the guts of a half-hour when you include injury time wasn’t easy.
“But we showed another side, we worked hard, dug in and were excellent. We still looked dangerous on the counter-attack, even with 10 men. Danny made a brilliant save, they had a couple of headers which flashed wide but, apart from that, I think we probably had the better chances in the game.”
With reporting by Darryl Geraghty
