Stephen Bradley could not have been clearer in his thoughts at Shamrock Rovers’ training ground in Dublin on Wednesday morning, and his Shelbourne counterpart Joey O’Brien was singing off the same hymn sheet in his pre-match press conference in Belfast last night.
The Reds’ boss even threw in that typical refrain of his players being written off.
Rovers and Shels are on the cusp of creating League of Ireland history together should they maintain their first-leg leads over Santa Clara and Linfield, respectively, and secure qualification for the league phase of the Conference League.
Bradley was speaking just after 9.30am yesterday while two hours up the road O’Brien met the media at Windsor Park around 7pm.
Tonight, their ambitions align.
Even if there have been contrasting paths to get here.
O’Brien says his side are primed for the latest installment of an All-Ireland derby that holds major European significance. It will be the fourth meeting of the sides this year after the League of Ireland champions came out on top in the first round of Champions League qualifying in July before they were reunited at this play-off phase of the Conference League.
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The champions’ path – earned by last season’s stunning title win – has afforded them safety nets so O’Brien’s assertion that “nobody gave us a chance” doesn’t quite ring true.
O’Brien has stepped up from assistant to head coach since Damien Duff’s dramatic resignation on 22 June, and he has done so with confidence and clarity in his thinking and approach. He has been decisive with in-game decisions and the condensed nature of this European campaign has provided plenty of experience for him and his players.
This will be their eighth game in the space of a couple of months, and while David Healy’s charges are now familiar foes, ties with Azerbaijani champions Qarabag and Croatia’s league winners Rijeka have been challenges that have highlighted the step up in levels but also showed what Shels’ players are capable of.
That comeback win away to Rijeka in the first leg of Europa League qualifying is an indication of their ability to overcome adversity.
Rovers also overturned a one-goal deficit against Ballkani before totally outplaying and outclassing the Kosovans in Tallaght Stadium in the last round. They did the same to Santa Clara in the first leg of the play-off, maintaining composure against the side that finished fifth in Portugal last term to return to Dublin with a 2-1 lead.
Stephen Bradley was speaking yesterday. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
This will be Bradley’s 58th game in charge at European level, so there are plenty of scenarios to draw from, although he was adamant that reflecting on the knockout phase play-off defeat to Molde was not relevant to him or his players despite returning from Norway with a one-goal lead before losing on penalties in the return.
“No, it’s a totally different feel to it. Totally different game. I don’t understand people’s mentality comparing games. It’s nonsensical. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.
“People say, ‘oh you were in this moment before’, we were never in that moment before. That moment’s in the past. It’s silly. It’s a completely different game. Completely different team. These are a better team than Molde. They’re at a different stage of their development than Molde.
“We’re at a different stage than what we were then.”
Bradley’s point is valid given those encounters back in February came with the start of the League of Ireland Premier Division – facing Bohemians in a Dublin derby at Aviva Stadium – sandwiched in between.
“It’s a completely different feel and different game,” Bradley said. They’re better but we’re in a better place as well. We’ve just got to go and play the game. On the night against Molde we were very good. We just possibly should have a penalty. One cleared off the line. Little moments but [tonight] it’s a completely different game. These are a different team. Different animal.”
With such variables at play, Bradley cited the continued work of psychologist Dr Mary Larkin as a consistent sounding board for his squad.
“We’ve got experience from the last six, seven years. It’s not just that game [against Molde]. People talking about that game is irrelevant to this game. It doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t understand that mindset.
“You always fall back on experiences. That moment’s been gone. You don’t live in that moment. The reason we’ve brought people like Mary to the club and work so hard. The reason we bring Mary as a group of individuals is for that reason.
“It’s about learning and moving on and making us stronger for the next moment.”
What has come before may be of no consequence, but grasping the opportunity that is in front of both League of Ireland clubs is most certainly a necessity.
Live - Linfield v Shelbourne, Premier Sports, 7.45pm (Premier Sports will also show highlights during coverage as they happen from Shamrock Rovers v Santa Clara)
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Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers united in their focus to seize European opportunity
SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY and stay in the moment.
Stephen Bradley could not have been clearer in his thoughts at Shamrock Rovers’ training ground in Dublin on Wednesday morning, and his Shelbourne counterpart Joey O’Brien was singing off the same hymn sheet in his pre-match press conference in Belfast last night.
The Reds’ boss even threw in that typical refrain of his players being written off.
Rovers and Shels are on the cusp of creating League of Ireland history together should they maintain their first-leg leads over Santa Clara and Linfield, respectively, and secure qualification for the league phase of the Conference League.
Bradley was speaking just after 9.30am yesterday while two hours up the road O’Brien met the media at Windsor Park around 7pm.
Tonight, their ambitions align.
Even if there have been contrasting paths to get here.
O’Brien says his side are primed for the latest installment of an All-Ireland derby that holds major European significance. It will be the fourth meeting of the sides this year after the League of Ireland champions came out on top in the first round of Champions League qualifying in July before they were reunited at this play-off phase of the Conference League.
The champions’ path – earned by last season’s stunning title win – has afforded them safety nets so O’Brien’s assertion that “nobody gave us a chance” doesn’t quite ring true.
O’Brien has stepped up from assistant to head coach since Damien Duff’s dramatic resignation on 22 June, and he has done so with confidence and clarity in his thinking and approach. He has been decisive with in-game decisions and the condensed nature of this European campaign has provided plenty of experience for him and his players.
This will be their eighth game in the space of a couple of months, and while David Healy’s charges are now familiar foes, ties with Azerbaijani champions Qarabag and Croatia’s league winners Rijeka have been challenges that have highlighted the step up in levels but also showed what Shels’ players are capable of.
That comeback win away to Rijeka in the first leg of Europa League qualifying is an indication of their ability to overcome adversity.
Rovers also overturned a one-goal deficit against Ballkani before totally outplaying and outclassing the Kosovans in Tallaght Stadium in the last round. They did the same to Santa Clara in the first leg of the play-off, maintaining composure against the side that finished fifth in Portugal last term to return to Dublin with a 2-1 lead.
This will be Bradley’s 58th game in charge at European level, so there are plenty of scenarios to draw from, although he was adamant that reflecting on the knockout phase play-off defeat to Molde was not relevant to him or his players despite returning from Norway with a one-goal lead before losing on penalties in the return.
“No, it’s a totally different feel to it. Totally different game. I don’t understand people’s mentality comparing games. It’s nonsensical. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.
“People say, ‘oh you were in this moment before’, we were never in that moment before. That moment’s in the past. It’s silly. It’s a completely different game. Completely different team. These are a better team than Molde. They’re at a different stage of their development than Molde.
“We’re at a different stage than what we were then.”
Bradley’s point is valid given those encounters back in February came with the start of the League of Ireland Premier Division – facing Bohemians in a Dublin derby at Aviva Stadium – sandwiched in between.
“It’s a completely different feel and different game,” Bradley said. They’re better but we’re in a better place as well. We’ve just got to go and play the game. On the night against Molde we were very good. We just possibly should have a penalty. One cleared off the line. Little moments but [tonight] it’s a completely different game. These are a different team. Different animal.”
With such variables at play, Bradley cited the continued work of psychologist Dr Mary Larkin as a consistent sounding board for his squad.
“We’ve got experience from the last six, seven years. It’s not just that game [against Molde]. People talking about that game is irrelevant to this game. It doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t understand that mindset.
“You always fall back on experiences. That moment’s been gone. You don’t live in that moment. The reason we’ve brought people like Mary to the club and work so hard. The reason we bring Mary as a group of individuals is for that reason.
“It’s about learning and moving on and making us stronger for the next moment.”
What has come before may be of no consequence, but grasping the opportunity that is in front of both League of Ireland clubs is most certainly a necessity.
Live - Linfield v Shelbourne, Premier Sports, 7.45pm (Premier Sports will also show highlights during coverage as they happen from Shamrock Rovers v Santa Clara)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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