RICHIE HOLLAND HAS joked that he shouldn’t have splashed out on two bottles of champagne for Stephen Bradley as congratulations for Shamrock Rovers’ title defence.
Bradley criticised the interim Cork City manager for his decision not to grant the champions a guard of honour at Turner’s Cross on Monday, branding it “weak” leadership.
He made the comments while holding a bag containing two bottles of Moët & Chandon champagne that were presented to him by the Rebel Army boss before the match.
But Holland feels Bradley’s comments soured the gesture.
“If I’d to do it again tomorrow, I’d do it again tomorrow,” said Holland of the decision not to grant a guard of honour, “but what’s come out afterwards has been a bit disappointing.
“As I said on the night, I’ll take the flak for my decision but I felt some of the things said afterwards were disappointing.
“If I knew it was going to be that way, I’d probably have gone to Aldi for the bottles of champagne.
“It was expensive but look, fair play to Stephen, his staff, and players for a fantastic achievement.
“I felt that I did my bit and the club have done theirs by acknowledging that. I didn’t feel it needed to go any further. Whatever has come out has come out.”
Holland says he didn’t believe the absence of a guard of honour was an issue for any of Bradley’s squad.
“I don’t think it really mattered to the Shamrock Rovers players. From speaking to them afterwards there was no animosity on the pitch when I was shaking hands.
“Stephen is a bit disappointed but that’s nothing to do with me. That’s how he feels and I wish him the best and all the rest of it but I look after my own.
“I wasn’t looking at it from a view of damaging Shamrock Rovers. I make decisions for Cork City and I feel very privileged to be sitting here doing that.
“For my fanbase, it was the right thing to do and I stand by that.”
City received guards of honour last year as First Division champions but Holland doesn’t attach any major importance to the tradition.
“I didn’t even discuss it with the players. I didn’t want it to become an open discussion. I understand the fanbase here and they’ve been through quite a bit this year in terms of different things.
“Twelve months ago, we were getting them in the First Division. To be brutally honest, it didn’t put us up nor down. I wouldn’t say it’s cringey but you’re going into a war with teams on the pitch.”