OF THE 36 teams that took part in the league phase of last season’s Uefa Conference League, Shamrock Rovers were just outside the top 20 in terms of earnings.
Stephen Bradley’s side placed 21st on the prize money table after they collected €7.2 million. A combination of performance related bonuses for reaching the knockout stages – winning three times and drawing twice – and their share of TV market distribution meant the Hoops’ earning power increased.
Rovers lost just one of those six league phase games, coming during the final round before Christmas when eventual winners Chelsea showed their class with a comfortable 5-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
For what it’s worth, the Premier League champions also topped the money list with €21.81m, a little over €4m more than Real Betis who they beat in the final and well clear of Fiorentina in third on €14.33m.
Chelsea – the newly crowned Club World Cup champions – will play in the Champions League after finishing fourth last season and that means they’ll earn just over €18.6m just for taking part.
With €2.1m for a win and €700,000 for a draw it highlights the growing disparity between the game’s elite and those beginning to thrive in Uefa’s lower tiers.
No League of Ireland side has managed to reach the league/group phase of European competition without the benefit of the champions’ path. Like Shelbourne this year, provided you win that first Champions League qualifying round you will be guaranteed safety nets in the Europa and Conference Leagues.
This time around Rovers and Bradley are looking to make history by keeping their dream alive and progressing through the old-school one and done knockout format. The same cannot be said for St Patrick’s Athletic in their game after losing 4-1 to Besiktas in Dublin last week. They need their own miracle of Istanbul tonight.
Rovers’ challenge is significant but not unsurmountable.
They trail Ballkani 1-0 from the first leg in Kosovo last week with Bradley insisting the performance can improve in all departments tonight. “So much, there was so much we can do better. They played how we felt they would play, they pressed how we felt they would press,” he said.
“The pitch was the biggest, I’m nearly sure the biggest pitch we’ve played on. So the spaces were there, we just didn’t recognise them. For a number of different reasons.
“I don’t need to lecture the players we spoke with after. I think they know, from speaking to them as a group and individuals, they know that we were off our levels. It’s up to us as a staff to understand why that happened. But we know we can’t perform like we did last week and expect to win the game.
“I think that’s quite clear. There were loads of little things, I can’t say too much before the game but there were lots of little things that we were off it. And when you combine all those little things it adds up to the performance that we delivered.”
If they are able to produce a repeat of the come-from-behind win over Celje from last season than it will almost certainly be Portuguese outfit Santa Clara waiting for them in the play-off round.
They hold a 3-0 lead over Larne going into the home clash and, barring a famous comeback, will be primed for their chance at Europe’s third-tier competition.
Bradley confirmed yesterday that playmaker Jack Byrne was not injured but had been deregistered ahead of the tie.
The 42 reported yesterday of a fallout in the Rovers’ camp, but the Rovers boss reiterated the sense of perspective within his squad that comes from the experience they have build up over close to a decade under his control.
Should Rovers progress to the league phase they will become the first Irish club to do so in back-to-back years and it will be the third time in four seasons.
Bradley stressed the need for patience in Tallaght Stadium, wary of a side that can cause trouble on the counter attack. “It won’t be…it’s not going to be going home, 90 minutes, just hoping for the best. That’s not football. You’ve got to respect that they’ve got good players, good individuals. I think we’ve seen that last week. You’ve got to respect that.
“But then when you have your moments, you’ve got to go and capitalise and be better. It’s not going to be just all out attack for 90 minutes. You do that in Europe and eventually you get punished. It’s about when the moments are right, we go and do what we do and go and cause some problems.”
There is confidence, too, due to the return to fitness of Graham Burke, a gifted technician in the mould of Byrne who can help swing things in Rovers’ favour.
“Big occasions, big grounds, big crowds, pressure. Graham loves it, that’s when he comes alive. And I think that’s always been him. That’s always been part of Graham’s beauty, that he tries in them arenas and them situations. Nights like [tonight] are places where Graham wants to be and when you’re like he was this year, him, Matt [Healy], [Dawson] Devoy, they’ve been really, really good. His form is in a really good place. He’ll play a big part in that.
“People think his bravery is someone who goes and makes tackles or runs around and kicks people and gets a cheer oof the fans and people say that’s bravery. I’ve always looked at the likes of Graham and thought that’s the ultimate act of bravery when you want to receive the ball under pressure when your team aren’t maybe playing so well and you take the ball and make it happen.
“For me, that’s the ultimate form of bravery on the football pitch. It’s receiving and taking the ball and having the courage to go and take the game and make the game and he does that. And like I said, the bigger the occasion, the more he grows into it.”
For all the millions up for grabs, that kind of personality is worth its weight in gold as Rovers search for a European turnaround.
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All on the line for Shamrock Rovers with European history still in sight
OF THE 36 teams that took part in the league phase of last season’s Uefa Conference League, Shamrock Rovers were just outside the top 20 in terms of earnings.
Stephen Bradley’s side placed 21st on the prize money table after they collected €7.2 million. A combination of performance related bonuses for reaching the knockout stages – winning three times and drawing twice – and their share of TV market distribution meant the Hoops’ earning power increased.
Rovers lost just one of those six league phase games, coming during the final round before Christmas when eventual winners Chelsea showed their class with a comfortable 5-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
For what it’s worth, the Premier League champions also topped the money list with €21.81m, a little over €4m more than Real Betis who they beat in the final and well clear of Fiorentina in third on €14.33m.
Chelsea – the newly crowned Club World Cup champions – will play in the Champions League after finishing fourth last season and that means they’ll earn just over €18.6m just for taking part.
With €2.1m for a win and €700,000 for a draw it highlights the growing disparity between the game’s elite and those beginning to thrive in Uefa’s lower tiers.
No League of Ireland side has managed to reach the league/group phase of European competition without the benefit of the champions’ path. Like Shelbourne this year, provided you win that first Champions League qualifying round you will be guaranteed safety nets in the Europa and Conference Leagues.
This time around Rovers and Bradley are looking to make history by keeping their dream alive and progressing through the old-school one and done knockout format. The same cannot be said for St Patrick’s Athletic in their game after losing 4-1 to Besiktas in Dublin last week. They need their own miracle of Istanbul tonight.
Rovers’ challenge is significant but not unsurmountable.
They trail Ballkani 1-0 from the first leg in Kosovo last week with Bradley insisting the performance can improve in all departments tonight. “So much, there was so much we can do better. They played how we felt they would play, they pressed how we felt they would press,” he said.
“The pitch was the biggest, I’m nearly sure the biggest pitch we’ve played on. So the spaces were there, we just didn’t recognise them. For a number of different reasons.
“I don’t need to lecture the players we spoke with after. I think they know, from speaking to them as a group and individuals, they know that we were off our levels. It’s up to us as a staff to understand why that happened. But we know we can’t perform like we did last week and expect to win the game.
“I think that’s quite clear. There were loads of little things, I can’t say too much before the game but there were lots of little things that we were off it. And when you combine all those little things it adds up to the performance that we delivered.”
If they are able to produce a repeat of the come-from-behind win over Celje from last season than it will almost certainly be Portuguese outfit Santa Clara waiting for them in the play-off round.
They hold a 3-0 lead over Larne going into the home clash and, barring a famous comeback, will be primed for their chance at Europe’s third-tier competition.
Bradley confirmed yesterday that playmaker Jack Byrne was not injured but had been deregistered ahead of the tie.
The 42 reported yesterday of a fallout in the Rovers’ camp, but the Rovers boss reiterated the sense of perspective within his squad that comes from the experience they have build up over close to a decade under his control.
Should Rovers progress to the league phase they will become the first Irish club to do so in back-to-back years and it will be the third time in four seasons.
Bradley stressed the need for patience in Tallaght Stadium, wary of a side that can cause trouble on the counter attack. “It won’t be…it’s not going to be going home, 90 minutes, just hoping for the best. That’s not football. You’ve got to respect that they’ve got good players, good individuals. I think we’ve seen that last week. You’ve got to respect that.
“But then when you have your moments, you’ve got to go and capitalise and be better. It’s not going to be just all out attack for 90 minutes. You do that in Europe and eventually you get punished. It’s about when the moments are right, we go and do what we do and go and cause some problems.”
There is confidence, too, due to the return to fitness of Graham Burke, a gifted technician in the mould of Byrne who can help swing things in Rovers’ favour.
“Big occasions, big grounds, big crowds, pressure. Graham loves it, that’s when he comes alive. And I think that’s always been him. That’s always been part of Graham’s beauty, that he tries in them arenas and them situations. Nights like [tonight] are places where Graham wants to be and when you’re like he was this year, him, Matt [Healy], [Dawson] Devoy, they’ve been really, really good. His form is in a really good place. He’ll play a big part in that.
“People think his bravery is someone who goes and makes tackles or runs around and kicks people and gets a cheer oof the fans and people say that’s bravery. I’ve always looked at the likes of Graham and thought that’s the ultimate act of bravery when you want to receive the ball under pressure when your team aren’t maybe playing so well and you take the ball and make it happen.
“For me, that’s the ultimate form of bravery on the football pitch. It’s receiving and taking the ball and having the courage to go and take the game and make the game and he does that. And like I said, the bigger the occasion, the more he grows into it.”
For all the millions up for grabs, that kind of personality is worth its weight in gold as Rovers search for a European turnaround.
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