Football’s global injury crisis visits Shamrock Rovers ageing squad, English goalkeeper George Shelvey leaves Dundalk after his discriminatory comment towards a match official and Damien Duff on “managing up” at Shelbourne – it has been another typically unpredictable week in the League of Ireland.
Last Friday, Shelbourne and Rovers met in a fascinating top of the table clash at Tallaght Stadium. Shels came out strong, pressing high, which prompted the champions to pass through them, mainly via the silky touches of Irish internationals Jack Byrne and Graham Burke.
But by half-time Rovers had lost three players to injury – Josh Honohan, Daniel Cleary and Trevor Clarke – while Roberto Lopes was later sent off following a second yellow card, which led to a second penalty for Will Jarvis who scored both spot kicks.
It finished 2-0 and Shels moved six points clear at the top of the table. But afterwards Rovers manager Stephen Bradley pointedly praised his players resolve.
Bradley also addressed an unprecedented list of walking wounded.
“We’ve had many good meetings in the last few weeks with teams all around England, Europe and top specialists. Injuries are up 40 per cent around Europe, hamstrings are up 26 per cent. For a squad of 27, on average there are nine to 10 injuries, and that’s at the top level so it’s not something that’s just affecting us, it’s across the board.”
“There are a number of reasons for that,” he explained. “Accumulation of games over of a period of time, age profiles, position type, how you play, positions on the pitch. We are looking at it in real detail.”
Honohan’s concussion could lead to a slow recovery process.
“Dan, Trevor and Josh are out,” said Bradley in advance of Friday’s trip to Drogheda. “Josh has concussion, he’s been at a specialist this week, the specialist isn’t happy. Josh has still been feeling dizzy this week, he hasn’t been himself so when it’s something like that with the head, you can’t cut any corners. You have to be really careful and we need to think of the welfare of Josh.
“Pico Lopes is suspended, but we have Dylan Watts and Richie Towell back. Darragh Burns will go to London during the week to see a specialist, so it’ll be another couple of weeks for Darragh.”
Dundalk’s miserable season has entered its third managerial phase with Jon Daly, who was recently dismissed by St Patrick’s Athletic, in command for the visit of Derry City.
The club reacted quickly to Shelvey’s departure this week by bringing Peter Cherrie back to Oriel Park as goalkeeping coach. The 40-year-old Scot is also registered as a player to provide “emergency cover” for Ross Munro and teenagers Sean Molloy and Samuel Safaie.
Duff, meanwhile, has clearly cracked the corporate code of ‘managing up’. In a nutshell, this is the ability to anticipate the needs of your line manager (and his or her boss).
“Three different ownerships in three years,” Duff told the Second Captains podcast Episode with Richie Sadlier. “I know people maybe call me a control freak, as I just want to run the club from top to bottom, but I’ve told every owner: ‘No, I want help, I am f**king wrecked’. At times over the last few years I am picking players up at airports, I’ve been on Daft.ie looking for houses, I’ve been a physio, a kit man, everything – but I should be coaching and concentrating on tactics and becoming a better manager.
“Andrew Doyle literally left me alone. Hull City came in with big plans, [and I] was managing-up, I have good relationships with them, they’ve loaned Will Jarvis back and we’d like to get another Hull player. You could say it never felt right. Mickey O’Rourke has come in now, I text him a lot. Neil and Cathal Doyle have come in as new investors, they are going to be heavily involved, I think. I’ll be managing up again.
“I think I am a very personable guy. I want what’s best for Shelbourne FC. Managing up – yeah, it’s fine.”
