Shall we start now?
By Johnny Ward of the National League Website
Wednesday may be D-Day. Who knows? At least now, there is foundation for some – if not a lot – of confidence in the National League’s representatives in Europe. I will be there at Richer; observing what threatens to be the start of a new era in Irish soccer.
It is time, you know. Just how can we account for this embarrassingly shambolic record of our teams in Europe? Europe? What does it all matter? Why do we hear mutterings from NL managers about hopes of finishing in a position that allows their teams enter European competition? Why the hell bother? Sure I thought Europe; in fact I am pretty certain that Europe was a holiday for our players and personnel.
Don’t agree? Well, why not ask Dermo Keeley? I was there, in a New York bar, watching St. Pat’s frustrate Glasgow Celtic, hearing even George Hamilton express emotions, as Shels were beating Glasgow Rangers 3-0. 3-0. On foreign soil. But then it all fell apart. I pitied the Shelbourne supporters, who made the unnecessary trip to see their team play in a foreign soil for a home leg. The poor souls had to endure loyalist chants, fear, racism, and of course seeing Shels lose 5-3. After being 3-0 up. Then Dermo saw fit to intervene. Dermo was dismissive of the result – What did that matter? He saw Dick Advocaat with his face in his hands when Shels were leading. OH! If only I was there. Meanwhile, us National Leaguers mulled over the false dawn, stunned with this apparent apathy.
And then there was good old Felix in the Bogside. The man who had just superbly directed Derry to the title admitted that Europe was not a priority. Heh, who cares about the moral or financial benefits? Heh, let us allow the current climate to prosper where Irish youngsters are more interested in the fortunes of foreign representatives.
Listen, why not finally acknowledge that Europe is something that has to be addressed. European competitions highlight our league. It is the competition(s) where fans make serious comparisons and observations on the league are based on it, sometimes solely. At last, it seems the men in the know seem to have established just that. St. Patrick’s Athletic could not be faulted one iota in regards to their preparations for Zimbru Chisnau. I hear of a month of prior training, a charter flight, a chef for the mission, 20 ready players, and a huge dossier of info on the Moldovans St. Patrick’s are seeking to overcome. I hear mutterings and I sense hints of professionalism. A word that only seems to have entered Irish soccer dictionaries since a certain Mr. Dolan arrived on the scene.
So, maybe, just maybe, there is founded optimism. Moral victories are no longer an option - why they ever were I will never establish. We now must fly the tricolour proudly in Europe. We must tell the world that Ireland’s national league are no longer the whipping boys. WE must. Because nobody else is going to do it for us. Best of luck to our trio left.