In his first Airtricity League column for JOE.ie, Dessie Baker talks about the need for the league to attract positive headlines, player wages, attendances and says that his old team Shamrock Rovers are the team to beat.
The start of the season at the weekend was a strange experience for me, not being involved after 14 seasons in the league. I certainly didn’t miss the pre-season part of it, but when it comes to the live games and the excitement of the opening game, that’s a different story.
It was strange not coming back after the Christmas period and having to get back into training. As I said I didn’t miss that part of it, but on Thursday night when I wasn’t getting ready to go up to Dublin to prepare for a game, it was a strange feeling.
Watching Shamrock Rovers on television on Friday night, instead of being there and experiencing the passion that the crowd at Rovers bring to the game, was a completely different experience. I didn’t think I would miss it as much, but when you see the lads on the Friday night as I did, it brought back some great memories and made me realise how much I’ve missed it.
Financial trouble
Because of what’s happened during the pre-season with the likes of Sporting Fingal, Bohemians and Galway United having financial troubles, I think it’s important that the Aitricity League attracts the headlines for the right reasons this year.
Everyone will be looking at Rovers as the team to beat and I believe that the team that finishes above them will win the league.
Last year, because of all the trouble that went on, I think a lot of people that weren’t involved in the game looked down on the domestic league and were thinking that it was up to its usual nonsense, but I think they’ve done a good job so far this year of sorting everything out.
I think the big problem over the last few years was player wages. Clubs have copped on to the fact that they can’t afford to pay players massive wages anymore. Players are playing for less these days than they have before, but at the end of the day, it’s a game of football and players have to understand the times we’re in at the moment, realise that the money isn’t there anymore and just get on with it.
Hoops the team to beat
Looking ahead to the season, I think that Shamrock Rovers are the team to beat this year. If you look at their squad and look at the bench they have and even at the players that weren’t on the bench on Friday night because of suspension – the likes of Karl Sheppard and Ciarán Kilduff – everyone will be looking at Rovers as the team to beat and I believe that the team that finishes above them will win the league.
Against Dundalk on Friday night, I don’t think Michael O’Neill will have been happy with the way things went in the first half, he was actually quoted as saying that and I’m sure he let them know when they came in at the break. The thing about playing for Rovers is that it’s far different to any other club in the country. I’ve been to a good few clubs myself, but with Rovers, it took me a couple of months to realise how passionate the fans are and what is expected of you when you go up there.
I don’t think the new players that have come in have realised that yet and it will probably take them a good month or two to do so. That was the case last year, it took the new lads a couple of months before they settled in and realised the pressure that comes with it. At Rovers you have to realise that you’re there to win trophies.
To be fair, there’s a fairly big gulf in quality between those sides and the teams at the bottom of the table.
You’ll be playing in front of crowds that you mightn’t have done before and that takes a bit of getting used to as well. The new players, the likes of Ronan Finn and Gary McCabe were decent on Friday night, but I can see them getting better and better as the weeks go by. There’s certainly fun times ahead for Rovers anyway.
Gary Twigg was the match winner again with two goals, but people seem to think that goals are all he brings to the party. Having played with him myself, I know that he works very hard, he runs the lines well and he defends when he has to.
Alongside him, I think that Gary O’Neill is going to be a great signing for Rovers. Twiggy needs to stay up there and sniff around the 18-yard box, so when he has someone clever with him up there, the likes of O’Neill, Sheppard or Ronan Finn that can tread balls through to him, he’ll live off those sorts of chances. If they can build on their performance on Friday night, I think that Twiggy and Gary O’Neill can form a great partnership.
Dundalk look promising
Dundalk, to be fair, gave a good account of themselves and it could have been a lot different if their goalkeeper wasn’t sent off. I can see Dundalk making a big impression this season. With the likes of Mark Quigley and Jason Byrne in the side and Ross Gaynor on the left as well, they’ve a very good side.
I like Ian Foster as a manager as well, he gets the best out of his players and I think they’ll cause plenty of problems for the bigger teams. Third or fourth place, maybe even second, isn’t out of Dundalk’s reach this season as long as they stay relatively injury-free, as you’d have to wonder have they got the strength in depth in their squad that you need over a whole season.
Ross Gaynor could have a big impact for Dundalk this season
Bohemians had a fairly comfortable win at Bray Wanderers, but to be honest, I can’t see them being in contention for the league. It all comes down to the squad really. Last year, it was really important at Rovers that we had a good squad to keep us going over the season and although Bohs have seven or eight players that have served them well over the last couple of years in the league, they haven’t got an awful lot of quality after that.
I think Sligo will be a big force this year, Paul Cook is a good manager and they have some great players as well. They’ve brought in some new faces such as Alan Kirby to add to the mix and they were excellent by all accounts against Derry at the Brandywell on Friday night.
After Rovers, Sligo and Dundalk, Pat’s could go on a run like they did last year, but again you’d have to look at their squad and whether they have players on the bench that can come in and make an impact. It’s a very long season and with distractions such as the Setanta Cup to worry about as well, I don’t know if Pat’s will have the squad to cope. I think they’ll be up towards the top for most of the season but might fall away towards the end.
To be fair, there’s a fairly big gulf in quality between those sides and the teams at the bottom of the table. I think the likes of Drogheda, Bray Wanderers and Galway United could struggle as they haven’t got the best of the squads and it’s going to be a big step up for those teams against the teams at the top of the table.
Saying that, it’s always difficult to go to a place like Bray on a wintry night and get a result, but if they are to have any chance of a decent season, they need to win their home games, Overall, I can see it being a hard season for those three and I think they will end up at the bottom of the table.
Crowds
Finally, it was very encouraging to see the attendances for all the games over the weekend. There were over 5,000 at Tallaght Stadium to see Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk, which was quality. As I said, I had 14 seasons in the league and there’s nothing like playing in front of 4,000 and 5,000 fans week in, week out.
Rovers are playing Sligo at the Showgrounds next week and I heard that one’s going to be packed out as well. It’s very encouraging to hear about those sorts of crowds, but at the same time, I feel sorry for the likes of Bray and Drogheda who mightn’t be getting those crowds and struggle as a result.
Watching the game on telly the other night was one of my first times sitting down to watch a domestic game and I imagine people watching on could only have been impressed because I certainly was. If there were a couple more games like that, you would see attendances improve around the country and that’s great for the league.
People do knock the league at times, but it can be great to watch at times and I’d encourage anyone to go along and see a game and to bring their kids along and get them interested as well. It would be nice to get a few more faces in the crowd and the league could do with the support at the moment.
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