Game 4

Dundalk 0-1 Bohemians

“Woke up this morning feeling fine, had Dundalk FC on my mind, last night we could have gone last, like we probably should…So thank god that Derry are worse than us”

Who would have thought that our opening day draw against Sligo would be as good as it was going to get? We should have savoured every moment of that slightly below par performance. Come to think of it, the only highlight from this season was the penalty shootout in the Presidents Cup.

Speaking of those penalties and the man who provided those highlights, on Friday night there were some changes to the team, because there always is, and one of them was to bring in Peter Cherrie to take Alessio Abibi’s place in goals.

On the surface this makes sense. He’s had a difficult few matches and we don’t know where his confidence levels are and maybe there is a long term plan to build said confidence back up and restore him to the team. Maybe.

Or maybe he made a couple of mistakes so he got hooked. No thinking, no planning, just hooked. That’s fine, again if you believe this coaching staff have a plan for building him back up but I’d wager good money that they don’t.

He has made very costly mistakes and maybe Peter Cherrie is a better option but I would hate to think that Abibi was brought in, given the number 1 shirt and then after a couple of mistakes is left on the bench. I want to see him get another chance. And maybe that doesn’t workout because maybe he’s just not a very good goalkeeper, in which case, why did you sign him?

Apologies, I’m very sensitive when it comes to destroying goalkeepers self confidence. Or any football players for that matter. It must be incredible to have fans cheering and singing your name in adoration but it must be abysmal to be on the other end of it. When your fans, your teammates and your coaching staff have lost faith in you.

Trying to understand that football players are just the same as you and me and that they can be emotionally affected by what happens on a football field and what crowds chant and sing at them is not easy to think about.

I’m not saying that he should never lose his place in case he gets upset, of course not, but I was surprised he was dropped so quickly. It all leads back to the same question which is do the management/coaching staff know what they’re doing?

It’s happening all over the team. Ryan o Kane is in a similar position, play for 45 minutes, hooked. Han the same, played 45 then hooked. They seem to be bouncing from one idea to the next, from one line up to the next, from one system to the next, without any real concrete identity or plan.

If they do know what they’re doing they’re going to have to prove it very, very quickly. There were stories and rumours swirling around in the days following the match which would lead you to believe that if they can’t prove they know what they’re doing against St. Pats then they won’t be around anymore.

I don’t want to be overly critical of anyone involved in the coaching setup. I’m absolutely positive that everyone is trying their best and giving it all they have and I would love nothing more than for this situation to turn around but people are rapidly losing patience and faith.