Game 13

Bohs 5-1 Dundalk

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started these blog posts. I remember having a conversation about being able to look back over the season through a series of posts and remember where I was, what was happening in my life, what was happening in the world and what was happening with Dundalk FC.

One of my worries was that I would run out of things to talk about…

I was prepared for an up and down season. The upheaval behind the scenes, the turnover of players, the lack of leadership and direction from the dugout, all those things would lead anyone to believe that the season ahead had the potential to be a wild one.

What I wasn’t prepared for was just how much of a dumpster fire it’s been.

These posts were supposed to be funny! So I apologies to you and to myself because these posts have not been funny, they have not been fun. In my defense it’s very hard to be cheerful when talking about this team at the minute. So with that in mind, incoherent rant coming in three….two….one….

Something I had held on to until Monday was that the team had been in every game. They hadn’t been blown out by anyone, they struggled through a lot of games but they managed to stay in them. Monday was a nightmare. It felt like every problem that we have became magnified.

The goalkeeper doesn’t need to be talked about, we all know the situation with the goalkeeper. The lack of coach, or someone with responsibility on the touchline became incredibly clear. Not having more than one fit centre back. Some of the players not looking particularly bothered what happens.

The old school players, the McEleneys, the Duffys, the Shields, they all seem to be giving it a fair shot, fats was the only player really that stood out as someone who was potentially going to make something happen again.

The first five minutes of the match were good, we were in control, looked lively, looked dangerous but as soon as the first goal went in you already know the game was over. That’s where the lack of leadership and direction from the touchline comes in.

This team is chronically lacking in confidence. We still have not won a game after going behind. The players need to have a plan, they need to believe in the plan, they need to know they’re good enough to carry out the plan and get results with it.

The idea that this squad of players don’t need a coach but needs a manager to challenge them? I don’t think so, they need someone to give them a clear plan on the pitch and to give them confidence in that plan.

We’re down two defenders for Friday night and who knows what’s going to happen but at least we get a break after that game for a bit. We get a chance to breathe.

“This place needs a clear-out” Jim Magilton says, that should be fairly easy when no one is under contract and no one has any idea where the football club is going. We’re in a very bad place and we need to get out of it quickly.

But look, we might beat Pats on Friday and everything will be better. That might happen right? It might, right?