Mahon is rewarded
Thursday December 10 2009
PETE Mahon was yesterday rewarded for saving St Patrick's Athletic from relegation at the end of last season when he was appointed as the permanent manager of the Inchicore club, WRITES NEIL AHERN.
The former Bohemians and UCD manager stepped in as temporary boss of the struggling side after the resignation of Jeff Kenna last September and proceeded to guide them clear of a first relegation in the club's history with four wins and two draws in nine games.
The Saints are expected to endure another slashed budget this season and with Jason Gavin, Ryan Guy and Noel Haverty the only contracted players, Mahon admitted that it is likely to be a very different squad in 2010 from the one which suffered a torrid league campaign last season.
"I was at the club for long enough last season to make a judgement on how players can do, and over the next few days I will be speaking to the ones I want to keep, but it's likely that quite a few players will have to move on and find other clubs," said Mahon.
"Pats under-achieved last season and we can't let that happen again. We can't find ourselves going into the last three or four games of the season worrying about relegation, and it's my job now to build a squad and make sure that is not repeated."
- Roy Keane vented his frustration again as Ipswich were held to a goalless draw by lowly Peterborough on Tuesday.
The Corkman said: "I don't think we played that well but we had some good chances. The fact we didn't take them was very frustrating and I'm getting fed up of using that word.
"We've got to start putting the ball in the back of the net and I don't just mean my strikers -- anyone.
"I need my players to step up to the plate and take a sniff of a chance."
- Neil Ahern
Irish Independent
