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‘I think we’re only getting started’ – Stephen Bradley confident as Shamrock Rovers win Team of the Year award

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley accepting the Irish Independent Sportstar Team of the Year Award 2020. Photo: Steve Humphreys Expand

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Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley accepting the Irish Independent Sportstar Team of the Year Award 2020. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley accepting the Irish Independent Sportstar Team of the Year Award 2020. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley accepting the Irish Independent Sportstar Team of the Year Award 2020. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Daniel McDonnell Twitter Email

In the eyes of Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley, 2020 will be remembered as a step along the way rather than a defining moment for his league-winning group.

His Hoops side came out on top of a public vote for team of the year off the back of their unbeaten charge to the crown.

They are used to their achievements being questioned. Only last week, Dundalk striker Patrick Hoban suggested it wasn’t a ‘proper’ title win given the season was reduced to 18 games on account of Covid-19.

Bradley shrugged off those comments, pointing to the 11 point winning margin as clear evidence of their superiority. Dundalk were actually 22 points back in third but did strike a cup final blow against Rovers that gave Bradley’s dressing room something to chew over in their winter break.

Either way, Bradley is sure that his group are fired up to achieve more on the pitch in the forthcoming season. The loss of star men Jack Byrne (APOEL) and Aaron McEneff (Hearts) will ask questions of them, especially in the midfield department, but the manager reckons this can serve to showcase the strength of the collective.

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“Jack got a lot of limelight and a lot of credit,” said Bradley, “We understand why that is but we wouldn’t have been able to do what we’ve done and play the way we’ve played and score the goals we did with one or two players.

“The way we play involves everyone. We should never have a problem with individuals getting credit but we’ve showed it’s a real team effort.”

And he is sure that others recognise them as worthy champions – regardless of what Hoban says.

“It doesn’t bother me at all to be honest. If it’s 18 (game season) or 36 or 46 or 50, it doesn’t matter. It’s very, very rare that you walk away and you think the best team doesn’t win the league.

“There could have been an argument when I was a player here and we pipped Bohs on the last day of the season (in 2010) and people could argue about whether the best team won it. But we won it so convincingly.

“We know what we did and I think everyone does. The comments don’t bother me. It shows where Patrick is in his head.

“When we won the cup in 2019 I said I thought we were only getting started and I felt it would lead onto something bigger. And I think the same when you look at this group we have now, it has a really good age profile.

“They are hungry and want to achieve more. I don’t see any complacency here.”

The Aviva Stadium reverse to Dundalk did result in introspection although Bradley says it was no different from the regular end of year review.

What frustrated the Dubliner is that his team were in control of the match before losing their way in a second half period where a defence that was sturdy in the league suddenly looked very brittle.

As it happens, Rovers have recruited Sean Hoare – the Dundalk sub who put them ahead in extra-time – in addition to bringing serial league winner Sean Gannon back to the club, two moves that caused upset in Louth.

While former Bohemians player Danny Mandroiu will be expected to fill the creative void left by Byrne, ex-Premier League player Chris McCann is another experienced addition to go with Hoare and Gannon. They will bring focus.

“I think we’re very careful in recruitment with the profile of our squad,” said Bradley.

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“We always make sure we have a certain amount of players in different age brackets and make sure we’re not overloaded in one area. Some of the players coming in this year are older than what we’ve brought in previous years. But they are players that have been successful, and they’ve come into the group with hunger and humility.

“Obviously we were gutted not to win the double but we weren’t ruthless enough. We’ll learn from it.”

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