Griffin Hails Blue Bloods

Waterford United manager Tommy Griffin acknowledged in his first programme notes of the season the “young, new-look Blues.”
 

“Our players are from St. Herblain Park, Pine Mews, Pine Grove, Norwood, Lismore Park, Dunmore Road, Tramore, Dungarvan, Ferrybank, Carrick…,” he wrote, highlighting the home-grown nature of the class of 2015. That local spine is important to Griffin and, he believes, to the clubs fans. 
 

“I’m really pleased by that because one of the things we’re trying to do here is put proper structures within the club and [it’s] something that was missing for a while,” said the Blues boss following his team’s dramatic opening night draw at home to Athlone Town.

“We were going outside of our ranks looking for players and I honestly have great belief in the local players that we have and tonight it shows that the crowd appreciate the honesty. And you know something, when the players are playing for the jersey and they’re local I just think it adds something special – it just gives you that extra little edge.

“They’re going to be able to walk around the town here tomorrow and people are going to meet them and that’s one of the great things about it. Whereas before we might have had players who played for us and they were gone home to Dublin or they were gone wherever else - now don’t get me wrong I have nothing against [those players], we brought in some lads from Cork and they’ve been great for us - but the core of the group is South-East based and they’re really playing with passion now and they’re playing for their fans. And they know how loyal the fans are too. I think we can really build on that.”

In drawing attention to the number, and importance, of young, Waterford players in his squad, Griffin also managed to hit upon the thing that makes League of Ireland football special: the link between the players and fans.  Other leagues, with a higher standard of play, are readily available but they lack the powerful symbology of a group of players representing their city, their family, their friends. They are truly the fans representatives on the pitch. It’s a vicarious relationship, and one which Griffin thinks is crucial. 

“Yeah, that’s right and I’ve been lucky enough to go around to a lot of grounds; I was at the cup final and you could see the passion of the Derry supporters, you could see the passion of the St. Pat’s supporters, and at the end of the day that’s what it’s all about. And I think our own crowd here tonight really got behind the squad and I think half the reason they get behind them is because they know this is our own local side [and] they’re doing their level best to get something out of the game. I think when they see the honesty and the hard work they put in on the pitch the crowd get behind them, and the players appreciate it. The players feed off that. That’s part of the league of Ireland – the crowds are really passionate about it.”

Regarding the game itself, an even contest from which Waterford earned a point through an impressively relentless spell of late pressure, the manager drew heart from the attitude of his young side. 

”I think that’s something I’ve seen in the whole pre-season,” said Griffin. “They have a belief that they can always get a result and we’ve played some difficult pre-season games against top opposition like Sligo Rovers, and I know we were turned over by them but even in those games the lads went out with a belief that they could get results, and I saw that again tonight. Even with a minute to go when Anthony McAlavey missed his chance they might have said ‘Ah Jesus, that’s the last chance we’re gonna get,’ but no, they kept driving on and I think they deservedly got the equaliser right at the end.”  

Waterford will next travel to Ferrycarrig Park for a South-East derby clash with Wexford Youths, who lost 1-0 on opening night to league newcomers, Cabinteely FC.