Second Captain, First Captain Whatever

It was Shamrock Rovers’ new Sporting Director Stephen McPhail who was directing last Friday’s press event at Tallaght Stadium. McPhail, who was the Rovers club captain last season, firstly introduced Stephen Bradley as the new Hoops Head Coach and secondly announced four of Bradley’s new players for 2017.

 

Amongst the quartet of signings on Friday (see here) were two experienced players who have both captained their former clubs in the League of Ireland. Ryan Connolly was the captain at Galway United this past season while Roberto Lopes was vice-captain at Bohemians and wore the captain’s armband when the Gypsies lifted their 32nd Leinster Senior Cup trophy last season.

 

There are plenty of potential captains amongst Rovers’ existing squad but whoever gets the armband in 2017 Rovers have certainly added quality to their player pool with the addition of Lopes, Connolly, Paul Corry and Dan Devine. Rovers are due to announce more of Bradley’s new signings on Monday.

 

For Lopes, it is a big move as he joins the Hoops from their bitter Dublin rivals Bohemians. Lopes spent six years with the Gypsies but the only trophy he won there was the Leinster Senior Cup he helped secure by scoring twice in the 2016 final against Wexford Youths.

 

The rivalry between the teams in his time at Dalymount Park hasn’t been one at the top of the table as Rovers have finished above Bohs every year since 2010. However in the derby games the intensity is as strong as ever. Having comprehensibly beaten Bohs home and away in the first two derbies of 2016, the Hoops came unstuck in their last Dublin Derby at Dalymount Park with Lopes scoring the winner for Bohs with the only goal of the game.

 



 

 

His goal celebration was that type of reaction that made him a fans favourite with the Gypsies faithful and he knows there will be an inevitable reaction to him joining Rovers. When Luke Byrne made the same switch in 2014, it didn’t go down too well with Bohs fans. Back in 2004 when Tony Grant made the opposite move from the Hoops to the Gypsies, Rovers supporters threw a pig’s head onto the Dalymount Park pitch when they next faced Bohs.

 

 



 

“I know I’m probably in for a wave of stick now” said Lopes when he spoke to extratime.ie on Friday at Tallaght Stadium, “but look I’m going to have to take that as well.  As I say I am happy just to sign and to get it finalised.

 

“Every time I’ve been here, they’ve generated a great atmosphere.  Whether it be hostile or not, it’s always fun coming here to play against Rovers.  So I’m looking forward to coming here to play, to replicate the feeling and I kind of get the feeling that it’s going to be like that every game.”

 

The Hoops have ambitious plans that they are currently putting in place on and off the field with work ongoing at present at their Roadstone training facility. This is something that attracted Lopes to Rovers.

 

“Roadstone sounds like a great facility, so I can’t wait to get up there and start training. (Rovers) want to kick on. I think that shows in their efforts off the pitch, and hopefully we can replicate that on the pitch now.”

 

Lopes provides options for the Hoops as he can play both at centre-half and in central midfield where there will be plenty of competition for places. “That’s what you want. Competition kind of brings the best out of you and obviously I want to push on and better myself as a player. With the likes of Ryan (Connolly) and Paul (Corry) who we have signed and who I know, it’s going to bolster our squad.”

 

Ryan Connolly arrives at Tallaght Stadium after playing a key part in Galway United’s success in the last few seasons. He was a much sought after player but, as he told extratime.ie on Friday, he decided to join the Hoops as he feels the club is moving in the right direction and can challenge for trophies.

 

“I had offers from all over the country to be honest. I just felt it was the right decision for myself. Talking to Stephen (Bradley) on the way he wants to go and the way the club wants to go, I felt like it was definitely a move that is going to be right for myself.

 

There is a tough challenge ahead for the Hoops next season. Dundalk will be looking to emulate the famous four-in-a-row Shamrock Rovers side from the 1980s. Cork City will carry confidence into 2017 having defeated Dundalk in the FAI Cup Final. Rovers are still looking for their 25th FAI Cup win with their cup drought now stretching back 30 years.

 

 “I think if you asked anyone outside of Ireland, who are the biggest club in Ireland? They’d say Shamrock Rovers and I think they are. Dundalk are in Europe and they are flying. They are holding the flag really high for Ireland at the minute and fair play to them.  But, I think as a name Shamrock Rovers is the biggest.

 

“Shamrock Rovers is a club that needs to win trophies. The players that they bring in need to want to win trophies and it’s definitely setup going in the right direction for that to happen. We are going to challenge next year and there is no two ways about it. If we are not challenging, there is something wrong and again I don’t think it’s pressure, it’s what comes with being a Shamrock Rovers player.”

 

Addtitional Reporting by Josh Dolan

 

For more from Stephen McPhail, Stephen Bradley and an in-depth look at the developments off the pitch around their Roadstone Training Facility and Tallaght Stadium see here: 

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile