John Caulfield: 'It would be nice to dream but I'm around too long not to know you must keep going'

John Caulfield was very composed in the aftermath of his side’s comprehensive 5-0 victory over Finn Harps.

It was his side’s 12^th consecutive league victory and he credited Finn Harps for the performance they put up against his City team.

“I knew it would be a difficult game. While they have a couple of guys out, that starting 11 is more or less their strongest team.

“I knew their panel was tight but still in the first half it was tight. It was a night where it was hard to get guys up for the game and the crowd come in expecting an easy game.

“There is no easy game. The pitch was bouncy, no rain all week but still it was difficult and our intensity level wasn’t as good as it normally is and that is a credit to Finn Harps.”

The first half was a flat performance by City in comparison to their recent games but they changed a few things at half time and the result was a much better performance.

“At half time we said we needed to up our game, up our intensity, up our passing and the second half was more like the Cork City side that has been there this year.”

Cork City now have nearly more goals than points in the league this year, as shown by an impressive plus-28 goal difference. Caulfield was pleased with the statistic.

“I am because I suppose, it is about winning matches, entertaining the fans and as you evolve as a team. It is about building a team. We have evolved year on year.

Asked by a journalist if he has felt the pressure increasing as the winning run has increased, he responded in the negative.

“Well it is certainly easier winning than losing; I suppose we are all from Cork. Before the season starts you are winning trophies.

“It is just the way we are with sport which is brilliant. Being bluntly honest I am so focused by the week, I don’t get involved.

“I don’t read stuff and I really keep all my energy and strength for training and the lads. I can’t drift myself because if I drift the players might see that and might think I am missing something.

“From that point I have to be totally focused in how are we going to play?

“I am very disciplined myself and I suppose some days it would be nice to dream but I am around too long [not] to know that you must just keep going.”

When asked as to what he would have thought if somebody gave him 12 wins at the start of the year, he replied:

“In football nothing would surprise me. I said right from the start of the year that I think this is our best team right from the Cup final. I have said that I expect us to challenge.

“Obviously, do you think you are going to win 12 in a row of course you don’t but you don’t think of it like that as you think about it week on week. Where will you be on the break?”

With European talk commencing on Leeside, Caulfield was asked if he was considering changing any fixtures so as to avoid the backlog of games that has occurred in the past two seasons.

“Nope,” was the simple response.

Next up for City will be an away trip to Galway United with both Alan Bennett and Gary Buckley expected to be fit for the tie.

“We move onto Galway next week. They have some excellent players and had their first win of the season last week so they will be waiting in the long grass. We have to be ready for that game.”