Gareth Cronin Interview

Perhaps it was a week for Doubting Thomas’s but Gareth Cronin hit back at some his critics after the 2-0 victory over Sporting Fingal tonight.

A draw in Athlone and League Cup defeat to Kerry League placed Cronin’s head in a noose in some sections of Waterford. However, Cronin was defiant after his side’s best display of the season. “Anyone who was in Athlone last week will know that it was a cesspit of a pitch to play on and if you are going to complain about drawing in Athlone then I don’t think you know much about football,” insisted the Blues’ boss.

“The Kerry game was embarrassing but if you were down there and saw the conditions and the fact that it went to penalties, then you’d know it was a nonsense game although it still hurts to lose there.”

Cronin was also disbelieving of criticism of striker Vinny Sullivan who netted his first goal of the season against the Dubliners. “I can’t understand anyone that gives Vinny stick. He works his backside off. That’s why Vinny’s not playing in England and is playing here. He gives so much to the cause and has done through the years,” the 33-year-old told extratime.ie.

In relation to his side’s performance, Cronin believes they have turned a corner. “I was delighted with the performance from start to finish. I thought we were very positive from the start and played good football on a difficult pitch.”

The Corkman explained his thinking behind the change in his formation that saw Luke Fitzpatrick drop to the bench in favour of a more attacking philosophy. “The holding midfield player will be useful for us but knowing the opposition tonight and knowing Liam [Buckley] as I do, I knew they would play attacking football and I wanted to match them. That’s why I went with Karl [Bermingham] wide and Willy John [Kiely] up front,” explained Cronin.

“I thought Michael Foley was lethal and gave us great balance. Kieran Fitzgerald did great and I pushed him into midfield because I see him playing for me there in the future while Kenny Browne was colossal,” said an enthused Waterford manager.

So now the storm clouds have receded, Waterford can look forward to the visit of Limerick 37, and return of Mike Kerley, next week at the RSC? “If we play like that we will beat anyone in this league,” insisted Cronin.

“Problems don’t sort themselves out overnight and you need time to get the right team and it’s beginning to come now,” he continued. Whether the critics believe that is yet to be seen but even Thomas eventually started to believe.