Keane: Only way is up for Sligo
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Alan Keane thinks that Sligo Rovers are in the process of turning their season around and dragging themselves away from the relegation zone.
The Bit O’Red have been the surprise package in the Premier Division this term, for all of the wrong reasons. Having finished fourth last season, they have struggled for inconsistency so far this year.
Keane, who joined from Galway United, reckons that is all about to change due to the introduction of some new faces to the squad.
Manager Paul Cook was unable to bring in as many players as he would have liked at the beginning of the campaign, but he used the July transfer window to address that.
By recruiting the likes of Matthew Blinkhorn, Joe Kendrick, Martin Camano, and Eoin Doyle, Cook has added some much-needed options to his roster and Keane believes those arrivals will aid their fight against relegation.
“We have some very good players and a very good team. I was speaking to a few of the lads recently and we were all saying how surprised we are that we are down near the bottom,” said Keane.
“But we are down there because we are leaking too many soft goals. I think Europe took a good bit of us too. It is disappointing where we are, but we are unbeaten in the last four league games, so hopefully we can keep that going.
“It is like a different team at the moment. Matthew Blinkhorn has come in and has scored some vital goals. I think he is the type of player that we needed up front.
“We now have more depth to the squad, which keeps everyone on their toes. It also helps that we have a few lads that can play in a variety of different positions.
“I remember going down to Cork with only two lads on the bench. Now, we are leaving some really good players in the stands, because there is no space on the bench with so much competition for places.”
The Bit O’Red have been the surprise package in the Premier Division this term, for all of the wrong reasons. Having finished fourth last season, they have struggled for inconsistency so far this year.
Keane, who joined from Galway United, reckons that is all about to change due to the introduction of some new faces to the squad.
Manager Paul Cook was unable to bring in as many players as he would have liked at the beginning of the campaign, but he used the July transfer window to address that.
By recruiting the likes of Matthew Blinkhorn, Joe Kendrick, Martin Camano, and Eoin Doyle, Cook has added some much-needed options to his roster and Keane believes those arrivals will aid their fight against relegation.
“We have some very good players and a very good team. I was speaking to a few of the lads recently and we were all saying how surprised we are that we are down near the bottom,” said Keane.
“But we are down there because we are leaking too many soft goals. I think Europe took a good bit of us too. It is disappointing where we are, but we are unbeaten in the last four league games, so hopefully we can keep that going.
“It is like a different team at the moment. Matthew Blinkhorn has come in and has scored some vital goals. I think he is the type of player that we needed up front.
“We now have more depth to the squad, which keeps everyone on their toes. It also helps that we have a few lads that can play in a variety of different positions.
“I remember going down to Cork with only two lads on the bench. Now, we are leaving some really good players in the stands, because there is no space on the bench with so much competition for places.”
About Gareth Maher
Gareth Maher is an award-winning journalist who has covered domestic, international and women's football for the best part of a decade. Previously a columnist for the Irish Daily Mail and Football Editor for Setanta Sports, … View Full Profile