Gill castigates personal abuse of Players

Dundalk manager John Gill saw his side go clear at the top of the eircom League of Ireland First Division standings on Thursday night following a dominant display against title rivals, Waterford United at Oriel Park. However, shortly after the final whistle, the clearly incandescent boss couldn’t hide his anger at comments on one of the club’s unofficial websites, orielweb.com, as he blasted the personal and uncalled-for abuse that his players have been hit with recently.

Gill, a witness to the affect that the website had on certain players at the club last season due to similar abusive and derogatory remarks, firstly admitted his obvious delight with the result, before he revealed his disgust at some of the club’s so-called ‘supporters’. “I’m extremely happy,” Gill admitted to dundalkfc.com. “I said this week that it was only a game, it was about three points, but it was an important game. We were all disappointed with last week’s performance. But I’ll tell you what really annoyed me; some of the stuff that is on unofficial websites of this football club. Some people should be ashamed of themselves. I mean that - there’s muppets on it.

“I don’t read it, but I have people that do, and I have players that do, and the people who are on that site aren’t true Dundalk fans in my eyes, because they’re just knockers. I have thick skin, but some of the players are very disappointed. Some of the personal stuff written about me and written about players; it’s not right. There’s a crowd of either disgruntled ex-players, or geeks, or nerds as I call them, on it, who do nothing for this football club. They don’t contribute in any sort of way, shape or form. The real fans are out there tonight and get behind the club, and they don’t look to knock people every chance they get. I’m fully aware that we haven’t performed to the levels that we should, but in fairness, we had eleven points out of fifteen before tonight. What more do people want? Hopefully, tonight might shut a few people up.

“There will be dips and troughs along the way, and these people are only waiting in the long grass. Maybe I shouldn’t let it get to me, but it does get to me, and I don’t like negativity. I don’t know where it’s coming from, because they’re faceless muppets. Some people have stopped going on the site because of the abuse that players have gotten on it. A player was ran out of this club last year because of the same website as well, and I’m not going to let that happen again. I’m all for websites, once it’s balanced. But you get guys on it every time knocking you. I have people who tell me what’s on it, but I’ve told them now not to tell me anymore, because I do take it to heart, because I’m working my boiler off here.

“I’ve been in charge here for 78 games, I’ve won 45 of them, and I have a results percentage, between wins and draws, of 78%. If that’s not good enough for people, then I’m in the wrong job. Players are like everybody; some are more stronger mentally than others. Younger players are maybe a bit fragile mentally as well. I’ve told them not to read it, but some of the personal stuff that’s on it, it’s not called for. They might call themselves true fans, but they’re not. We’re trying to build something special here, and I think we’re going about it the right way. All we can do is our best; if any player or anybody I deal with gives me honesty and their best, I can get on with anybody, but I won’t listen to dribble.”