Stephen Bradley forecasting a positive approach in the Albanian heat

Teuta Durres came to Tallaght last Thursday and parked the bus only to concede a late goal but Stephen Bradley is expecting a different approach in the August Albanian heat in the second leg of this Europa Conference League third round tie.

The Hoops Head Coach joked at his pre-match press conference from Tirana over Zoom that he was sounding like a weatherman as he gave his match update. The Hoops travelled out on Tuesday arriving with the thermometers in the Albanian capital in the high 30s. 

Come kick off (8pm local time / 7pm Irish time) it is expected to be 30 degrees in Elbasan where the match will take place in front of what is expected to be a small home crowd of less than 1,000 in the 12,000 capacity venue located 80km south east of their home ground in the port city of Durres.

“It will be hot but we just have to prepare for that and manage the game at the right times which I'm sure we will do. No excuses. We know what we are coming in to. 

“We are an experienced team in Europe. We have played a lot of games and played in (hot conditions) in Cyprus and Slovan Bratislava. 

“We know how to manage it. Your game management has to be right. Deciding when you press, when you can’t press, as you can't press as often.”

The Hoops had 74% of the ball in the home leg and when asked by extratime.com if the change in the away goals rule influenced Teuta’s tactics, Bradley said “I think so. You watch a number of games in Europe, not just our game, and you can see that has had the affect of the away team sitting in and not needing that away goal. That definetly played its part in their tactics.”

There certainly is no talk from Bradley of the Hoops deploying a defensive approach with the 1-0 first leg win in their back pocket.

“We will go to win the game. That is the aim. We have to approach it that it is 0-0 and we have to go with that mindset that we have to go and win the game. We don't go anywhere and look to settle for 0-0.”

Teuta lost the away first leg of their Champions League qualifier Sheriff Tiraspol before being overturned 4-0 at home by the Moldovan champions but Bradley wasn’t reading too much into that result by the side who Dundalk eliminated from Europe last season.

“It was a really strange game,” said Bradley speaking about the second leg. “Sherrif were really clinical in the final third and took their chances to win the game quite comfortably but it was a tight game with both teams fairly even.

"Sherrif have shown with their result last night (beating Crvena Zvezda/Red Star) they are a good side with good attacking players. There has been change in the last 12 months and have invested in their squad.”

Thursday is Bradley’s 17^th European game in charge – making him the Rovers boss with the most games in Europe. He also has a very experienced Rovers side.

“I think this group has played a lot of European games together. That know how and understanding as a group is really important. We've got Ronan (Finn) who has the second highest appearances in Europe (30 appearances with Rovers in Europe alone). Joey (O’Brien) has played a lot of big gamesand we have Alan (Mannus) so we have a lot of experience throughout the team.

"That helps in big European games that you understand as a group to manage the game.”

With Bohemians and Dundalk well in the hunt to progress in Europe too, Bradley says that last week’s first leg results were “brilliant for the league. It is great when League of Ireland teams do well in Europe and this year three teams have done really well so far.

"Hopefully we can continue this week and progress. That is the aim for all three and if that turns out that way it will be fantastic for the league.”

Europa Conference League Preview: Teuta -v- Shamrock Rovers https://t.co/bdzsGQCkz6pic.twitter.com/Bc0t8Okqkj

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) August 11, 2021