Alan Mannus available for Rovers return as reserve Pohls proves his worth

Macdara Ferris reports from Roadstone Sports Club

Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus is available to return between the sticks for the Hoops on Friday when they take on Sligo Rovers.

The Hoops were thankful for their reserve goalkeeper Leon Pohls in Oriel Park on Monday night when he stepped in to replace Mannus who was missing due to illness which was not COVID-19 related.

The 24-year-old German goalkeeper pulled off a couple of great second half saves to keep a clean sheet and earn a draw in Dundalk which was the first point the Hoops have claimed away from home this season.

Mannus was back training in Roadstone on St. Patrick’s Day. Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley, speaking to the media including extratime.com at their training venue, explained that the 39-year-old goalkeeper is recovering well from a bout of illness that has hit the Rovers camp recently.

“On Monday morning he tried to go for a walk and get something to eat but just couldn’t,” said Bradley. “He kept getting dizzy and really weak, couldn’t eat, so he was in no condition to play (against Dundalk). On Tuesday he improved and yesterday (Wednesday) he was able to do a bit. He’s back in today which is good.”

Mannus has kept 86 clean sheets in the league during his two spells with the club and is just one off equalling Alan O’Neill who is second place in the clean sheet table. Only Barry Murphy, with 97 shutouts, has kept more in the league for Rovers.

Mannus’ run of 98 consecutive league appearances for the Hoops came to an end after Rovers wrapped up the title last year after which Bradley handed Pohls his Premier Division debut in 3-1 win away to Waterford. He played in the subsequent league match, a 3-1 Dublin Derby defeat in Dalymount Park, before Mannus returned in goal for the final game of the title winning campaign. 

“We felt last year it was important to put him in,” explained Bradley about the decision to play Pohls at the end of last season. The goalkeeper had previously played ten matches in the First Division with the Shamrock Rovers II team in 2020. 

“When we played Bohemians away a lot of people would have questioned that but I felt at the time it was really important because of the atmosphere he was going into and how competitive the game would be. 

“He can improve behind the scenes here (in training) all the time but he needs that action and to be put in a real environment to learn and understand the game.

“Against Bohs he made one or two mistakes that cost us but it was brilliant learning for him for the likes of the other night. It was definitely worth it putting him in then. (Against Dundalk) he made one mistake at the very start when Benson hit the post.

"That was a real test to see how he could recover from that and I thought he recovered really well and showed good character. 

“It never rattled him. He settled into the game. He saved us a point with that save at the end. It was really pleasing to see.

"It shows he is progressing and getting better and stronger which is really important as Alan isn’t getting any younger.”

John Caulfield: 'They could see that this is a real honest gutsy team' https://t.co/OeTTduveELpic.twitter.com/jOtVzbZMtV

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) March 15, 2022