Alan Mannus – Hoops history maker

It is no surprise that all of Shamrock Rovers’ title winning successes since moving to Tallaght have come with Alan Mannus contributing between the sticks. The goalkeeper has been the foundation stone for four league titles for the Hoops, first under Michael O’Neill in Mannus’ initial spell at the club and more recently under Stephen Bradley.

The 40-year-old goalkeeper’s clean sheets across the eight different seasons he has played at Shamrock Rovers has seen him break both league and club records. Last month Mannus equalled Rovers’ cleansheet record in the league and he is on the brink of the club record in all-competitions. The shut outs have also given the Hoops the platform for those titles wins and the FAI Cup win in 2019 (their first in 32 years).

Last Sunday Mannus made his 200^th league appearance for Rovers in the 1-1 draw in Drogheda. Although he went off injured in the second half, Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley suggested it isn’t a serious issue for the goalkeeper. Rather it is a niggle following on from a knock he picked up against Shelbourne as Bradley explained when speaking to the Irish Sun after the game.

It was a rare issue for the goalkeeper although he did miss a league game earlier this season due to illness – with Leon Pohls coming in to keep a clean sheet in Oriel Park.

Today's game was appearance number 200 for super keeper Alan Mannus 🙌☘️ pic.twitter.com/th1goko3ZH

— Shamrock Rovers FC ☘️ (@ShamrockRovers) October 16, 2022

The longevity of Mannus’ career is a testament to his fitness regime and how he has adapted his play to the Rovers passing game. From very much a shot stopper in his first spell with the Hoops, Mannus has added to his game with his excellent distribution with his feet – both short and long (via a very accurate drop kick) – and out of the hand feeding into the style of play Stephen Bradley requires.

Motivation

“Knowing the manager before I re-joined the club (in 2018), I knew he'd want his team to play football,” said Mannus in last week’s Hoops Scene – Shamrock Rovers’ match day programme. “I said to him plenty of times if I was playing for a team where I was being asked to hit everything long, I would stop playing. It wouldn't motivate me to play anymore.

“I've played long enough where it is just hit an area in the other half. I did that for a long time and there is nothing wrong with doing that but the fact is when we try and play, it makes it interesting for me. It is a puzzle where you have to find a way to solve the problem. It is a different type of challenge. I’m not saying we are Manchester City but you can see that we try and play and we work on it a lot. I feel like I'm still learning tactical things and that is why still want to play.”

Michael O’Neill brought Mannus to the club mid-way through the club's first season in Tallaght and he replaced the Barry Murphy in goal.

In the recent home game against UCD, Mannus equalled Murphy’s club record of 97 clean sheets. Murphy earned that record from 215 League of Ireland games (with a remarkable 24 clean sheets coming from 36 appearances in Rovers’ First Division win in 2006). Mannus got to 97 Premier Division clean sheets with his 197th match. 

With five game remaining this season, Mannus is just two short of Alan O’Neill’s club record of 120 clean sheets in all-competitions. O’Neill was the last Rovers goalkeeper to win a title prior to Mannus – with that title success in 1993/94 coming during a time when the Hoops were playing out of the RDS.

Honour

“To match Barry’s clean sheet club record it is a privilege and an honour for me to have done that,” said Mannus. “I know Barry from when I joined Rovers for the first time. I always thought he was a great goalkeeper and I know how highly thought of he is at this club.

“The brilliant thing about that record of 97 clean sheets is you aren't going to get that total without playing playing 200 games. It ain't a record that you can just come in and do it in one season. You have to put the time in. It is a long term record. You could go to a club for one year and get a one season record and that is brilliant but that is all. For me I've been fortunate to be at the club for many seasons. Playing games is a big thing for me and so the record means more for that reason.

“Alan O'Neill is mentioned a lot at Rovers and I know he is a legend at the club so that is great I’m close to his record (in all competitions). I'd like to get some more clean sheets now, that is what we do as goalkeepers, keep clean sheets, and whenever I finish my career I'll look back on the record with pride.”

Professional

Speaking to extratime.com after Mannus equalled Murphy’s record, Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley sung the praises of his goalkeeper. Some had called into question Rovers continuing with Mannus in goal but he has been even better this season belying his 40 year old age. 

“I’m delighted that he has equalled the league record here and hopefully he can go on and beat Alan O’Neill’s record,” said Bradley. “He is an incredible professional with an incredible attitude. We've tweaked how he has trained this year to manage him and it looks like it has really helped him. He looks fit, focussed and he is only getting better. He is always looking to learn more about the game. He asks questions and picks your brain.”

Mannus explained that the tweak in training is doing one less day on the training pitch a week. “Last year I had a couple of niggly injuries that effected me a bit and I needed some injections to get me through the season. I was available for every game but as you get older you can't recover as quickly. It got to the point where I can do less training and I've definetly felt better for doing a bit less.”

Rovers route from Mannus back to Mannus

Rovers struggled for major honours after he left for St. Johnstone mid-way through 2011. The lack of a dominant goalkeeper at the club in 2012 was a big part of the reason why Stephen Kenny was not successful at the club. Kenny’s replacement Trevor Croly brought Barry Murphy back to the club and while a minor treble of Setanta Sports Cup, League Cup and Leinster Senior Cup was secured in 2013, the league and the cup continued to allude the club.

Murphy, Craig Hyland, Kevin Horgan and Tomer Chenchinski all had spells as Rovers number one. Bradley looked to bring Mannus back to club for the start of the 2018 season but he didn’t sign until mid-way through that season. By that time Bradley had lost faith with Chenchinski bringing 16-year-old Gavin Bazunu in to goal. The teenager played four league games for the Hoops earning four clean sheets with Mannus taking over after Bazunu picked up an injury in their European game away to AIK. 

The quip is that Rovers really only replaced Alan Mannus when they re-signed Alan Mannus and with the former Northern Ireland international back at the club, it was clear just what a difference he made. He played the final 11 league games of that 2018 season conceding just five goals and keeping seven clean sheets. 

The following year as Rovers' number one, he kept 21 clean sheets from 36 league games and was instrumental in the Hoops winning their first FAI Cup in 32 years – keeping three clean sheets en-route to the final when he was the hero in the penalty shootout victory. 

Across end of the 2019 season, through the whole of the truncated COVID-19 2020 campaign and the beginning  of 2021, Rovers set a League of Ireland record going 33 games unbeaten - eclipsing the record of 30 matches held jointly by a Shamrock Rovers side from 1927 and Athlone Town in 1981. 

In 2020 Mannus conceded just seven goals keeping 13 clean sheets in an 18 game season that Rovers went undefeated, winning their first title since 2011 and he backed that up with another title success last year. 

2022 campaign

His clean sheets home and away in Rovers’ Champions League First Qualifying Round win over Hibernians this season were instrumental in helping the Hoops into the group stages of the Europa Conference League – Mannus first time playing in the group stages (having left just prior to Rovers earning that prize in 2011). He has now made 54 appearances in European competition – 28 of them with Shamrock Rovers.

Dylan Watts describes as “frightening” some of the saves Mannus has pulled off in Europe this year. “Alan has put in some incredible performances, particularly in the European games. When he is needed in big moments, he always produces. It is absolutely incredible the calibre of saves he makes. It is frightening. I've never seen it from a goalkeeper ever. I think he is phenomenal.”

Mentor

Rovers’ back-up goalkeeper Leon Pohls has had to be patient in getting game time in goal for Rovers especially due to the FAI deciding not to allow Shamrock Rovers continue with their First Division team last year, with covid and the suspension of the League Cup and Leinster Senior Cup. Pohls only made his league debut late last season after Rovers had won the title ending a run of 98 consecutive league appearances for Mannus.

“Alan is a great mentor,” said Pohls. “Seeing how humble Al is has helped me. He gives you everything you need as a person, as a player and a sportsman to become your best version. He has shaped a piece of me in a good way. His attitude on and off the pitch is outstanding; probably the best attitude in the team and that is great to have from your goalkeeper. He has proven over and over again that he is the best 'keeper in Ireland and has been over the last few years.” 

Like a fine wine

Sean Hoare has enjoyed playing in front of Mannus in the last two season. “As a defender you can't put enough value on trust what is behind you,” said Hoare. 

“When you can't, it is a totally different ball game. Alan is unbelievable, he is like a fine wine and is getting better with age. The shape he is in and the condition he keeps himself in he can keep going for a number of years. I can safely say that without him we wouldn't be anywhere near the group stage. He has kept us in so many games when we needed him and he has really played his part this year.”

The title race looks like it will go down to the wire but should Mannus this season add to his League of Ireland winning medals from 2010, 2011, 2020 and 2021, it  would match the five Irish League titles that the 40-year-old keeper won earlier in his career with Linfield.

He came into this season with contract set to conclude at the end of the year. It remains to be confirmed if he might stay on for 2023 but judging by the chants of ‘one more year’ directed at the goalkeeper on a regular basis from Rovers fans, they certainly would welcome a change of heart by the Hoops netminder.

FAI Cup Report: Waterford 0 - 1 Shelbourne https://t.co/ce8OeAZZE7pic.twitter.com/epfxrIxNTl

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) October 16, 2022