Few positives for Bradley after Hoops suffer Hungary hammering

Macdara Ferris reports from Budapest

After a very disappointing week for Shamrock Rovers in Europe as they suffered a 4-0 heavy defeat to Ferencvaros, there were very few positives that Rovers boss Stephen Bradley could take home to Tallaght for next Thursday’s second leg.

However the Hoops Head Coach was pleased with the contribution of Liam Burt in his first start since March, Johnny Kenny’s efforts as Rovers’ lone striker and, in particular, the European debut of 16-year-old Naj Razi.

“For Liam it was his first start and he was really good so that is a positive for us,” said Bradley speaking in the Groupama Aréna to this reporter after their second 4-0 defeat to the Green Eagles in Budapest in the last 12 months. “That will only help him and the team going forward.”

The Hoops came closest to scoring on the night in their Europa Conference League second round qualifier when Kenny cracked an effort off the crossbar late in the game.

“Johnny did really well. He is a young boy who is learning the game and he was against a good team tonight but I thought he led the line really well.”

Bradley brought on teenage Razi for his European debut – after he made his first team debut last weekend in Rovers’ 1-0 FAI Cup defeat away to Dundalk.

The player, who doesn’t turn 17 till October, was part of the Ireland under-17 team who played in Hungary earlier this year in the UEFA European Championships. He has been at Rovers’ Academy since he was under ten.

“Naj is a young player at the club who we really like. We feel he is ready to play but we just need to be careful when we put him in and take him out. He is one I've no doubt has a big future in the game.

“He will be a big player for us at Shamrock Rovers and a big player for the country going forward but we need to remember he is young. He is a kid with tremendous ability.”

It was to a small but vocal travelling Hoops support of around 100 fans that Bradley apologised to after the game. “Our fans throughout the years have been fantastic and were brilliant again tonight. We are sorry we couldn't reward them with a goal and a tighter game.

“It is a brilliant stadium to come and play in because the atmosphere is brilliant and our fans added to that as well. It was very short notice for this game and they came in their numbers.”

Reflecting on the match Bradley said: “There are the positives but we have to face up to the fact that we gave away really poor goals and if you do that you don't stay in games.

“It is extremely difficult to turn this tie around. If we keep the tie alive to come to Tallaght, we back ourselves at home to beat any team which we have shown throughout the years. That is why we are so disappointed with the goals that we've given away and the timing of them.”

Rovers started the game brightly against the five-in-a-row Hungarian champions before a howler from Alan Mannus saw the Hoops go behind.

Ecuadorian international Cristían Ramírez doubled the lead after 32 minutes and Bradley acknowledged Rovers’ recent form with goal concession played on his player’s minds.

“We had two good chances but then we gave away a really really poor goal which probably sums up where we have been in the last few weeks in terms of the goals we have given away. 

"No doubt that is playing on their minds at that moment in time. You are against a good team who know how to smell that and punish you and they did that really well.

“You can't do that at this level against a good side. We gave away two really poor goals and straight after half time within a minute they score and that is the game done.” 

The result means that Rovers are without a win in Europe in nine matches. Their last victory was their 1-0 win against Ferencvaros in Tallaght in the second leg of the Europa League play-off -a tie they lost 4-1 on aggregate.

The Hoops have only avoided defeat twice in that winless European run - their two home draws in the group stages of last year’s Europa Conference League group stages.

“That is the really disappointing bit when you look at the goals we've given away. We came here last year and got beaten 4-0 and it could have been a lot more to be honest. This year I didn't feel that and I thought we were right in the game but we give away terrible goals.

“The message at half time was to be nice and calm and make sure we stick to the game plan. We looked to stay in the game and get chances as the game goes on but a minute into the second half we gave away a goal.

"It completely changes the outlook of the match and the tie obviously.”

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