Dealing with expectations from home
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Nevermind travelling to the other side of the country to face a tricky opponent on a dodgy pitch. What about playing in front of your own demanding fans? That is real pressure.
It has now become a common feature of matchdays in Tallaght, yet somehow the sight of so many fans marching to the stadium wearing their team’s colours never fails to elicit a jolt of excitement.
The atmosphere in Dublin 24 when The Hoops are at home is always fully charged. It might only be the second season that the Tallaght Stadium is open, but already it acts as a green and white hooped sort of Mecca.
Inside the ground, the drums start to bang and seats are filled quicker than a game of musical chairs. Then the football kicks off and expectations suddenly crank up.
This is how it should be and most players thrive on trying to please their home fans. However, it is not always an easy task to complete and the current Shamrock Rovers team can attest to that.
Not one win or even a single goal scored in three Premier Division games at the league’s slickest venue translates to a chorus of sighs and grunts greeting every mis-placed pass, shot off target and goal conceded.
Rovers winger Ollie Cahill knows all about performing in front of big crowds and he admits that the pressure of dealing with the expectations from the home fans is something the team are constantly battling with.
“It doesn’t help if there is negativity from the stands and it’s transfering onto the field, but we also need to give them something to shout about. We haven’t done that so far,” said Cahill.
“We just need them to stick with us and we will turn it around. There are too many good players in the squad not to turn it around. We will get it right.”
Does Cahill fear that a continuation of poor displays will lead to attendance figures dropping and the buzz around Tallaght disappearing?
“We’ll just go out to try and win games and if that puts more bums on seats then fair enough. But hopefully the fans will trun up and support us whatever happens,” he said.
“Hopefully they’ll keep coming to the games no matter what and we give them something to cheer about.”
Whether it is in Tallaght or Salthill or Gortakeegan, there is always a certain amount of pressure of playing at home. Players can feel the tension and that doesn’t always help.
The supporters can have more of an influence on a game than they think and they are within their rights to demand a reaction or at least some form of effort from the players.
It isn’t always going to work out how they want it to, but without that pressure from the fans then the players would struggle for motivation. There is no better place to hear some honest criticism than at home.
It has now become a common feature of matchdays in Tallaght, yet somehow the sight of so many fans marching to the stadium wearing their team’s colours never fails to elicit a jolt of excitement.
The atmosphere in Dublin 24 when The Hoops are at home is always fully charged. It might only be the second season that the Tallaght Stadium is open, but already it acts as a green and white hooped sort of Mecca.
Inside the ground, the drums start to bang and seats are filled quicker than a game of musical chairs. Then the football kicks off and expectations suddenly crank up.
This is how it should be and most players thrive on trying to please their home fans. However, it is not always an easy task to complete and the current Shamrock Rovers team can attest to that.
Not one win or even a single goal scored in three Premier Division games at the league’s slickest venue translates to a chorus of sighs and grunts greeting every mis-placed pass, shot off target and goal conceded.
Rovers winger Ollie Cahill knows all about performing in front of big crowds and he admits that the pressure of dealing with the expectations from the home fans is something the team are constantly battling with.
“It doesn’t help if there is negativity from the stands and it’s transfering onto the field, but we also need to give them something to shout about. We haven’t done that so far,” said Cahill.
“We just need them to stick with us and we will turn it around. There are too many good players in the squad not to turn it around. We will get it right.”
Does Cahill fear that a continuation of poor displays will lead to attendance figures dropping and the buzz around Tallaght disappearing?
“We’ll just go out to try and win games and if that puts more bums on seats then fair enough. But hopefully the fans will trun up and support us whatever happens,” he said.
“Hopefully they’ll keep coming to the games no matter what and we give them something to cheer about.”
Whether it is in Tallaght or Salthill or Gortakeegan, there is always a certain amount of pressure of playing at home. Players can feel the tension and that doesn’t always help.
The supporters can have more of an influence on a game than they think and they are within their rights to demand a reaction or at least some form of effort from the players.
It isn’t always going to work out how they want it to, but without that pressure from the fans then the players would struggle for motivation. There is no better place to hear some honest criticism than at home.
About Gareth Maher
Gareth Maher is an award-winning journalist who has covered domestic, international and women's football for the best part of a decade. Previously a columnist for the Irish Daily Mail and Football Editor for Setanta Sports, … View Full Profile