Rob Slevin: ‘Ollie (Horgan) showed up in Carrigaline, deep into Christmas. The lengths that he goes to sign someone, just speaks volumes about him.’

A football career often consists of setbacks and progression. Whether that involves a long injury absence, stepping up into the League of Ireland or obtaining promotion, Rob Slevin knows it only too well.

While studying for a commerce degree in UCC, Rob represented Ireland at the 2019 World University Games, held in Naples.

“We got to see a lot of different playing styles,” said Slevin when he spoke this week with extratime.com. “We played South Korea, Uruguay, Russia and France, so got a feel for the standard of the universities in other countries. It was a really good experience and very professional.

"I’d recommend to anyone who is in and around that squad to try and push to go to those games because it can help your career. You get to go away for a few weeks and experience different things in the tournament.”

Blues

A relative latecomer to the League of Ireland scene, Slevin got his first taste halfway through the 2019 season with Waterford.

“It was definitely a big learning curve for me. I played three years in the Munster Senior League by the time I was 20/21, so I was used to men’s football, but it is obviously very difficult to go straight into Premier Division football with Waterford. I was very much learning on the job, but I enjoyed it by taking in a lot ... Probably more about myself than anything else.”

On the back of that campaign’s performances, the young central defender signed for local club Cork City. However, a frustrating second year witnessed a serious back injury, which resulted in then manager Colin Healy not offering a new contract.

“That was a tough year for me – especially off the back of the COVID year. I went straight into pre-season and in my first game I felt something and that was me done for nine months. I’d surgery late in the season and the off-season was me building myself up with no club.

"I felt my career never got going there, but it happens to so many players in the League of Ireland, with the one-year contracts. Decisions can be like that and you have to get on with it because it’s not personal. I just had to find my feet after that and thankfully I did.”

Horgan lifeline

A lifeline appeared when Ollie Horgan persuaded the Cork man to play part-time football with Finn Harps.

“In fairness, Ollie showed up in Carrigaline, where I’m from in Cork, deep into Christmas. At that time I was crying out for something like that, to go back and play in the Premier Division.

"I played 30-odd games that year and just to get that opportunity, Ollie was great for me. The lengths that he goes to, to sign someone, just speaks volumes about him.”

At the beginning of this year Rob put pen to paper for John Caulfield’s Galway United, who also have Ollie Horgan as assistant manager. Habitually striving for promotion under Caulfield’s tenure, this season that objective was finally achieved by capturing the First Division title with room to spare.

“You could see by the squad that John and Ollie assembled that it’s a very experienced team. A lot of fellas have won stuff in the Premier Division, whether it be the cup or the league.

"Then you have that mix of youth as well. Even from minute one in pre-season, you were fully focused on getting promoted by going up in first place and we did that.

"There was a really good attitude and no one was above the team. We worked so hard, put in endless hours and the attention to detail of the coaching staff, we as players applied that. Thankfully, it worked out perfectly.”

Colm Horgan: 'I suppose there's a sense of coming home and righting the fact that I was captain when we got relegated' - https://t.co/94rjArr8tjhttps://t.co/bkbnxeicW8

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) October 25, 2023