Stephen Bradley following FAI ban: 'I said what I said. I stand by it. I'll back these players'

Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen celebrates following a 1-0 victory over rivals Bohemians at Tallaght Stadium on June 25, 2022.

Bradley has been part of a drive to revive plans for a league managers' association in the League of Ireland. Credit: Eddie Lennon (ETPhotos)

Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley says he will continue to stand up for his players when he feels they have been wronged - even if it comes at his own personal cost.

Bradley, speaking ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Conference League opener against APOEL of Cyprus, confirmed he will be suspended from the dugout for Sunday’s clash with league leaders Shelbourne.

The man from Jobstown - a mere hop, skip and jump from Tallaght Stadium - got a one-match ban for criticising ref Damien McGraith following a contentious penalty award against Derry City.

Candystripes playmaker Patrick McEleney fell in the box without contact in injury time as the Hoops led 1-0 at the Ryan McBride Brandywell two weeks ago. Patrick Hoban converted the resulting penalty to ensure the points were shared.

Though Rovers were comfortably beaten by St Patrick’s Athletic 3-0 on Monday, the two dropped points to rivals Derry may well have removed them from the title race - and an unprecedented five in a row.

Bradley branded Mayoman McGraith’s decision ‘disgusting’ and lamented his ‘incredible arrogance’ after the game - words that have landed him a one-game touchline ban.

But the former Rovers, Pats, Falkirk and Drogheda United midfielder was firm in his commitment to defend his players whenever he feels they have been on the wrong end of officiating.

“I said what I said. I stand by it. I'll back these players. They cross the white line for me and this club. They give everything on this pitch,” the 39-year-old said.

“They're an incredible group of men and when I feel they are being hard done by it's my job to stand up for them and defend them, and I'll never stop doing that,

“If the people in power and authorities think I've crossed the line, they obviously do because they've suspended me. It's my job to protect these men whenever possible.



“I think the decision was incredible. It's my job to speak out and protect them and stand up for them.”

Bradley added that he has been involved in discussions with other League of Ireland bosses with a view to reviving the project of a league managers’ association.

Former Waterford, Cobh Ramblers and Longford Town head honcho Stephen Henderson made tentative steps towards the same in 2019 but, following Covid and continued frustration, plans are again being made.

Bradley continued: “I don't agree with us as managers and coaches not having an opinion and voice in this country. We don't have our own platform, hence why we speak to the media.

“If I don't speak to you on Friday or after the game when [the penalty in Derry] happened, it's not talked about from our point of view as a club.

“And that's the reason why I'm in the process of trying to set up a League Managers’ Association. Like I said, I am protecting my players and I won't ever stop doing that. 



“It’s complicated. I know it’s been looked at before. Stephen Henderson did a lot of good work on it in the past. I’ve had a lot of good meetings with people in the past year, from here and in England. We have no voice, we have no platform. 

“The players have, rightly so. The clubs have but we haven’t as managers and coaches. I don’t feel that’s right."

Bradley, who oversaw Shels boss Damien Duff’s introduction to League of Ireland coaching with the Rovers under-15s, feels it’s the senior coaches’ responsibility to pass the baton on.

And a large part of that is to ensure that coaches, whether developing  or senior, have the access to the tools and the representation to fully develop their skills to help players improve.

“As managers and coaches in the league now, we need to be open to helping the next generation of coaches and the current generation that are out of work,” Bradley said.

“Sometimes in Ireland when you are not in a job or you are not coaching, you are forgotten about pretty quickly and there are not really the levels to go down and manage. 

“There’s loads more that can happen right down to grassroots level. There is so much that we can learn from the LMA [League Managers' Association] in England and feed off that as we go.

“It’s just that I want it to be meaningful. I don’t want it to be something that’s just thrown together and filters away after a year or two, or a few months. I want something in place.

“I’m not sure if it happens this year or next year, but I’ll continue to work to try and make it happen. We owe it to them.”

About Dave Donnelly

Drogheda is in Meath. View Full Profile