Hector out to bury Tallaght demons
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On Saturday, it will be 71 days since Michael Hector made a nightmare debut for Dundalk, against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium. Ten weeks on and the 18-year-old is riding high after a number of impressive performances, with the young defender being rewarded with the club’s April Player of the Month award, while he added his first two goals for the Lilywhites in last week’s win in Galway. But there is some unfinished business for Hector, who is looking to “bury the demons” of Tallaght in the most spectacular fashion, by claiming his first senior medal.
Bouncebackability
“I’m looking forward to it,” Hector told dundalkfc.com ahead of his cup final debut. “I was nervous on my debut there but hopefully I can bury my demons and have a good game, if I get the nod. It was hard after that game to go into training and obviously with it being on TV it wasn’t great on my friends that were watching it. It wasn’t a great start to my Dundalk career but with a couple of decent performances I got a bit more confidence. My family have been behind me, as well as the players and the staff at Dundalk, so that made it easier to bounce back because they put an arm around my shoulder and said ‘come on, you’re better than that’, so that was good.”
Changing roles
Hector recently revealed to DFC Magazine that he started out as a central midfielder, and he found himself back in that role on Monday night at Dalymount Park. “We didn’t really play that well,” he said on the performance in Phibsborough. “We got the goal and basically nicked it. It was a smash-and-grab. We were very pleased with the three points and we’re obviously fourth in the table now, so we’re looking to kick on. Being in central midfield was a bit different.”
“I felt like I was a bit all over the place, running around. I got on the ball a couple of times but I prefer centre-back – that’s my position. I felt we coped well with the pressure Bohs put us under at times. A couple of good saves by Peter Cherrie kept us in it in the first half, but in the second half we did well and they hadn’t that many chances. I thought we dealt with it well after the break.”
Stiff competition
His fellow centre-half, Colin Hawkins grabbed the all-important goal ten minutes from time against the run of play. But Hector feels Dundalk were owed that one. “I think we deserve a bit of luck because in a couple of games we haven’t had it,” Michael, who is currently on loan at Oriel Park until July from Championship side Reading, said. “For us to get the win in those circumstances was brilliant for us. It showed great character. To get a clean-sheet was great too. We looked like more of a unit now because the defence has been playing together for a while. At the same time, I think there’s more to come. We’ve got some players back in the last week which can only be good for us. It’s competition for places. We’ll see who the manager picks for the final; hopefully, I can be in the starting 11.”
Underdog
Dundalk, like they did on the opening day of the season, enter the game as underdogs, and Hector prefers it that way. “I think I’d rather be the underdogs because the pressure is on them,” the London-born star said. “We can go out and express ourselves. But looking at it, it’s very tight between us and Shamrock Rovers. We feel we can beat any team in the country on our day, so we’ll be going there to win. We don’t fear them at all.”
Dundalk go into the game on a six-match unbeaten run in the league, and Hector has his eyes on maintaining that record. “We have dragged ourselves into a great position in the league,” he said, “after a bad start. We’re looking to keep that going now. At the least, our aim is to get into Europe, so hopefully we can achieve that.”
Hector happy
Hector, who arrived in Dundalk on 1 February, has seven weeks of his loan left, and he revealed there is a possibility his stay may be extended. “They have been talking to Reading so I don’t know what has happened so far,” he said. “I think I’ve got to talk to Reading to see what’s going to happen. Hopefully, I can stay. It’s a great, great learning curve for me and it has been brilliant for me so far. It’s a pretty good standard of football and you learn every day, so it has been good. The players here are brilliant lads and there’s always great banter every day. I always train with a smile and leave with a smile, so I’m happy here.
Bouncebackability
“I’m looking forward to it,” Hector told dundalkfc.com ahead of his cup final debut. “I was nervous on my debut there but hopefully I can bury my demons and have a good game, if I get the nod. It was hard after that game to go into training and obviously with it being on TV it wasn’t great on my friends that were watching it. It wasn’t a great start to my Dundalk career but with a couple of decent performances I got a bit more confidence. My family have been behind me, as well as the players and the staff at Dundalk, so that made it easier to bounce back because they put an arm around my shoulder and said ‘come on, you’re better than that’, so that was good.”
Changing roles
Hector recently revealed to DFC Magazine that he started out as a central midfielder, and he found himself back in that role on Monday night at Dalymount Park. “We didn’t really play that well,” he said on the performance in Phibsborough. “We got the goal and basically nicked it. It was a smash-and-grab. We were very pleased with the three points and we’re obviously fourth in the table now, so we’re looking to kick on. Being in central midfield was a bit different.”
“I felt like I was a bit all over the place, running around. I got on the ball a couple of times but I prefer centre-back – that’s my position. I felt we coped well with the pressure Bohs put us under at times. A couple of good saves by Peter Cherrie kept us in it in the first half, but in the second half we did well and they hadn’t that many chances. I thought we dealt with it well after the break.”
Stiff competition
His fellow centre-half, Colin Hawkins grabbed the all-important goal ten minutes from time against the run of play. But Hector feels Dundalk were owed that one. “I think we deserve a bit of luck because in a couple of games we haven’t had it,” Michael, who is currently on loan at Oriel Park until July from Championship side Reading, said. “For us to get the win in those circumstances was brilliant for us. It showed great character. To get a clean-sheet was great too. We looked like more of a unit now because the defence has been playing together for a while. At the same time, I think there’s more to come. We’ve got some players back in the last week which can only be good for us. It’s competition for places. We’ll see who the manager picks for the final; hopefully, I can be in the starting 11.”
Underdog
Dundalk, like they did on the opening day of the season, enter the game as underdogs, and Hector prefers it that way. “I think I’d rather be the underdogs because the pressure is on them,” the London-born star said. “We can go out and express ourselves. But looking at it, it’s very tight between us and Shamrock Rovers. We feel we can beat any team in the country on our day, so we’ll be going there to win. We don’t fear them at all.”
Dundalk go into the game on a six-match unbeaten run in the league, and Hector has his eyes on maintaining that record. “We have dragged ourselves into a great position in the league,” he said, “after a bad start. We’re looking to keep that going now. At the least, our aim is to get into Europe, so hopefully we can achieve that.”
Hector happy
Hector, who arrived in Dundalk on 1 February, has seven weeks of his loan left, and he revealed there is a possibility his stay may be extended. “They have been talking to Reading so I don’t know what has happened so far,” he said. “I think I’ve got to talk to Reading to see what’s going to happen. Hopefully, I can stay. It’s a great, great learning curve for me and it has been brilliant for me so far. It’s a pretty good standard of football and you learn every day, so it has been good. The players here are brilliant lads and there’s always great banter every day. I always train with a smile and leave with a smile, so I’m happy here.
