Lennox eyes Champions League qualification

[A face]

Lennox eyes Champions League qualification


Cork City chairman Brian Lennox wants the club to continue their exceptional rise by booking a place in the Champions League group stages next season. The Leesiders claimed their first league crown in 12 years with an impressive 2-0 victory over Derry City in Friday night’s big showdown at Turners Cross.

Their style of play under Damien Richardson has won plenty of admirers, and hopes are high that City, having enjoyed successful runs in the Intertoto Cup and Uefa Cup over the past two seasons, can make a real impact on Europe’s top competition next season.


Read more at www.eleven-a-side.com (http://www.eleven-a-side.com/premier/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=20031)

[thejollyrodger]

If they make it to the 3rd qualifiying round they would be doing well. If Shels couldnt do it , I dont think the likes of Cork Village can

[Fair_play_boy]

If they make it to the 3rd qualifiying round they would be doing well. If Shels couldnt do it , I dont think the likes of Cork Village canAnd the award for wind up of the hour goes to . . . . or was that just trolling?:confused:

[A face]

If they make it to the 3rd qualifiying round they would be doing well.

Alright lads ..... relax the heads.

Its a long way off and none of us know what it'll happen, that is half the joy of it ffs. Five years ago if an irish team got past the first round we were doing well, everything else is a bonus. Lets not do battle over this in fairness.

I actually think an Irish team will do better in UEFA competitions just yet, but as i said ..... its a long way off. Lets chill out till then.

[thejollyrodger]

Im not trolling.. I never have done. I am just pointing out that its unlikely that Cork City can beat a third round team like Arsenal or someone. Still they could get a team in bad form and who knows !!

Best bet for Cork would be to get to the third round lose and then get a team they can beat and make it in UEFA Cup.

Best of luck anyway !! a co-efficent of 1.666 is the objective;)

[higgins]

I think Lennox should have a quick look at the format of the Champions League as Cork are set to be unseeded in the 1st Round and I dont believe you can win 3 unseeded games to get into the Group Stages..

Its nothing against Cork but Shels only made it to the 3rd Round by playing very very well (in EL terms) against Hajduk Split who were the lowest of the unseeded teams in Round 2.

You need a lot of luck to make it and I hope you do.

[patsh]

Isn't it just typical.
Our Chairman makes a statement of his ambition and determination to do as good as we possibly can in the CL next year, he makes the very obvious statement that he wants us to get to the group stages, and we have the supreme $hel$ whinger higgins and one of his muppett buddies coming on to tell us all that it can't be done.
It can't be done by your sh*tty little small time club, but down here in Cork we never say never, we set our targets high and try to achieve them.
P*ss off back to your own sh*ty little forum where you can whinge and moan all you like, you pair of w*nkers.

[ccfcman]

The irony is City are now a proven better team ans Shelbourne which implies we will do better in Europe :)

Also City's performances in European games have been better than those of Shels recently, by that I mean we play better football [as apposed to better results]

But the best thing of all, our fans will be there week in and week out, whereas your ground will be empty all the while :)

[tiktok]

There's no point going into the thing with your eyes on a first round exit.

Nice to see a bit of ambition, but I think it's too much of a step-up unless we add a few excellent players to the squad, we'd have to face a team at least as good as Slavia at some stage (unless we got very very lucky with the draw).

I'd be very happy with getting through the second round (even then we'd need a kind draw tbh, though I believe we'd have given Steaua a better game than Shels did, no offence meant), thereby allowing us a shot at the CL group stages and the UEFA group stages again.

[thejollyrodger]

Isn't it just typical.
Our Chairman makes a statement of his ambition and determination to do as good as we possibly can in the CL next year, he makes the very obvious statement that he wants us to get to the group stages, and we have the supreme $hel$ whinger higgins and one of his muppett buddies coming on to tell us all that it can't be done.
It can't be done by your sh*tty little small time club, but down here in Cork we never say never, we set our targets high and try to achieve them.
P*ss off back to your own sh*ty little forum where you can whinge and moan all you like, you pair of w*nkers.

You werent too slow to throw out the abuse when Shelbourne were blazing a path last season. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Cork are essentially copying what Shelbourne have done. Its a bit rich to have a go at us:mad: :mad: :mad:

[thejollyrodger]

from the indo


Richardson to add strength to Cork steel
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click here to enlarge
Damien Richardson is determined to build on Cork's title success

Gerry

McDermott

AS the bulldozers move in to start demolishing 'The Shed' to make way for a new stand at Turner's Cross there is also a face-lift on the way for newly crowned Eircom League champions Cork City.

Manager Damien Richardson has promised the Rebel Army that next year's side will be physically stronger as he plans to beef up his players over the winter.

Richardson revealed that he intends to bring in rugby fitness experts in a bid to give his players the strength and explosive power they need to build on their title success.

"The game against Slavia Prague showed me we need to get physically stronger if we want to make an impression on Europe and we will be working hard on that aspect over the winter," said Richardson.

Being successful in Europe is the long term goal for both Richardson and his chairman Brian Lennox as they seek to build on the club's most successful season since 1993.

"This league win is very sweet for me but it is not as important in the long term as European football. That's the future," said Richardson.

"We have to have European football progression and the only way we are going to have it, is if the teams that go into Europe are able to play possession football, able to play strategic football.

"That's what I hope we have proven this year. We are ready for Europe next year although I know it is going to be a daunting task."

Richardson also wants to see behind the scenes changes at Cork with the development of a proper youth and U21 structure so the club can start producing their young players and he believes that they must start to improve their relationship with every other club in the southern province.

"We need money to do that. We have to organise money and maybe this will be the platform for us to attract some investors or some people who think something good is happening here."

Richardson also took time out to back moves to merge the Eircom League and the FAI and hopes that it finally bring to an end some of the problems that have beset the domestic league over the years.

"The problem with League of Ireland football is that it is still full of self interest.

"Until we get rid of those petty animosities and little jealousies we are never going to mature and blossom as a league.

"We need leadership from the Eircom League first of all and I am hoping that the FAI are going to step in and give us true leadership," said Richardson.
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1510741&issue_id=13305

[patsh]

You werent too slow to throw out the abuse when Shelbourne were blazing a path last season. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Cork are essentially copying what Shelbourne have done. Its a bit rich to have a go at us:mad: :mad: :mad:
Run along little man.
$hels haven't "blazed any trails".
NOBODY copies what $hel$ do, clubs have far too much respect for themselves.
And heres a little project for you on your day off from kindergarten, find those "abusive" posts from me about $hels in Europe.

[ollie]

The irony is City are now a proven better team ans Shelbourne which implies we will do better in Europe :)


nothing is proven yet ccfcman.champions league is taken a more seriously than uefa or intertoto.wait until we perform in the CL before we can comment on doing better etc.

[ThatGuy]

You need a reality check if you think that you have a good chance of getting into the Champions League group stages. Cork have a very good team and are deserving champions of Ireland, but the gulf in class between Cork and Champions League hopefulls is massive. It is not impossible that somehow Cork could get through, but Richardson is going to have to bring in some better players and Cork will have to be extremely fortunate in the draw.

If City get through to the 3rd round it will be a massive success and they would have a decent chance of the UEFA groups. The chances of CL qualification are, at best, extremely slim.

[thejollyrodger]

Run along little man.
$hels haven't "blazed any trails".
NOBODY copies what $hel$ do, clubs have far too much respect for themselves.
And heres a little project for you on your day off from kindergarten, find those "abusive" posts from me about $hels in Europe.

Cork are trying to copy Shelbourne F.C FACT !!!!





F O R Z A S H E L S

[patsh]

You need a reality check if you think that you have a good chance of getting into the Champions League group stages. Cork have a very good team and are deserving champions of Ireland, but the gulf in class between Cork and Champions League hopefulls is massive. It is not impossible that somehow Cork could get through, but Richardson is going to have to bring in some better players and Cork will have to be extremely fortunate in the draw.

If City get through to the 3rd round it will be a massive success and they would have a decent chance of the UEFA groups. The chances of CL qualification are, at best, extremely slim.
But are we supposed to just say we have no chance and give up?
Lennox is dead right to show this ambition, he is not a fool, he knows how difficult it will be, but this iswhat we must all be aiming for.

[patsh]

Cork are trying to copy Shelbourne F.C FACT !!!!





F O R Z A S H E L S
:D :D
Lose your dummy, little man?

[thejollyrodger]

Lets just see how cork do next season. personally i wouldnt hold my breath for the 1.666 co-efficent.

[Dricky]

Cork are trying to copy Shelbourne F.C [b]FACT !!!!


/b]
Ha ha ha ha ha ha,

Everyone knows Shels stopped hoof ball after being taught a lesson in Tolka by City FACT....

Anyway our boss isn't a criminal, are players aren't thugs, we've had our manager on the side line bar sickness and not banned, we have fans.


Ha ha ha ha Jolly you are blind, okay we'll give you bosco and his ability to use a mobile, I've never seen anyone type in the top up number as fast as him so in fairness and maybe they should build a statue in his honour.

Shels got better because of us...... and the other teams that beat their hoof ball.

[derm]

Its nothing against Cork but Shels only made it to the 3rd Round by playing very very well (in EL terms) against Hajduk Split who were the lowest of the unseeded teams in Round 2.


Maybe in eL terms but if Shels put out the same team and played the same way that they've done for the last couple of months I think that Split result would have been different.

Brian Lennox set a goal of Intertoto semi-finals when we got to the quarters and then the quarters of the UEFA cup and now qualification for the Champions lge groups. It may be unrealistic but it is just possible and the league will go nowhere if it doesn't dream.

There are many who will knock Brian Lennox and Rico but thank Christ we have people who aren't negative the whole time.

[thejollyrodger]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha,

Everyone knows Shels stopped hoof ball after being taught a lesson in Tolka by City FACT....

Anyway our boss isn't a criminal, are players aren't thugs, we've had our manager on the side line bar sickness and not banned, we have fans.



Go back to your sand castle lessons.

Shelbourne are Ireland most sucessful club in Europe. The only true barometer of measuring how sucessful the league is. inter to to is a meaningless competition and no matter how far Shelbourne progress you wont see me braging about it.

City have it all to prove. Physically a lot of the players are pretty weak, Richardson did make a few errors when playing in Europe last season.

We will be back in Europe after next season with a better mentality and better players after having a stormer of a season.

[patsh]

You can always rely on one of the kids from $hel$ to bring a little comedy to the forum.....:D

[Colm]

Go back to your sand castle lessons.

Shelbourne are Ireland most sucessful club in Europe. The only true barometer of measuring how sucessful the league is. inter to to is a meaningless competition and no matter how far Shelbourne progress you wont see me braging about it.

City have it all to prove. Physically a lot of the players are pretty weak, Richardson did make a few errors when playing in Europe last season.

We will be back in Europe after next season with a better mentality and better players after having a stormer of a season.

How are Shels Ireland's most successful club in Europe ffs?
Let's see who you've knocked out in the past few years in comparision to us.... some sh!tty Icelandic team, a poor Hadjuk Split and an out of season Glentoran.
Now, we on the other hand have knocked out the Sewdish champions two years running, we also knocked out Ekranes and NEC NIjmegen and came damn close against Nantes.

We are far better equipped to play in the CL than Shels have ever been. Brian Lennox is dead right to aim for the group stages, we down in Cork won't settle for mediocrity like most other clubs.

I'd also love to hear about all these errors Richardson made in Europe, perhaps you'd like to enlighten us jollyrodger??

[tiktok]

Shelbourne are Ireland most sucessful club in Europe.

No, you're not, but neither are we.
Rovers (most wins) and Dundalk (when there were fewer entrants and USSR got a handful of places) can scrap over that title thank you very much.

[stickyjoe]

Isn't it just typical.
Our Chairman makes a statement of his ambition and determination to do as good as we possibly can in the CL next year, he makes the very obvious statement that he wants us to get to the group stages, and we have the supreme $hel$ whinger higgins and one of his muppett buddies coming on to tell us all that it can't be done.
It can't be done by your sh*tty little small time club, but down here in Cork we never say never, we set our targets high and try to achieve them.
P*ss off back to your own sh*ty little forum where you can whinge and moan all you like, you pair of w*nkers.

what a complete tosser. where did higgins whinge? he correctly pointed out that shels got the lowest of the seeded teams in the 2nd round and got the huge slice of luck that eircom league teams(and other non-seeded teams)need to get to the 3rd round and the possibility to progress further.

congratulations on the league win and hopefully european progression continures

[patsh]

what a complete tosser. where did higgins whinge? he correctly pointed out that shels got the lowest of the seeded teams in the 2nd round and got the huge slice of luck that eircom league teams(and other non-seeded teams)need to get to the 3rd round and the possibility to progress further.

congratulations on the league win and hopefully european progression continures
:D
Another lickle $hels kid has a tantrum....:D

[pete]

I admire Lennoxs ambition but even the most diehrad of city fans will see CL groups stages as very unlikely.

IMO all eL teams in Europe should be getting past 1st qualifying round as anything less is a failure - i don't care how small a club thinks they are. 2nd qualifying round will always be tight so maybe luck of the draw required to progress there depending on eL team involved.

Most people may not like Shels but their relegation to the Inter Toto is a big loss to the eL coefficients next season as Derry & Drogs are untried at Uefa Cup level.

[patsh]

Most people may not like Shels but their relegation to the Inter Toto is a big loss to the eL coefficients next season as Derry & Drogs are untried at Uefa Cup level.
Good point, one I have actually made before.
The experience from the last few seasons is invaluable, and with a relatively favourable draw, it's possible to see $hels get to one of the finals of the Inter-Toto at least. I think Derry will do OK in the UEFA as Kenny knows what is needed, get through a round or two at least, but can't see Doolin getting Drogheda very far.

[Dricky]

Jolly by name Jolly by nature, great post I'm still laughing ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.



Go back to your sand castle lessons.

Shelbourne are Ireland most sucessful club in Europe. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

HOOF BALL HOOF BALL HOOF BALL.



The only true barometer of measuring how successful the league is.
inter toto is a meaningless competition and no matter how far Shelbourne progress you won’t see me bragging about it.

WHERE DO YOU SEE ME BRAGGING???????

City have it all to prove. Physically a lot of the players are pretty weak, Richardson did make a few errors when playing in Europe last season.

We will be back in Europe after next season with a better mentality and better players after having a stormer of a season.
Yip just like last year, tried to buy the league again. Doesn't work all the time.


They are a bunch of knackers, no more, no less.

I do believe it will be hard to get to the league proper but Shels..... come on We play different football to Shels.

Shels bore the **** out of me with their 'we lead the way', it's Hoof ball you play especially in Europe so your Barometer isn't really that good. Fair dues for getting there but Professional football is changing in Ireland time for a change.... that change is beginning.

KEEP YOUR HOOF BALL, THOSE DAYS ARE GONE. the league changed this year. you look at how Shels played last year and this year, the football is now totally different. Fenlon knew they were about to be left behind and fair dues to him to show that he has some skill by getting them to do it.

I'd be surprised if Rico played one up front no matter what mistakes you think he made no matter who is in opposition..
At least we went out of a win and not a bore draw like the last lot, wonder who that was.... oh yes SHELS

Get a life we are nothing like Shels and if we succeed in anyway in Europe it will because of us, how we play football not how Shels played before..

It ain't going to be easy but it still has to be done and maybe it was time for a better team to have a go, lets just see how that better team do.

[pete]

I think Rico gambled on getting an away goal in Prague this year & was unlucky not to get one after hitting bar & post 3 times. Slavia Prague were better team but 2nd leg would have been a lot different at 1-2.

[Risteard]

I reckon though he was on the phone to Rico before the match i'd say Davey Hill was more or less calling the shots in Praha.
Though Slavia are superiour to us we might have paid a bit for Ricos absence.

[Drumcondra Red]

LAds, especially patsh, when did yis last play in the champions league???? Exactly, we've been there 2 years on the trot now, and offering opinions, best and worst case scenarios and telling yis not to think too far ahead!

Steaua was a very good team to draw in the 2nd round this year and, imo, had a tougher time in that game then Cork had in the UEFA, would Cork have beaten them? Doubt it! Did we beat them? No!

You lads need to get a reality check if you think that because you're babysitting our trophy for a year, you'll waltz into the group stages, get real!!! I think thejollyrodger is dead right when he says to build for the future, a team going through to the UEFA Cup group stages is the way to go, it'd be a long cold winter getting thrashed every week against Europes finest!!!

[thejollyrodger]

At the end of the day

S H E L B O U R N E--F.C.---A R E---I R E L A N D' S--M O S T--- S U C E S S F U L----C L U B-- I N --E U R O PE----F A C T

Plus we have E V E R Y right to buy/sell whatever players we wish. There is no rule against that and if you cant hack it go and follow bowls. Time for you to get over it

[Drumcondra Red]

Watch your phrasing there thejollyrodger, we've progressed the furthest in Europe, FACT! We are not the most successful club, I do believe that honour belongs to Rovers

But we have been where no other Irish club has been!!!

[Dricky]

At the end of the day

S H E L B O U R N E--F.C.---A R E---I R E L A N D' S--M O S T--- S U C E S S F U L----C L U B-- I N --E U R O PE----F A C T

Plus we have E V E R Y right to buy/sell whatever players we wish. There is no rule against that and if you cant hack it go and follow bowls. Time for you to get over it


Should buy some good ones so. it would be right to do that.


At the begining of the next day you are intertot bound......

Look no one I think is saying Shels didn't do well in Europe but it's time to move on.
Most of say that it will be tough to crack it but that is what is needed so that is where the sights have to be set. Shels were not going to do it this year even if they had won the EL. HOOF BALL is dead.....

[Colm]

you're babysitting our trophey for a year

What's a trophey?? We have the league trophy now and don't intend on giving it up anytime soon.

The only worry going through my mind when I was drinking out of the trophy all day on Saturday was that it may have been contaminated by your bunch of freaks. Hopefully I didn't catch anything from it.

[Drumcondra Red]

Dricky, you do realise that hoof ball had been abandoned the day Crawley got dropped, don't you??? Also Cork have got one year to back up all this trash talk about doing this and that in the champions league, before they are finished shining our trophy and settling themselves back in the intertoto, if they're lucky!!!

I also can't believe that you seem to think there are no good players at Shelbourne when we have obviously got the best squad in the league, albeit a group of players who sorely dissapointed this year!

I really hope that Cork fall flat on their face in Europe just to shut the likes of you a patsh up! Although I've got this bleedin' belief that I should support our own team in european competition, bah!

Anyway, you're in awful danger of counting your chickens before they hatch down there, be very careful!!! And remember all of you're expired contracts this year, has the potential to spell disaster...

[Drumcondra Red]

The only worry going through my mind when I was drinking out of the trophy all day on Saturday was that it may have been contaminated by your bunch of freaks. Hopefully I didn't catch anything from it.

You don't want to know what was done to it last year then???? :D :eek: :D

[Risteard]

Watch your phrasing there thejollyrodger, we've progressed the furthest in Europe, FACT!
Dundalk?

[Dricky]

Dricky, you do realise that hoof ball had been abandoned the day Crawley got dropped, don't you??? Also Cork have got one year to back up all this trash talk about doing this and that in the champions league, before they are finished shining our trophy and settling themselves back in the intertoto, if they're lucky!!!

I also can't believe that you seem to think there are no good players at Shelbourne when we have obviously got the best squad in the league, albeit a group of players who sorely dissapointed this year!

I really hope that Cork fall flat on their face in Europe just to shut the likes of you a patsh up! Although I've got this bleedin' belief that I should support our own team in european competition, bah!

Anyway, you're in awful danger of counting your chickens before they hatch down there, be very careful!!! And remember all of you're expired contracts this year, has the potential to spell disaster...

No I gave Fenlon Credit for Dropping the Hoof Ball and changing... up til last year you were hoof ball and some of this year. 1.66 co is ****e, yes we all take resoposibility for that and Shels were in the CL so they put that as a mark with hoof ball.

My god talk about taking out of it what you want.

I've said it would be tough

I've said we'll need players.

I've said we don't play like Shels

I've said you played Hoof Ball

I've said Goodbye to Hoof Ball

And Hello to something new.

as you don't know what I was talking about that sums it up.

How about Shels going out of Business, would I love that?

Again what have I said that is wrong Drum red?????? NOUGHT So while you just can't take that progress can be made by others, sounds like Ollie mantra.

read the post first.

[thejollyrodger]

and another point. Derry might do as well as Longford and pish all over the progress we have made so far. Cork have done ok in the last few seasons but at the end of the day , there is no comparison for champions league football


F O R Z A--S H E L S

I cant wait to prove everyone wrong about our " hoof football". Crawely and the other clowns are gone. Roll on 2006

[A face]

We should be supporting all teams in Europe imo ..... anything above 1.66 is all good for the league.

Derry and Drogs should definitely be looking to get pass the first round each, and hopefully with more than a win each.

City should be getting passed the first round but the second round will be a whole other story. Its a long way off but i hope people aren't under estimating the task. Its all uphill .... we have a good attitude going into it, but that wont make the job any easier.

Long way to go yet !!

[Éanna]

Lennox has shown his ambition since he took over and he's delivered on just about everything. Why stop now? I think the immediate aim should be to get in the group stages of the UEFA Cup within 3 years- the finance and attnetion that would raise would make it a lot easier to have a real crack at the champions league group stages within 5 years or so. The hard work is only just beginning

[Galwayexile]

lads the shels fans are just jealous. Ye have the league trophy and they dont FACT.

[thejollyrodger]

and what does Galway have again ???

[tiktok]

I cant wait to prove everyone wrong about our " hoof football". Crawely and the other clowns are gone. Roll on 2006

Well if Crawley and the other clowns are gone, you might not play Hoof football anymore, but that won't prove anyone wrong ffs, if anything, this post proves that you agree that you've been playing hoof football while Crawley's been in the team........

...which you have by the way.

[Drumcondra Red]

Which nobody is disputing, the thing is that Crawley hasn't played for a while and there's been no Hoof ball since, FACT!

[tiktok]

Which nobody is disputing, the thing is that Crawley hasn't played for a while and there's been no Hoof ball since, FACT!

which nobody is disputing...FACT! ;)

[Dricky]

Which nobody is disputing, the thing is that Crawley hasn't played for a while and there's been no Hoof ball since, FACT!


Did you not watch you in Europe and againts us in Tolka at the beginning of the season, hoof ball into the front two. It did you no good so after getting beaten by City who did play the ball along the ground Fenlon changed his tactics and credit to him.

It was still there this year

[Drumcondra Red]

Dricky, you tool!!! We haven't played hoof ball since Turners cross, although a few matches before that we didn't either, the point being made is that when we actually started to play decent football we were unbeatable (except Derry, although we were shíte up there) now do you get me???