Connor urges caution after expecations rise
Speaking after his side’s 1-1 draw with Dublin City last Thursday, Sligo Rovers manager Sean Connor was delighted with how his side performed and happy to come away from Tolka Park with a point.
“When we came here tonight [Thursday] the main thing was that we didn’t get beaten. We came for a point. We had a bad start – I didn’t really see their goal, I don’t know if it was a ricochet or whatever.”
“I thought ‘here we go again’ but again we responded magnificently and we kept our shape. We worked hard and we created more chances than they [Dublin City] did and they were at home.”
“I think we proved to ourselves that you can do well in the First Division when you try to play football.”
Rovers’ good start has raised the expectations of many supporters, but Connor urges caution as he says that there is a long way to go yet.
“I have said all along I think it is a long, long way to go. We are coming off four or five seasons where we have always been mid-table.”
“My job this year is to get us challenging and to get us in or around the top three or four – if we can – and see where that takes us. I still think we are short in one or two quality positions and that’s all down to the finances.”
“I will be going to the [Sligo Rovers] management committee again in July and hoping that they will release some more funds to bring in one or two players but you can’t talk about winning the title or anything now. We have only played two games. They were two good performances, but we are still not clicking.”
Connor agreed that the introduction of Brian Tosh helped turn the game for Rovers, with Tosh’s pace giving the Dublin City defence all sorts of problems.
“There is no doubt about it, my team selection tonight [Thursday] was to make us solid, make us hard to break down.”
“I put Gareth Gorman on because Jason McCartney’s back problem flared up again. It gave us a bit more height across the midfield and my game plan went out the window after three minutes or whenever their goal went in.”
“[Brian] Tosh is a great young player but, again, I have to protect him – I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. He is great coming into games with 25 or 30 minutes to go where his pace causes a lot of problems and the same could be said about Rafael Cretaro tonight [Thursday].”
The manager also gave praise to the large number of Rovers supporters, who travelled to Tolka Park. They outnumbering the home support by at least 2:1.
“The fans were magnificent. The players said to me after the home game that the crowd made a difference. Tonight [Thursday] you saw the reaction of the players going to the crowd. They [the fans] have been fantastic. I keep hearing about how good the Sligo Rovers supporters are and now I am to see it for myself.”Connor is hopeful of a good crowd in the Showgrounds for Rovers game this Saturday night against Dundalk.
“We have got players that want to play for the club and want to play for the manager and that is what this is all about this year – people putting a wee bit of pride in their performance and wearing the shirt for Sligo Rovers.”
“We are competitive, we are going to be there or thereabouts – but we can’t talk about winning the First Division at this stage.”
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