Gutsy Seery's Rocky road to Dublin City
Gutsy Seery's Rocky road to Dublin City
Soccer
Liam
Kelly
THE name is Rocky Seery not Rocky Balboa, but the little guy with big ideas has guts and huge ambitions.
Seery, son of the late Home Farm co-founder Don Seery, admits he's obsessed with Dublin City and wants to see them play inEurope.
Right now he'll settle for his team giving Shamrock Rovers the big KO in the second leg of the promotion/relegation play-offs at Tolka Park tomorrow night.
If City can capitalise on their 2-1 first leg lead to clinch a spot in the Eircom League Premier Division it will represent an amazing turnaround in fortune.
Seery - christened Ronan but known far and wide as Rocky - and his club were on the ropes in January. Yesterday he was bombarded with calls from media, supporters and well-wishers.
Setanta Sport were on early to negotiate live TV rights for the second leg promotion/relegation play-off which will start at 8.05 tomorrow night.
The Dublin City fans were even locked in at the School End at Dalymount Park for 10 minutes after the final whistle following their 2-1 victory on Tuesday as a safety and security precaution.
Security
Seery was among them. The chairman and owner of Dublin City and the fans were guarded until the security people were satisfied it was safe for them to leave.
He couldn't help but see the funny side.
"You know you've arrived when your supporters are held back at the end of the game. We normally have to lock people in to get them to watch a match!" he quipped.
Live TV coverage is also a first for Dublin City, even though that's a reflection of the public's morbid desire to see if Shamrock Rovers will be relegated.
No matter. From Rocky's point of view, this match gives his beloved club a shot at promotion to the Premier Division and a huge boost in terms of public profile.
"This is the buzz you live for. People who didn't want to know us are suddenly talking about us and wanting to write about us and televise us.
"It's great. This is what it's all about and it's a chance to show people there's something good happening in this club. I know the match is still very much alive. It's a Cup final situation, and even the best of teams can lose a Cup final.
"I don't want to consider the prospect of losing and I've got my fingers crossed that it won't happen, but whatever the result, I'm very proud of Dermot Keely and everyone who has done so well for the club.
"Lots of people are talking about 'poor Rovers' but what about us? We've put ourselves in this position to win promotion and if we can do it, we will deserve it, no question about that."
A year ago Dublin City had been relegated from the Premier Division and were left reeling after the sudden departure of manager Roddy Collins to Shamrock Rovers with three games left to go in the season. It was a hammer blow. Seery says: "To this day I don't know the reason why."
The Hoops stayed up; Dublin City went down to the Division which Seery calls "The Graveyard."
Devastated by the loss of Collins, deep in the financial mire after a financial outlay for 2003/'04 costing over €400,000, it looked all over for Seery and for City.
He's a one-man band with a dream to see his team based at a modern, all-purpose facility and capable of competing in European football.
That looked like pure fantasy at the start of 2005.
No team, relegated, and with no crowd support. It was no wonder many people asked Seery: "Is it all over?" Others told him: "Get real, get out. It's finished."
Rallied
Somehow Seery, 46, rallied again, like so many times since he took over when the club split from its Home Farm amateur roots in 1996.
He admits the dark days were January, February, and March of this year as he tried to re-motivate himself to knock on doors and get businessmen to fund one more campaign.
A whole new team had to be built. Thankfully Dermot Keely came out of retirement to give Rocky a dig out as manager after a call-up when Collins departed.
All of Keely's experience is needed now, but he paid tribute to Seery: "I don't know how the little man does it. He's been brilliant. Every week he comes up with €5,000 to pay the wages and the players have been very well looked after. If we do go up he'll deserve it and so will everyone connected with the club."
Finding it hard to 'back' a winner? Why don't you 'lay' a loser instead? - sharp minds click here
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13312
