Originally Posted by
sligored
This is our most important tie of the season and anyone who thinks drogs on sunday is more important is wrong- the money involved in reaching the second round v rapid vienna will see us financially secure for this year anyway and will allow us to sign first team players to bring us to mid table at least.
from todays indo
"All we're saying here is 'listen, I've got a little dream here and I don't want anyone to break it'."
No, the above is not Martin Luther King on the moral values of equality.
Instead, it's Sligo Rovers boss Paul Cook speaking about their tie against Albanian side KS Vllaznia Shkoder at the Showgrounds tomorrow, (7.0).
Ahead of their Europa League first qualifying round clash against obscure Albanian opposition, it's maybe a little difficult to feel the buzz sweeping around the western town this week from afar, much less put it into words.
Lucky then, that Cook is not lacking in enthusiasm himself.
"Everyone says to me about this professional thing, about saying 'we'll take each game at a time', it's a load of b****x," he said. "If you're in football and if you play for Sligo or you're in the Irish league, and you can't dream about playing Rapid Vienna, well, what's the point?"
"We're not saying we're going to play them (the Austrian side await in the next round), we're not being big headed. All you're saying is 'I've got a dream here'.
"If you do get through, your dream has come true, if you don't, well not many dreams do come true anyway. It's just our way of looking at it, we might be a bit different around here."
Certainly, as managers go, the Sligo Rovers boss tends to do things a little differently. And thus far it has worked.
Sligo play their first European game in 12 years tomorrow, they remain in the FAI Ford Cup and the EA Sports Cup -- all with one of the smallest squads in the League. But as far as big games go for the Bit O' Red, they do not come more crucial than this one at the Showgrounds -- and the Liverpudlian knows it.
"Of course, (if Sligo qualify for the next round) it's €100,000, it's another sell-out gate, it's probably live TV. And with all due respect to a club like ours, you don't scoff at money like that -- it's half your playing budget in one night."
That tight budget is one of Sligo's primary concerns in the build-up to the biggest game of their season. In their last League game against Bohemians they only fielded two substitutions, as over half of their 14 professionals were either injured or suspended.
But Cook says he is happy this week to have at least 11 players to work with. Rafael Cretaro and Danny Ventre will definitely return, while Shaun Holmes and Gavin Peers are doubtful but Stephen Parkhouse will not play.
But whatever happens tomorrow -- and in the return leg in Albania next Thursday -- Cook maintains that he is Sligo through and through and has no plans to move on despite being offered other high-profile managerial positions.
"You have to teach loyalty to your players, there's a right time to leave a club and a wrong time. I certainly won't be leaving this club in the foreseeable future."
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