Fenlon annoyed at 'mind games'

[thejollyrodger]

Fenlon annoyed at 'mind games'

Fenlon annoyed at 'mind games'
ADVERTISEMENT

SEÁN RYAN

TALKING to Pat Fenlon, the Shelbourne manager, on the lessons learned from 12 European matches in the past 12 months, he referred to the way "we treat visiting teams like royalty, but we don't get the same treatment in those countries, and maybe that's something we have to look at."

This was interesting territory. Was he declaring a fatwa on future Champions League visitors to Dublin, or was he simply still sore at the abuse the Shelbourne bench and players received in Bucharest last Wednesday?

Trying to draw him out, he proved less forthcoming. This was a matter for the club officials, he was only responsible for the football. Still, he alluded to "the mind games they play in these countries, like buses not arriving on time and no proper air conditioning," and the need for players to be aware of what to expect.

Fenlon and Shelbourne have a right to be sore about the abuse they endured last Wednesday, and especially the racist taunts directed at Curtis Fleming and Joseph Ndo. One can only hope that UEFA's response will be suitably punitive - and prompt.

The Shelbourne manager was on more familiar ground when it came to discussing the footballing lessons learned from what was an engrossing tie in the Ghencea Stadium - and from the other eleven European games Shels participated in between 2004 and 2005.

"We have made progress, but watching them at close quarters and the ability of their (Steaua's) players, we're far from taking them on over two legs. Our game plan was working until the third goal went in. If we had been able to get Wes (Hoolahan) and Joseph (Ndo) on while the score was still 2-1, we would have been able to have a go.

"We're always learning, and the players worked so hard, that it makes the silly mistakes which led to the first three goals harder to take. They were better than us, but not that much better than us on Wednesday night.

"People said that the bigger pitch would suit them, but it suited us more because we were able to get players on the ball, which we hadn't been able to do in Tolka."

Asking him to list the lessons learned, Fenlon pinpointed five areas that are vital for success in European football.

1 "You must avoid giving away sloppy goals. If you make a mistake at this level they will punish you." In this respect, he added: "You hope the players involved will learn from their mistakes and move on."

2 "You must keep the ball better. If we were able to take them on, we would have had Wes and Joseph on from the start, but we couldn't afford to do that - the game would have been too open."

3 "You must have a game plan that works in Europe. We had and everything was done well, the preparations were spot on. We have honest players who stuck to the plan and they haven't been beaten at home in six games in Europe against very good sides - Hadjuk Split, Deportivo La Coruna, Lille and Steaua."

4 "You need a little bit of luck in the draw."

5 "We need to be a little more clever, wiser. In that respect, the third goal was a kick in the goolies, because the players were keeping their discipline and shape and were in a position to make for a very interesting finish."

Fenlon also made reference to the play-acting by the Steaua players, trying to get their Shelbourne counterparts into trouble. "Our players knew they would try this, and they even tried to put this out at the press conference before the match, saying we had roughed them up in Tolka, even though the yellow card count in that game was 4-2 against them."

The manager also took pleasure in the fact that his team managed what clubs like Valencia and Anderlecht had failed to achieve in recent years, i.e., score in Bucharest.

With Shels so far off the pace in the Eircom League, I wondered if their European exploits had been a distraction? "No, in fact Europe has been a help because we have started to play well." And he hasn't written off the League yet. "We're only half-way through the season, we have Drogheda, Cork and Bohs in the next three weeks, three big games.

"The gloves are off."

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=12836

Great to hear Nutsy come out fighting. I think we are tieing one hand behind our back before we begin with. We treat the opposition too well when they come to Ireland. I hope that begins to change next European game.

[Slash/ED]

"You must keep the ball better. If we were able to take them on, we would have had Wes and Joseph on from the start, but we couldn't afford to do that - the game would have been too open."

What? You can't have it both ways. Ndo should have been on for all 180 minutes, open or not. You can't play sub standard players and leave out quality then complain when you haven't got enough quality. If he wants to keep the ball better, you play the players capable of doing that, such as Wes and Joesph. He seems to be looking at that one completley arseways.

[A face]

"You must keep the ball better. If we were able to take them on, we would have had Wes and Joseph on from the start, but we couldn't afford to do that - the game would have been too open."

What? You can't have it both ways. Ndo should have been on for all 180 minutes, open or not. You can't play sub standard players and leave out quality then complain when you haven't got enough quality. If he wants to keep the ball better, you play the players capable of doing that, such as Wes and Joesph. He seems to be looking at that one completley arseways.

To be honest ... when i was saying Ndo and Hoolahan should start, i wasnt thinking about the game being too open. I was thinking more about Shels taking the game to them .... having them on the back foot, with Shels attack always turning their players and making them work. I didn't think for a minute about Shels having to close the game ..... the reason why, i thought Shels wouldn't get any change for Steaua for playing like this. I knew that if Shels weren't creative and attacking then they would lose. I was wrong ... Steaua, the way they played, were not as good as i thought they were and didn't take full advantage of the way Shels were playing (i dont think they were able) I thought Shels would have been over run. I did also think that it wouldn't be as easy for Shels to play an attacking game and they would have to work hard for each other throughout the pitch, as it turns out .... it would have been easier.

Shels hasd a chance ... didn't take it .... pity !!

[thejollyrodger]

We kind of need to build up a database on teams in Europe. Basically a record of the way they play, like what they have in the UK. If we knew how Steaua were going to play then Nutsy could have put out the best team accordingly.

I just hope Shels start to make things a lot more difficult for the oppostion when they come to dublin from now on

[EnDai]

It was like Lille last year; refusing to provide videos of past games (as did Steaua), not marking the training areas (as did Steaua), and not providing goals for the training pitch!

Whereas we seem to bend over backwards to meet these gentlemens obligations. I doubt its written in the rules that they have to do these things, but it seems to be something must competitng clubs do as its a sporting thing to do. But by doing it ourselves we make them feel more comfortable. I think we provided both teams with videos of our recent performances too, something many teams do AFAIK, but they flat out refused - leaving us guessing their styles of play etc.

However, if teams are going to start treating us like filth, we must do the same. No videos, no markings on training pitches, no goals on the pitch when they train, etc. That way at least its even.

[pete]

City have given Djunjarden videos of City matches in swop of their videos.

I don't know'if he trying to do it but i don't think it does Fenlon any good to hint that is why they lost. Steaua were bette in both legs. Shels made the defensive mistakes themselves.

[thejollyrodger]

Shels lost because of some dreadful individual mistakes

[EnDai]

Anyways, we lost to the better team, so I doub't he's pinning it on that. I think its just an observation. I know they were fuming within Shels before the game with Lille even kicked off because of the crap they were doing!

[thejollyrodger]

Seems as though we didnt learn a whole pile from last season. Its not like the first time this has happened to us. CCFC also hasnt learnt and gave the opposition all the videos they wanted

One thing I would like Shels to do ( ive said it a few times) but make the pitch in the new stadium bigger than a regular EL pitch. It would really help us when were playing in Europe (plus really put away weaker EL teams)

[A face]

If we knew how Steaua were going to play then Nutsy could have put out the best team accordingly.

But you knew from the first leg what they were like .... if the proper team way picked for the second ... there would have been a chance, it wasn't ... so you cant expect anything from it.