TC Watch

[geezer]

we gave out about TC a lot in the last few months but it seems he has got the "siege mentality" up and running in the squad judging by the city tribune interview last friday. Its a tool used and perfected by the likes of ferguson over the years. If it took an agenda by the national press against uniteds presence in the league or whatever else its doing the trick long may it continue

[GuisaSaigon]

anyone got a link to that interview? I missed the city tribune this week.

[Tir Oilean]

Also were starting our improvement early enough. Last thing we want is the old adage too little too late.

[WoodquayBoy]

City Tribune piece:

United boss lashes out at
national media coverage
after draw in Drogheda

Keith Kelly

Galway United manager Tony Cousins is absolutely livid with sections of the national media over its coverage of United’s 2-2 draw with league leaders Drogheda United on Monday night.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s Connacht derby with Sligo Rovers in Terryland Park (kick-off 7.45pm), Cousins is still clearly fuming over some reports which suggested his side had attempted to kick Drogheda off the park, and that the league leader’s captain, Alan Byrne, was targeted for particular attention.
And he has also suggested that there might be a bit of an agenda out there to undermine United’s results on the pitch as a result of the manner in which United found themselves in the Premier Division this season.
“One of the papers said we didn’t enhance ourselves with our approach to the game — what did they want us to do, go there and stand off them so we could get caned and they [the journalists] could write great stuff about Drogheda?
“A lot of what was in the papers was pure s**te talk. These guys never had any time for Drogheda, they certainly didn’t when I was there. But now they [Drogheda] are top of the table and still in Europe, and they can’t write great stuff about them quick enough, it is just pure s**te,” he said yesterday.
“I would never send a team out to target a player, never. If I did, it would have been Shane Robinson on Monday night, and not Alan Byrne, as I think he has been their best player, but I would never ask my players to do that.”
He says the papers have conveniently overlooked the character his side showed to fight back from two goals down, and with only 10 men, in the last three minutes to force a draw on Monday.
“They were all saying that Drogheda threw two points away. What about giving us a bit of credit for fighting back with 10 men against the league leaders? The ball didn’t just travel by itself from our six yard box to theirs, we had to play a bit, but that was overlooked,” he said.
He then mentioned the white elephant in the room, United’s invitation to the Premier Division, and hinted that might also have a bearing of some of the things written during the season.
“There are obviously people out there who aren’t happy at how we found ourselves in the Premier, and they would like nothing more than for us to get relegated so they can say we got what we deserved.
“We are in a fight now [against relegation], and we will fight for every point. No team is going to get an easy game against us, if anyone takes three points off us, or even one, they will have had to fight hard for it as we are not going to bow down to anyone,” he said.
Turning his attention to tonight’s game, he will have to plan without Stephen O’Flynn, who was sent off on Monday night, while Regi Nooitmeer remains sidelined with a knee ligament injury, but the prognosis is not as gloomy as thought last week.
“We hope now that he could be back in about two weeks. It will mean he has missed a month, but we are hopeful he’ll only miss another couple of weeks,” says Cousins — it was originally feared the Dutch defender would be out for the rest of the season.
Cousins has no other injury concerns, with John Russell returning to training this week after bout of ‘flu saw him miss Monday night’s draw.
“I haven’t decided on the team yet, I’ll make my mind up over night and tell the layers in the hotel just before the game. They all know what is expected of them and if they don’t produce, then they are out and someone else will come in,” he says.
While he refused to give anything else away in relation to his line of thinking for tonight’s game, that last comment would seem to suggest that Russell will come straight back into the side on the right side of midfield, where United offered nothing of attacking note on Monday.
With O’Flynn ruled out, it appears to be a toss up between Barry Moran and Vinny Faherty for the slot up front alongside Derek Glynn, and given that Moran has not even featured in the matchday squad for the last two games, Faherty could be poised to make only his second start of the season.
As for tonight’s visitors, they will have new signings Matthew Gordon and James Meredith available for selection, but there is a doubt over centre back Gavin Peers, who is rated only 50/50 for the game, and will undergo a last minute fitness test before kick-off.
“Our away form has been stunning, but we really need a home win. I am looking for the players show the same attitude and application as they did against Drogheda and in the second half against UCD. I didn't think there was much on Monday’s match when it 11 against 11. Obviously when he went a man down it was a different story, but we still held out until the 75th minute.
“A few home wins will see us shoot up the table, we just need to get that first one. The players know what is required of them,” he said.

[Mr A]

Bloody hell. Methinks the pressure was getting to him before Friday's result!

[GuisaSaigon]

Thanks Woodquay Boy, Good to hear hear of some passion being shown by TC a bit of section A language goes down well with the fans from time to time.
He's right about the reports of the Drogheda game the Indo was particularly pro- Drogs. I dont know why Utd would have targeted Alan Byrne as he hasn't played since the late 90's AFAIK and I dont think he ever played for Drogs. Now , targeting Stewy Byrne might have been possible as he's a Knobjockey, but I dont think he was deliberately targeted either.

[WoodquayBoy]

'I dont know why Utd would have targeted Alan Byrne as he hasn't played since the late 90's AFAIK and I dont think he ever played for Drogs'

Probably shows how worked up Cousins was!

[WoodquayBoy]

'I dont know why Utd would have targeted Alan Byrne as he hasn't played since the late 90's AFAIK and I dont think he ever played for Drogs'

'Probably shows how worked up Cousins was!'

Or maybe not, that plank also mentions 'league leader's captain, Alan Byrne . . ' at the top of the story.

[Tir Oilean]

Jaysus after reading that I now know why we won on Friday! Fiery stuff to say the least! Go on TC dont hold back! fcuk them all! And beat Drogs in 2 weeks to show were no pushover!

[gufct]

I was just thinking about that Drogheda game when i read last wednesdays papers and Doolins comments in particular which were running down united. I feel im going to miss a cracker and we could just end up beating them and putting their nailed on title hopes back in the melting point.

[Claret Murph]

Just how I feel gufct I hate missing games at home and this is going to be the 3rd time for me this season . Still a friend of mine was over form London last weekend and it was his first time he missed a home game at the Aresnal in the last two years , hey I brought him up to Terryland and we won so I asked him to come back every two weeks

[MyTown]

I thought Cousins was spot on with his post Drogs rant. The match was far from as one sided as reports suggested, even if the goalie gifted us our way to a precious point. The 10 men battled hard, were almost worn down by the end, but got a very justifiable reward IMO. No way in my view was Stewie targetted by our players. Many of our supporters have been calling all season for us to show a bit of back-bone. As TC said in the Tribune, from the kick off of the second half in Belfield that's just what we have begun to do - COMPETE - and mix it in the middle of the park.

As Mr. A / Galway Harps posted TC may well have been feeling the pressure. I'm not surprised. He and Goughie were subjected to fairly ridiculous personal attacks from a so-called supporter at half time. (The sentiments were roughly along the lines of the early posts on this thread, and might be partially excused on the basis of alcohol or substance abuse - but there was NO excuse for them in my book).

I was delighted for him the way things turned on Friday night. But I'm not naive enough to think we're suddenly embarking on a vertical climb up the table. One game at a time boys and girls - one game at a time.

[GuisaSaigon]

I'm not naive enough to think we're suddenly embarking on a vertical climb up the table. One game at a time boys and girls - one game at a time.

Exactly, Waterford, Bray and Longford are all picking up points lately. We've got some tough games ahead but if the team continues to give all like they did on Friday, we've got a chance of staying up. Cork looked out of sorts last night, if we get at them early on Friday we could get something out of it. Can't wait for it, Come On United!

[geezer]

ask for anymore but for players and manager to give everything and credit where credit is due TC has to take the credit for heading up this new found passion. I dont know who was laying into TC at half time but there couldnt have been any basis for a rant after UCD,Drogs and the first half performance by united. Thats All we ask for is commitment and effort and maybe after all the criticisms the dressing room door was locked sometime between the waterford game and UCD and TC and the players got a few things straight and came out fighting. This has got to be maintained and lets hope we sock it to doolin when he comes to Terryland and give them nothing.

[gufct]

it was half time in the Droghreda game and was way out of order.Got the same dose myself where i was told i was only in it for the money.

[geezer]

fair performance from TC last night, was animated on the line strangely his behaviour away is totally different than the home games i wonder is that a factor in the results? The long run of no wins at Terryland was having an effect that monkey is off his back now. I still have reservations especially now we have the best ground in the country, the best groundman, the best chief executive and best board. Ambitions of best manager should be looked at we will be kicking ourselves if we avoid the drop and the same old stuff happens early in the season. Is it 3 down next year?

[Mr A]

Yip. Three automatically relegated next year. It's going to be a really tough year in both divisions.

[WoodquayBoy]

I'll agree we have the best groundsman, no arguements with best CEO or board, but the best ground? You are having a laugh, Turners Cross is a far superior ground. We're getting there, but no way can we claim to have the best ground.
Also worried about next year with 3 going down. The foundations are there for a good team, but need to build on it. Looks like we have a cracking defence, time to work on midfield and up front.

[geezer]

I was in Turners cross last friday and i have been there many times. they have a nice stand behind the goals but its nothing in comparison to Terrylands new one . The main stand is absolute ****e with unplastered blockwork and a top that covers about 3 rows of seats. They have seats all round but its still very higldypigidy and the stand the away fans are in is harmeless similiar to sligo's visiting supporters bird crap ridden away stand.
The Turners cross experience still gives that LOI slightly more upgraded than tolka park feel. The pitch is about 50% as good as the surface in Terryland and as for overall impression flower lodge was still better

[WoodquayBoy]

Fair enough geezer, wasn't there on Friday so can't argue with your point. Terryland surface is cracking, but the stand ending at the 2 18 yard boxes, and have nothing behind either goal, makes it feel - for me - a half finished stadium, while Turnbers Cross looks complete. Sure give it a few years and there will be no arguments whatsoever