Stephen Bradley insists Shamrock Rovers won’t be spending 'silly money' in their pursuit of domestic and European success next year.
In Stockholm last night, the Hoops boss stressed the need to box clever after revealing he wants up to three new signings to bolster his title-winning squad.
Rovers are in the Swedish capital to face Djurgardens in their final Europa Conference League group game, ahead of Sunday’s last league game away to UCD.
Laying the groundwork on new recruits started months ago, but will now be ramped up to get deals over the line in the weeks ahead.
Rovers have banked over €4 million from their European run this year and there is another €500,000 on offer for a win tonight, and €166,000 for a draw.
But Bradley says Rovers won’t lose the plot financially in their pursuit of four-in-a-row - and another European group adventure.
Quizzed on signings, he said: “We’re probably talking two or three. We don’t like big changes.
“The group needs to keep evolving and that will happen. But you won’t see five or six leaving or five or six coming in. I don’t like that, I don’t think it’s right.
“It upsets everything you’ve worked on with the group. Too many players are trying to learn everything you do.
“When it’s two or three, they can learn on a daily basis and the transition becomes easier.”
Rovers have home-based targets in mind.
Sligo Rovers striker Aidan Keena is already linked, but is under contract at the Showgrounds and clauses in his existing deal could prove a stumbling block.
But Bradley is looking outside the league too and said: “Myself and Stephen (McPhail) have flown to different countries and met players, agents, parents, wives.
“We’ve been really close with a lot of players. But when it comes down to it, the demands are so unrealistic that you have to shake their hand and walk away.
“You could go down the road that some people want us to go down and spend silly money but we won’t do that.
“We’ve seen the impact that has on the long-term health of the club. It’s not about that, it’s never been about that.
“We’re trying to keep improving but we won’t put what we’ve done in jeopardy for any individual or one or two individuals.”
As a player, Bradley was a title winner with Drogheda United in 2007 but had joined Falkirk before the Co Louth side almost went bust the following year.
Shelbourne are preparing for an FAI Cup final next week but have had to work hard to come back from the brink after their financial woes of the late 2000s.
Bradley did not highlight any one case in particular but said: “Why should we follow that path that doesn’t work?
“We’ve got to trust our plan and what we do because we’re very close.
“I challenge anyone to sit down with me and watch the three home games in Europe and say we didn’t deserve to win at least two of them.
“The Molde game away, I take full responsibility for that, you’re thinking of completely saving the players legs for what’s coming on the Sunday (Shelbourne).
“It’s not that we’re a million miles away and we have to go a totally different route. We’re right there, our performances tell you that, and we just need to tweak it a bit.”
And Bradley added: “At times in Europe, you're dealing with teams with incredible budgets but that shouldn't come into it.
“We’ve played a lot of those bigger clubs and we've been right there with them and there hasn't been much between us.
“Some people would have you believe we’re a million miles away, but I think we’re very very close and we shouldn’t put a ceiling on what we can do.”
Graham Burke is out of this evening's clash with Djurgardens but Aaron Greene is back for the Hoops.
Burke was injured after scoring a penalty in the recent league win over St Pat’s but came on as a sub against Derry City on Sunday.
But Stephen Bradley has ruled him out of the final Europa Conference League group game.
Bradley said: “Everyone travelled but Graham won’t play. Chris McCann and Dylan Watts won’t play and Sean Kavanagh and Justin Ferizaj are suspended.
“Simon Power didn’t come on against Derry but he’s back. Jack Byrne came on in that game and is okay and Aaron Greene is back.”
With McCann and Watts unavailable, centre-back Sean Hoare could play in midfield for the third game running.
Bradley said: “He’s done well against Derry and Gent, so he’ll definitely be one we’ll look to play in there.”
Rovers drew 0-0 with Djurgardens in September but the Swedes have won all four games since then and have already topped the group.
Apart from the financial incentive, it’s a dead-rubber for Rovers but Bradley said: “We’ve nothing to hold back for, so we’ll have a right go and see where it takes us.”
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