Footballers get away with murder.
When the ‘you-know-what’ hits the fan, it’s always the manager who pays the price as we’ve seen at two clubs this week.
A run of three defeats cost Tim Clancy his job at St Pat’s, whereas Colin Healy chose to walk from Cork City - but also because of ropey results and some fan criticism.
I appreciate there’s a touch of ‘water is wet’ about managers losing their job after bad results. That’s football.
But I think players get away far too lightly, and that’s where I’d be shining a spotlight this week.
St Pat’s scored 15 goals in five games a matter of weeks ago when they won four in a row to go second in the table.
Are you telling me that Tim Clancy suddenly changed his ways or became a bad manager in the meantime, when his players couldn’t hit a barn door in the last three?
Colin Healy played at the highest level for Ireland, Sunderland and Celtic. Clancy played in the SPL. They were both part of big dressing rooms.
I’d imagine they were tough but fair environments where no punches were pulled and you had to do your stuff and respond to the pressure.
But there’s a different culture at play these days and the League of Ireland is no different.
I don’t know whether you’re allowed to shout at players any more, but the sidelines are so passive and there’s no tackles in games.
The raw competitiveness I remember as a player is gone and it’s all very sterile.
Flick on the Premier League and you’ve players putting their hands over their mouths to speak on the pitch as if anyone gives a flying flute what they’re saying.
And don’t get me started with lads crying when they’re coming off the pitch with a run-of-the-mill injury.
What a joke that is. ‘Oh look, the camera’s on me, I’ll pretend I did my best and wipe my eyes so the fans see’’.
Clowns.
I was in Cork on the opening night of the season, when they played Bohs, and City didn’t have any drive or hunger about them. I feared for them.
And St Pat’s have been a bit similar - too windy, too up and down and unable to capitalise on Rovers’ poor start, but they’re not the only ones.
Maybe Healy and Clancy could have been tougher on people, I don’t know. I’m only guessing but I couldn’t be a manager in this era of cancel culture.
You want players to bust a gut and win battles but in reality they’re all mates and too many of them are thinking about their next tweet or insta post.
There’s a video doing the rounds of a disgruntled Cork City fan having words with Healy from the stand, immediately after the final whistle in Monday’s 5-0 loss at Bohs.
There’s nothing new there. I had numerous run-ins with supporters from my own teams and rivals. But nobody was shoving a phone in my face to record it all.
What might have been a small incident that could be brushed under the carpet, suddenly becomes magnified and harder to shake for a manager already under fire.
Everyone has an opinion and yet the game is losing its edge, with the players getting away scot free while the managers carry the can and pay the price.
BOHS DESERVE THE PRAISE
Do I think Bohemians will lead the league for the majority of the season? No. But do I think they’ll fall flat on their face like many expect them to? No.
They’ve gone full-time this season and it’s clear they’re already reaping the rewards under Declan Devine who is getting a great tune out of a new-look squad.
I don’t think it’s a disservice to say they’re probably ahead of schedule. They’ll hit a rough patch and the trick then is to not let it define their season. It’ll be important that they recover quickly.
Four points clear of Rovers going into tonight’s top-two clash, Bohs have put themselves into a hell of a position. Outside of Rovers, I don’t think anyone will catch them and they’ve a fantastic chance of coming second.
Bohs and Rovers are the two clubs doing their stuff.
I’ll be in Tallaght tonight and I can’t wait. The league needs a high-energy, dinger of a game played out in a banging atmosphere.
Rovers are moving through the gears but Bohs will love going there, especially after losing to them at Dalymount. Rovers are looking formidable but it’s still a great chance for Bohs to lay down a marker and show they can hang tough.
HIGGINS AND DERRY NEED TO....MIND THE GAP
Derry City didn’t lay a glove on Shamrock Rovers on Monday and their performance worried me.
I was at the Brandywell and it was one way traffic with Derry looking particularly flat. But you have to remember they are without key men like Patrick McEleney, Cameron Dummigan and Mark Connolly.
Dummigan and Connolly were nominated for PFAI Player of the Year last year, so they’re big players and the spine of the team. Fingers crossed, too, for Colm Whelan amid fears of another serious knee injury.
There’s a few grumbles about Ruaidhri Higgins, considering the financial backing he’s got at the club. But he’s working under great personal strain following the tragic loss of his brother and people shouldn’t forget that.
Ruaidhri needs his players to step up for him and they’ll be a different team when some big hitters come back from injury. What’s crucial is that they don’t lose too much ground in the meantime.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOM
It was great to see Tom in Derry on Monday night. Anyone who knows the League of Ireland, knows Tom - a great supporter of the game.
I hadn’t seen him for a while and was hoping he was well.
There was a wonderful mix in the Brandywell crowd, from Ireland star James McClean to the famous journalist Eamon McCann. But one face always stands out - the undeniable figure that is Tom.
I’ve enjoyed our chats over the years. Or, more so, Tom telling me who was going to win the league and throwing me ‘that’ look if I questioned it.
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