 Time now in the score for our League of Ireland weekly chat and our guest this week is former fun harps a player manager Anthony Gorma, Anthony, you're welcome to their ways of hiding once again. Thank you. Nice to see you Nice to see you as well, Anthony before we get into the Premier Division games this coming weekend harps against shamrock rovers Derry at Bohemians. We'll talk Irish League football. You're back in the management and obviously it was a attempt and offer by Dean Shields to get you back in again as we've decided to to taste senior management It's been a while but you're you're on down London and you get off to a fantastic start and Tuesday night. Yeah I suppose Dean contacted me almost two weeks ago now at this stage Just to see where they'd be interested in coming on along alongside him. He's obviously Deans his young manager he could probably still play he's only 36 years of age, but he's He's had a very good career as a player and now he's he's following the spaller and the management spaller obviously Kenny X Derry City manager So Dean he just felt he needed a bit of Irish League experience and alongside him and So I give it a give it a bit of thought over over a few days and then decided that you know, why not give it a go because you know, I've been I've been watching a lot of Irish League football over the last number of years anyway, and I knew the league quite well and now I suppose the only team I didn't know much about was really Duncanon and you know, they've had a very disappointing season, but I suppose from Dean's point of view He's come in the situation where there's no relegation this year in the Premier Division obviously because of COVID and the championship hasn't taken place So he's had an opportunity to play an awful lot of young boys And I think to date there's been maybe 31 32 players that have have played games for Duncanon this year And out of that there's probably I'm not sure the exact numbers action, but I think there's About at least 20 maybe maybe more of that 30 31 players that are actually teenagers So a lot of players have been tried out Um, you know, but it's very you know yourself is very very difficult for teenagers to go into teams Without having experienced players around them and that's probably where Duncanon fallen down this season Yeah, but obviously it's about building blocks and given the fact there's no relegation There'll be a bit of a strong stronger foundation there for next year than that Yeah, um like already, you know, he's been in the job a few months and You know, I was actually involved in the game in Tuesday night and it seemed at first hand um the potential of 11 players on view and From the 11 players that played in Tuesday night throws maybe seven or eight that I've actually known from from being around the league and You know like the killing like the layers there x-fan harks player and You know, it's about adding about the experience and the already with the experience that he has and just You know to help the young players alone But you know, it's it's it's going to be a big job for Dean and like I'll do my best to help as best as I can and You know trying the summer now you're going to a period now actually where the league has split So we're going into the final five league games um, and you've also got the Due to the fact we beat Glen Adam Tuesday night to put Irish Cup game so you could be lucky enough and get a get a good draw at home and um, you know pro and the season a bit but it's about now like you've got five cup finals to play now and Um You know, you'd like to think that players are showing up in the in the entire games that they'll earn new contracts for next year Yeah, from your own personal point of view. It's it's been a while Of course, since you were involved in in senior management Anthony, did you think you would get back in there at any stage? Or was it something that that you wanted to try out again? Well, it doesn't have like over the last number of years I thought of some offers to to go back into the game, but there's nothing that's really really appealed to me um You know one job as a manager, but you know But a lot of I had a lot of commitments with letter county robbers in terms of the The youth development structure at the club and then with the seniors helping You know previous manager aiming mechanically and the current manager Danny McCona um So a lot of that had I had I think a lot of it that because we've the letter canary balls about the development coming up now with a new 4g pitch Um, which is an exciting time for the club And you know, it didn't really want to miss out on that, but I just felt that you know This was a You know, it's not I'm not going in as a as a number one. I'm going in as a number two alongside Dean Um, you know, I can use the experience that I have of the Irish league to help hopefully help him and You know listen, I give it a go and uh You know, it's just the more I thought about the more it appealed to me actually and You know the thought of you know being involved hands on and and try and help and Like I think it's a good time to be going to Duncan as well actually, you know the fact that you know We can only get better. You know, it has been a difficult season for the club but um, you know, hopefully the experience I have and with Dean's experience and um You know, we can hopefully make them better and moving up the league Yeah, uh, your own son Dale, of course was playing with with Glen Toran. Um, the season's split now. Is that right? So you you can now get a chance to meet Glen Toran in the league. Isn't that right? That's maybe just as well Maybe in the cup, you don't know the draw Depending on how results we go, but no, listen, he's up at Glen Toran and um, you know, they're having dead They're difficult started This season has some faces coming into the club Um, I took them away while they settle but now they have settled like they're you know, they've been on a terrific run Um, we're second in the league. There's seven points behind limpuses. What's you know, you would think that it's Too much to make up, but they've got they've actually got limpid in Saturday now at the oval. So, uh You know, there's the possibility they're closing the gap to four points And with four games remaining you never know what what might happen Yeah Listen, let's go to the the league of arland premier division Obviously anthony you keep a close eye on on what's happening on this side of the border as well The fun harps are heading on to play shamrock rovers They haven't got the results over the last what week or so Compared to what they had in the opening number of of weeks. Um, just one point from the last three games You've been watching them closely. What have you made up harps since the start of the campaign I'm actually coming out close to the end of the first years of matches anthony So there's a lot of fun already been played. Yeah, I think fun harps been very good ashen like I look at league of arland purple and I I think a lot of teams try and play in the same sort of style um I think fun harps The the advantage is fun harps have over the rest of the clubs. I think is the fact that all this is always It's now the eighth season in charge Uh himself and paul higard. They've done a fantastic job um The knowledge of both of them the knowledge that they have gained in the league over that period of time Is second and on paul higardy like I was fortunate of a watch In the brandy all few games and just sat beside him and we Discussed players games paul higardy's knowledge of league of arland players is second and on is like an encyclopedia and that having that knowledge um In terms of recruitment is is invaluable because harps have a style of play that I think is different to The the other clubs it's in the league um So they can identify a player to play a specific role You know more often than not they can go and get the player that they've identified to fit in and um, you know, they're you know From as from a fun harps supporters point to be you'd be delighted with the start of it You know, if you ask allie and paul are they delighted i'm sure and say they will be delighted all I might not say that um, but they've had a fantastic start You know, and I think they'll stay well clear of the bottom of the league this season ocean I think mid mid table certainly possibly pushing for the top half Yeah Did it surprise you the start that they had what they picked up so many points at the beginning against big clubs too at that aren't they? uh, well watch the the first game against from dawg and I couldn't see them losing that game from from very early on it was quite evident that The game plan that they had and the players their work rate they pressed on dawg very high don dawg trying to play out from the back I think they underestimated fun harps um, they certainly didn't show them respect that that the fun harp squad and the the club deserve um because In in any game of football You've got to win a battle first before you try and go and play and you've got to earn the right to play Don dawg and in that game didn't do that. They just thought they had a god get them right to go out and play And I think it was the first goal where the goalkeeper gets caught in the ball. That's just epitomized don dawg's performance on the night So from that like the surprising thing for me, if I'm actually you know, it was so far It's been the games that they've lost, you know, I didn't expect them to lose the You know down in slago, I thought they would have went there set up their shop and You know, I know it was an unfortunate goal that beat them But by and large they don't lose too many games when you know when the when you expect them not to get beat is You know, they usually set up and and they're very difficult to beat Yeah, they suffered the first home defeat at the hands of of pads last week weekend Anthony Shamrock rovers the champions are coming to town The they haven't lost I think in a year and a half and in the league So huge opposition. What is this a game that harps can get something out? I think so You know, you look at fan harps going to don dawg last year and getting that point, you know, who would have thought that? You know, that's the thing Ollie and Paul Higgard it they can set up the team They're very difficult to play against, you know, they can play for set plays rovers now Give them credit give some pads credit, you know, they have started the season really really well unbeaten both teams unbeaten Pats just ahead of them on goal difference but you know There is a different level, you know the fact that Rovers pats don't dawg and financially it's it's very difficult to compete with them folks But in one off games and with the ordinate organization and the discipline of the players that ollie has Has acquired, you know, there's every every possibility that they can get a draw You put you look on paper and you think, you know, it's a banker for for a shamrock rovers, but it wouldn't be For my Opinion anyway, it wouldn't be the It wouldn't be the banker that maybe some people might think Yeah, no goals in the last three games For ollie's side having scored a handful in the opening number of weeks I know ollie's not too bothered about that at the moment He's he's not going to keep in a clean sheet one end before thinking about cutting the ball in the back of the net the other Um, where's the goals going to come from if harps are going to try and get one because Adam fully is obviously An injury doubt again. He may or may not start on friday night We just have to wait and see when we get the team sheet, but what other options is there for him there? Well, that's like fun harps traditionally over the last number of years You look at the Foley's top scorer in the league with four goals, but fun harps have only scored six. So like goals will always be a problem For four fun harps because then the day you pay big money for strikers and you know, you've got to pay top dollar Um, fun harps wouldn't have the budget that other teams have fun harps over the last number of years They've been very good in set plays ashen. Well, there's from deliveries um, you know, they also have Tony McNamee he's got an unbelievable throw. You remember A couple of years ago Tony setting up a one or against dairy You know with a super long throw So set plays are vital if fan harps are set up. They'll be very difficult to play against difficult to break down They will defend their set plays really well. They're well organized in that respect and then the great options from the other end from attacking set plays and So I always be When fun harps get set plays in good areas that they they do have a really good chance Let's go to the the other game Involving a side which of course dairy city. They're on the road against bohemians on on friday night at dilly mound park there'll be A bit of excitement around the brandy well now because they've got the first one has taken them a while to get it Rory Higgins and for his first game and in charge There'll be a different feel about the brandy well as they leave and head to dub them compared to what it was seven day previous Yeah, I mean Going into like obviously watching dairy quite closely, you know, you were looking at their their squad And you're looking at their fixtures and you're wondering where the first three points is going to come from And because they did have a terrible start to the season No doubt about that and the fact that, you know, dairy squad's very young and very inexperienced and So that that's has a major factor on On performances and results and ultimately has cost and has cost decked on the winer's job But Rory Higgins command and you know, it wasn't by all accounts. It wasn't a great game or or a great performance down in sligo um But he'll be delighted, you know that One of the positives down from the sligo game is he kept a clean sheet Um And the three points I honestly feel would have been a bonus term and there was a penalty in that But it gives them a left going into the bulls game now He would have had a full week's training with them the pillar zone stamp on on things and But it's a big few months for for dairy city, ocean, you know, they have to they have to stay within touch of the The teams like I look at say done dogs only a point above them um But and saying that you would expect undocked quality to to shame through in the next coming a couple of weeks and maybe move further further up the table But dairy will have to compete with langford molliford at the moment Stay within touching dozens of them and then come when the window opens up in july Try and recruit and add a better experience to the squad Is that a good appointment by dairy? The fellow put already the chairman bringing on somebody of the calibre rary higgins. I think so You know, he's he's somebody that played a lot of football for dairy city He's gained good experience working with steve and kenny at undock and also in fact, you know, he's been involved in international team Most recently so it was a probably a big decision for higgins to leave The fei set up and and join up with um with dairy city, but he obviously feels His future is in management and there's no better start to him You know for to get in the management managerial ladder than Then join a club that he knows very well in the club that they They played an awful lot of games for so, um, I think it's a very good appointment by fellow but already In relation to the squad, it's very young around dairy So does there is a few players that that have a better experience You said that done doc would have the quality of player to pull themselves out of of where they are Do you feel that would be the same for dairy that they can pull themselves out of the out of the bottom to Come a crunch time of the season later on Well, I'm sure they'll be looking at at lanford and waterford as the teams that they're going to have to finish above Um, you would expect like done doc are a bit of a mess at the moment with the whole Circus that's surrounding there the whole management situation there with managers coming in managers resigning So nobody really knows what's going on done doc Um, there has been uncertainty to down to waterford. Like there's reports that mike newland kevin sheedy have left and resigned and been sacked and you know so there's always you know There's always somebody worse off than you than yourself that you would think but dairy You know, they are very young and I suppose from a positive point of view for dairy silly Like there's been a few players have come in the In the the side the start of the season like young brenden bar from from down in newton brends done really well in the few games he's played um So the fact they have an opportunity to be to get a bit of league of argument exposure will help them players in the long term but i'm sure Certainly in the in the short term declam or rurio will be looking to stay Stay with them touching the distance of the of the waterford and lanford and um, you know, as I said previously Come come July. He's got a big You know july is going to be a big multiple firm in terms of recruitment and getting in a few experienced players Yeah, one of the team, uh, what we mentioned is the sliger rovers on the road of draughty united Obviously looking to bounce back from that defeat to dairy But there's a there's a different feel about sligo this year Liam buckley has been building the squad over the over the last number of of seasons And now sliger will be seeing themselves as top two top three contenders And they'll be looking to make up for that defeat last week Yeah, they'll be looking to be certainly be looking for for a reaction But you know the sligo board deserve an awful lot of credit because you know, lame buckley was under pressure You know, if you remember going into the split last year into the Before lockdown sligo down near the bottom of the league and hadn't won the game and how how much and And the sligo public rallied around the club raised a lot of money There's again a few players after lockdown And they ended up really strong finish end up was top four top five the finish last year But the club stood by Liam buckley as well, you know You know a lot of people Looking at sligo thinking, you know a change of management will help put you know The split or the the break in the season did them Did them no harm at all and he was allotting to get on some players experienced players and quality players And you know, they have just kicked on this season from where they left off last season and you're you are right They'll be looking to top four top Top five will be a successful season in my opinion for sligo Yeah Just finally then at any one of the game we're going to mention and it's taking place next monday You've been involved in a few of them big northwest arbison in the premier division Dairy city hosting fun harps. These are always matches that are marked in the calendars as ones to watch out for And there's no better feeling I suppose when you're involved in a derby, is there? Yeah, but unfortunately for me when I was playing when I don't think ever ever beat Dairy city um, either as a player or a manager, um, a couple of draws maybe but Dairy always riding high at that time um You know, I'd expect A favorable result for fan harps come on the night. I think uh, their experience fan harps experience fan harps organizational skills um The physicality that the players have, you know, I just think it'll be too much for for quite a young Dairy city team and You know Fun harps will be getting that game compliment. I think get three points Okay, and now thanks for joining us. It's good to good to see you and good to talk to you and thanks for coming on board and Not about the league of Ireland with us and we look forward to the games at the weekend What's your plans for the weekend? We'll do again on? um, we play karak on friday night first game in a split so, um, as I said like, you know, I have I've seen them play one game with a training session tonight, uh, thursday um, and then a game tomorrow night. So I've had very little contact with the player so far, um So I'll take in the karak game on on friday night or Dungan and karak on friday night, and then I'll probably watch the lymphic lintourin game on saturday Who's getting that one? um, well from a league point of view and for For the for the Irish league you'd I think the league needs glintourin the one um, but you know when when it comes down to the lymphic experience You know you'd expect that they would have learned from losing the two previous games to glintourin um, but at the oval glintourin You know and they have to want it like it's going to come down to who wants it the most on the day and um I think with the quality that glintourin having a squad There'll be more than a match for lymphin, but um You've asked me who's gonna want it. I don't know I'd take Dale Gorman scoring the one or in glinthorn one on it, would you? Yeah, you would. I like it You know from Dale's point of view, I'd like to think that they'd be part of a successful team. So um Like well, I hope he gets on all right. Okay. Listen, Anthony. Thanks for joining us. Thanks, Ashley. Thank you