‘This is a winnable tie’ – Stephen Bradley backs Shamrock Rovers to reach Europa League playoffs

‘This is a winnable tie’ – Stephen Bradley backs Shamrock Rovers to reach Europa League playoffs
The Irish champions, like the sprinter in last Saturday’s final, are chasing a deficit against NK Celje in the bid for the lucrative group stages of European competition.

Fresh from her relay heroics at the Olympics, Rhasidat Adeleke could visit her local Tallaght stadium to cheer on Shamrock Rovers’ four-lap European quest.

The Irish champions, like the sprinter in last Saturday’s final, are chasing a deficit against NK Celje in the bid for the lucrative group stages of European competition. All eyes will be in the main stand to see if the global star can attend.

Only one team from the opening round of the Champions League – Slovan Bratislava – remains in the supreme competition at the playoff stage, putting the Hoops journey to the second round in context.

Their consolation for elimination was this meeting with Slovenia side, a tie they can secure group phase participation from by turning it around.

If they were to falter again, there’s a Conference League playoff awaiting them next week.

That’s the circuitous route Rovers have embarked on after surviving the opening round scare against Vikingur, a last-minute missed penalty avoiding extra-time.

Rovers have graced the middle phase of that group series twice previously, most recently two years ago, but weren’t able to enjoy the watershed moments on their home patch.

Stephen O’Donnell’s converted penalty to reach the 2011 Europa League was sunk in Belgrade while the 2022 Conference League sequel occurred in the humble surrounds of Skopje, North Macedonia.

Close to the 10,500 capacity is anticipated on Thursday, the vast majority pushing Rovers to compensate for a disappointing domestic season by their standards.

“There were probably only 50 people there,” recalled Graham Burke about the eerie celebrations after beating Shkupi. “It was more the buzz among the lads.

“Qualifying at home before a big crowd would top the lot of my European highlights. We got to play AC Milan at Tallaght but having nobody in the stands during Covid-19 took a bit away from that occasion.”

Having a fit-again Burke leading the charge is significant for the hosts. The former Ireland international insists a recall under the new regime at 30 is beyond him but his wand of a left foot has generated memories both with Rovers and England, where he began at Aston Villa and returned via Tallaght to Preston North End.

“I’m still trying to get to my peak fitness because I haven’t played a lot of football in the last six or seven weeks,” said Burke, who has bagged eight goals in European competition.

“I had two separate injury layoffs with my calf during the season. Coming back, I got 10 minutes against Sparta, started against Waterford and got a few minutes over in Slovenia last week.

“Then there was the hour against Drogheda last Sunday – a disappointing performance, I have to admit – but another game or two and I’ll be back to my sharpest.”

With Johnny Kenny and Rory Gaffney still injured, more than usual the threat of Burke is required.

“We know and have seen that Graham can win games single-handedly,” said his boss Stephen Bradley.

“It’s been about trying to get him and the likes of Jack Byrne up to speed over the last few weeks without re-injuring them and pushing them too much.

“We’ve been trying to get the balance right on that one, having to take both of them off just after half-time, but I’m pretty sure both will have an impact on the game.”

Should that be a decisive one, a playoff against the winner of Malmo and PAOK – 4-3 from the first leg – is theirs.

Talk of safety-nets in the Conference has been banned around the training ground.

“I hate that word; what it means and the mentality around it,” he said about the parachute prize in the Conference League.

“We’re here to win the game and went to Sparta trying to win the game. When you look at the Sparta leg we gave away awful goals against a team who qualified through the Champions League this week.

“Hopefully a big crowd makes it a horrible place for Celje to come and play. This is a winnable tie.”