Gary Rogers ready for Friday night opener

Bohermeen man Gary Rogers is totally focused on what is required for success as he prepares for a remarkable 19th season in the League of Ireland.

Last March he clocked up his 500th appearance when he lined out in his customary position between the posts for Dundalk against Waterford at Oriel Park.

Rogers may well make 600 appearances by the end of the 2020 season although achieving that particular feat is not high on his radar at the moment.

Dundalk officially kicked-off the new season last Saturday evening with a 2-1 win against Cork City in the President’s Cup final at Turner’s Cross.

Now the focus turns to the televised (RTE 2) opening Premier game of the season against Sligo Rovers at Oriel Park this Friday night, a team Dundalk thrashed 5-0 in their final home game last season.

With former assistant-manager Vinny Perth now in the hot as a replacement for Stephen Kenny, is there extra pressure on Rogers and his Dundalk team for the new season after they completed a double in 2018?

“There’s always pressure when you are at Dundalk due to the success we have enjoyed over the past four years or so,” he told the Meath Chronicle.

“We did the double last year and now that’s the target we have to hit again and with a new manager now it will be a bit different for us.

“However, Vinny (Perth) is not new to Dundalk, he was there with Stephen (Kenny) and he knows the club, he knows the culture, it’s a good transition for him because he knows the players well.

“From my point of view it was the right move for Dundalk to make, it maintains continuity and keeps things going in much the same way as before.

“It’s a cliché I suppose, but the proof will be in the pudding at the end of the season when we see how we get on,” added Rogers.
Dundalk certainly can’t be faulted for their preparations for the new season and they made that winning start last Saturday evening.

“Pre-season has been good and we defeated Cork City in the President’s Cup final at the weekend, that was a good test for us ahead of the first game next Friday night at Oriel Park,” suggested the Meath shot-stopper.

“We had a training camp in Spain last week and we played two very tough  friendlies against high-calibre opposition IFBP (Stockholm) and Austrian side LASK Linz, it gave us a chance for some decent work and it certainly helped our preparations.

“We did it last year also, going to Spain, and it certainly paid off, we also went during the mid-season break, it has worked out well for us.

“Looking for other contenders this year, it will probably be a bit more competitive and congested at the top end of the table.

“I think there will be ourselves (Dundalk), along with Cork, Shamrock Rovers and Waterford, but St Pat’s could be very strong also.

“They have signed some very good players and Derry City could also be in the picture, but it’s difficult to assess how some of the other teams will fare.

“Waterford definitely have a good squad, but I think St Pat’s will be a big threat, a good start will help the likes of Pat’s and Derry, that would be important for them.

“For the last few seasons it was a two-horse race  between us and Cork, but it will be tighter this year,” he predicted.

Rogers likes the format of the 10-team Premier League although he can also see the negative side of that from the supporters’ perspective.

“The 10-team Premier has generated a lot of different opinions, but from my perspective it’s very fair in the sense that you play each team twice at home and twice away,” he highlighted.

“Previously, with the three-round series when it was 12 teams, it just wasn’t as balanced and you could have been away twice to Cork or Shamrock Rovers for example.

“There are some negative aspects also and one is that you could play the same team up to seven times in the season when you take in the various cup competitions and that’s too repetitive, it’s not great for the supporters either.

“But it has worked by making the League stronger and this year will be a good test to see how things develop.

“The reality is that we don’t have the numbers for bigger divisions and the only way you might get that would be with the teams from the North involved as well.

“That would be an interesting prospect with two divisions of 18 teams or something like that.

“That’s not something I can see happening, although it would make sense.

“There are two governing bodies, the FAI here and the IFA in the North, there are the European qualification slots in each League, if they were joined up that would mean the loss of four places.

“That would certainly be a stumbling block as European qualification equates to extra revenue for the clubs,” he said.

The Meath influence at Oriel Park is replicated by more Meath players at various clubs in both the Premier Division and the First Division.

“There is a big Meath contingent here in Dundalk and that reflects well on what has been going on at under-age level in Meath,” suggested Rogers.

“I played with Bohermeen Celtic and Fordrew Rovers, Jamie McGrath started with Athboy, Ross Treacy with Parkvilla and they then moved on to Dublin clubs.

“I played soccer and Gaelic football, but I think lads are now making decisions to concentrate on one or the other, and if you do that the chances are that you will perform better at whichever sport you choose.

“There are plenty of players also who are of a good standard and are not playing League of Ireland, lads like Colm Carney from Athboy who is with Trim Celtic and was playing for the Irish amateur team last week against Stephen Kenny’s u-21 Republic of Ireland selection at Home Farm.

“If, for example, there was a Meath team, it would certainly be an interesting exercise to see who would be in the panel, but soccer isn’t organised like Gaelic football.

“Still, it’s good to see so many young players from Meath now starting to feature and Darragh Lenihan from Dunboyne making the breakthrough for the Republic of Ireland.

“Darragh is probably the first of many Meath players who will line out at senior international level in the future, Jamie McGrath played for the u-21s, so Meath is starting to get recognition on that front.

“I’m hoping to continue playing as long as I can, I’m at the top club at the moment and I want to keep it that way, I’m in good shape, but you are always just an injury away from being finished.

“Crucially, I’m enjoying my football and that’s very important, I have this season at Dundalk, but one of the factors when you get to my age is that contracts tend to be year-to-year.

“That’s nothing new to me in the League of Ireland, that’s just the way it is, it’s not anyone’s fault, it’s the reality for clubs also.

“I was on a two-year contract and I extended that for another year last season, I’ll just have to see where that brings me,” he concluded.

GARY ROGERS ON......STEPHEN KENNY

“When an offer to manage at international level presents itself you can’t turn it down.

“He has the u-21s at the moment, but he will be taking over the Republic of Ireland senior team next year and he will be well suited to the role.

“The players want to play for their country and Stephen can get get the best out of players.

“He will be well suited to it and he will do a good job with the u-21s, he knows who the best young players in this country are.
GARY ROGERS ON ..............MEATH GAA

“I have a GAA background and I’ve always been interested in Gaelic football, I have just finished my UEFA coaching badges.

“Andy McEntee asked me to get involved and I am delighted to be able to help in any way I can.

“I do sessions with the goalkeepers and generally try to help out as much as I can.

“I enjoy doing it and hopefully Meath will also have a successful year, just like I hope Dundalk have.