Buckley: It is about ensuring we have a team dynamic

St. Patrick’s Athletic manager Liam Buckley has said it is crucial that his side maintain the winning model that has overseen his trophy-laden tenure at Richmond Park if they are to enjoy a successful year in 2016.

Speaking at the 2016 SSE Airtricity League launch, the St. Pat’s boss said it was imperative that he succeeds in finding a new winning formula to go hand-in-hand with the player transition which has seen a significant number of core senior players leave the club.

Killian Brennan, Greg Bolger, James Chambers and Kenny Browne all departed the club during the winter break following a winning period that saw them bring home every domestic honour in recent years claming the Premier Division title, finally claiming an FAI Cup crown, winning the EA Sports Cup and Leinster Senior Cup plus a President’s Cup.

Last season’s poor league return which saw the Saints finish 20 points off top-spot in fourth place demanded a new and revitalised Buckley squad to come together to compete with Cork City, cross city rivals Shamrock Rovers and champions Dundalk at the top end of the Premier Division table.

This transition has witnessed nine new players enter the senior squad, including established League of Ireland stars Dinny Corcoran and Billy Denneny as well as the latter’s brother Darren, Graham Kelly, David Cawley, Mark Timlin, Dylan McGlade from Shelbourne, Michael Barker and former Republic of Ireland international Keith Treacy.

Tired performances showing a squad that had given all that it could to the Saints’ cause ended last season with five losses from eight games. Buckley is now keen to stress the renewed excitement and vigour that has existed during pre-season within his new squad.

“I’m very happy with the squad. Obviously one or two of the lads that left I would have liked to keep but it is what it is and we’re moved on”, he said speaking to Extratime.ie.

“That said we’ve brought in some terrific players. It’s a really strong group technically and for us it’s about ensuring we have that team dynamic that we’ve had over the last few years in relation to lads passing the ball and playing our style of football. Once we’ve got that I think we’ll be fine.”

Remarking the increased firepower at his disposal with the introduction of former Sligo Rovers striker Dinny Corcoran, who scored 12 goals in 2015, as well as attacking midfielder Billy Dennehy, Buckley said that the loss of Christy Fagan for much of last season and his subsequent return to fitness this year will go hand-and-hand with the new recruits.

“Christy was missing a lot last year with injury and Ciaran Kilduff went to Dundalk which left us a little bit light up front. We brought Jamie McGrath from the Under 19s into the senior team and he did terrifically well.

“So Jamie has come on again and I expect him to have a big year. Dinny Corcoran is a top player and he does now afford us the opportunity to play two up front as well, so we will have a look at that.”

The Saints take on Tommy Dunne’s Galway United this Friday night at Richmond Park. The last time the side’s met was on a tense final day of last season which saw St. Patrick’s 1-0 win guarantee the Inchicore side European football for this summer.

While Lee Desmond, Sean Hoare and Mark Timlin suffered minor injuries during pre-season, their manager says all are set to be in contention to play Tommy Dunne’s side come Friday – a game which Buckley hopes to build a new-look side playing a distinguished ‘St. Pats’ style of football for the season to come.

“We had one or two little niggles in pre-season but we should have everybody back for Galway”, he said.

“I think all of the players that we’ve signed will be excited about the group that we have. I hope that they’re all excited about the potential that we have here at St. Pat’s.

“It’s a tough league. All of the teams have made changes – Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers, Cork, Dundalk – everybody has strengthened their squad to some degree. We’ve got to make sure that we mix it with them this season and we’ll see where we go from there.”