No excuses from Gallagher
Credit:
Following Finn Harps loss at the hands of Athlone Town, Extratime
caught a moment with Harps manager James Gallagher. Paul Danaher got
the goal that denied Gallagher’s charges their first win of the campaign for a further week.
Finn Harps have now conceded six goals in just two encounters without finding the net themselves, and Gallagher was quick to point out the minute differences between winning and losing in the League of Ireland First Division.
“In Cork they had six or seven attempts on goal and they scored five goals. People spoke about how well we played and the possession we had. And again here tonight against Athlone, in the second half we had plenty of possession and several chances, we even had a couple cleared off the line in the first half but that doesn’t get you three points,” he explained.
Gallagher added, alluding to his teams defensive displays, "“What gets you results is a hunger and a desire to play for the jersey and a focus and concentration to play senior football. I think we’re certainly lacking in the second part, the focus and concentration. We’re coming up very short in that department, we’re not playing as well as we can."
It was an honest appraisal of his teams performance and Gallagher was in no mood to rest on the softer criticisms of his team, "I could make excuses for the team or the club where we were disrupted by injuries and suspensions and having a game called off and then having a free weekend, but I think that would just be what I said – excuses. I think we need to take it on the chin and move on.”
While in Athlone on Tuesday night, the confidence of the players may have led to poor defensive mistakes and toothless offensive approach play, Gallagher says he is giving his all and has the full backing to do so by the club board, a testament he wished to extend to the worried fans of Finn Harps.
“I’m doing my best and more, I have done since I got the job,” he said. “I give it a hundred percent every day. As tough as things are at the moment, the players get looked after here. I have to give great credit to the Chairman (Joey O’Leary) and I’ve told the players that they are getting looked after as well as any group of players that have been here.
“This group of players gets looked after as well as any of the teams in the past if not better. In terms of training there’s no stone unturned there. The Chairman couldn’t have backed me anymore."
He added, "For some reason it’s just not happening at the moment. From my point of view, yes you will always look at yourself and ask are you given them the right information but I feel I’m doing my best in that regard.”
Gallaghers men cross the white line again when they host Longford Town on Friday the 22nd (KO, 7.45)
Finn Harps have now conceded six goals in just two encounters without finding the net themselves, and Gallagher was quick to point out the minute differences between winning and losing in the League of Ireland First Division.
“In Cork they had six or seven attempts on goal and they scored five goals. People spoke about how well we played and the possession we had. And again here tonight against Athlone, in the second half we had plenty of possession and several chances, we even had a couple cleared off the line in the first half but that doesn’t get you three points,” he explained.
Gallagher added, alluding to his teams defensive displays, "“What gets you results is a hunger and a desire to play for the jersey and a focus and concentration to play senior football. I think we’re certainly lacking in the second part, the focus and concentration. We’re coming up very short in that department, we’re not playing as well as we can."
It was an honest appraisal of his teams performance and Gallagher was in no mood to rest on the softer criticisms of his team, "I could make excuses for the team or the club where we were disrupted by injuries and suspensions and having a game called off and then having a free weekend, but I think that would just be what I said – excuses. I think we need to take it on the chin and move on.”
While in Athlone on Tuesday night, the confidence of the players may have led to poor defensive mistakes and toothless offensive approach play, Gallagher says he is giving his all and has the full backing to do so by the club board, a testament he wished to extend to the worried fans of Finn Harps.
“I’m doing my best and more, I have done since I got the job,” he said. “I give it a hundred percent every day. As tough as things are at the moment, the players get looked after here. I have to give great credit to the Chairman (Joey O’Leary) and I’ve told the players that they are getting looked after as well as any group of players that have been here.
“This group of players gets looked after as well as any of the teams in the past if not better. In terms of training there’s no stone unturned there. The Chairman couldn’t have backed me anymore."
He added, "For some reason it’s just not happening at the moment. From my point of view, yes you will always look at yourself and ask are you given them the right information but I feel I’m doing my best in that regard.”
Gallaghers men cross the white line again when they host Longford Town on Friday the 22nd (KO, 7.45)
