'I'm in awe of them'
Alan Cawley and Keith Treacy have both piled praise on Kevin Doherty's Drogheda United who continue to defy the odds despite enduring more than their share of setbacks.The Drogs won the FAI Cup last year but were denied a European place because of multi-club ownership rules.The Trivela Group own the Louth club but another side under their umbrella, Silkeborg of Denmark, also qualified for this season's UEFA Conference League. In the end, it was Drogheda who missed out.Doherty then lost star man Douglas James-Taylor to Bohemians at the start of July.They've had to wait a month for a league game, watching from the sidelines as Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic embarked on European adventures.However last Friday's 1-0 win against Bohs at Dalymount Park typified their spirit under Doherty, even if their approach may not be for the purists.Ex-Dundalk boss Vinny Perth, appearing as a pundit on Virgin Media Sport's coverage of the game, said: "Pat Spillane had a very famous saying about 'puke football', we won't go into that too much, but it's this stuff, it's putting Bohs under pressure, long throws, just picking up seconds."On this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast Cawley and Treacy both talked up the job Doherty has done, and railed against any criticism of their style of play."We've been giving Kevin the plaudits now for the last 12 months, since the middle of last season, keeping them in the division and then of course the cup win," said Cawley."Since then it hasn't stopped. Everybody had them tipped to go down."When you think of the start they had, then the question gets posed after 10, 12 games can they maintain it? People were still probably thinking, 'oh they can't'. Here we are 26 games in and they're still in the European positions. It's a phenomenal job that Kevin has done."And I heard people even saying at the weekend, I think the phrase was used 'puke football', that's absolute nonsense."When you look at the levels in terms of the budget Kevin is operating off, compared to the likes of Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers whatever, and if you go away from home to one of those top teams, yeah you have to sit in, yeah you have be defensive."It was a brilliant away performance. If that was a European match you'd say that's a masterclass in defending and then obviously going and nicking the result."Kevin is doing a phenomenal job and don't let anybody else tell you that he's not."Treacy, who had a spell with Drogheda in 2015, concurred."When you're talking about puke football, that's so disrespectful," the six-times-capped Republic of Ireland midfielder added."I played in every division in England, and nobody ever sat me down and said, 'Keith we need to win and it has to be pretty'."Half of this stuff to me is pretty. When Bolger, Keeley and Quinn are throwing their bodies on the line, blocking stuff, and running like their lives depend on it, that to me is pretty football. That's everything, that's heart-on-your-sleeve stuff."So much modern-day football is, you're coached within an inch of your life. But if you motivate lads to run around and be together and have team spirit and chemistry, Kevin Doherty has shown you what it can do."Anybody who tries to detract from this Drogheda team needs to have a real look at themselves. They've picked themselves off the canvas so many times."I was talking to Kevin Doherty (before the Bohs game) and he said, 'Keith, I had to go and tell these lads they weren't playing in Europe an hour before we kicked off against Shamrock Rovers'. Drogheda took the lead in that game."If ever you want to see if a group of lads want to play for their manager, and want to do things properly, this Drogheda bunch, I'm absolutely in awe of them. I really am."I think they've been outstanding. If they finish in and around where they are now at the end of the season, I think Kevin Doherty should be given manager of the season."Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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