BRIAN GARTLAND has told Dundalk’s players there is no room for moping as they look to climb off the foot of the table.
The Lilywhites endured the worst start of their history, failing to win any of their first ten games, with Stephen O’Donnell sacked as boss after eight of those.
Gartland, the club’s head of football operations, is both involved in the search for a replacement and, along with Liam Burns, in interim charge of the team.
And, after Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Bohemians, in which Stephen Kenny’s 18-year-old son Eoin made his league debut, Gartland said he does not want anyone feeling sorry for themselves.
He explained: “That’s where we are and the league table says it. I don’t know what else I can say.
“We are asking for positivity, we don’t want anyone moping or down faces and that’s hard, when you are left out of the squad and not starting when you feel you should be, it’s hard.
“I don’t mind lads being disappointed but if they arrive the next day and are all in good form to work for the team, that’s all we ask.”
Dundalk brought in 11 players — nine of whom had never played in the League of Ireland before — during the off-season.
And the former centre-half admitted he would like to have a team-bonding session with them but there is no time to squeeze one into their current schedule.
He said: “It’s hard to do stuff like that when you’ve three games in a week, we’ve done stuff like that in the past.
“And I will be looking for that once we can get a break in the schedule. We have so many players coming in who need to gel.
“But in what’s been a tough week, their attitude has been brilliant.”
One of the new arrivals, Robbie Mahon, who joined from Motherwell, injured his ankle against his former club — leaving the field at Dalymount on a stretcher with Gartland unsure of the prognosis.
He said: “You just have to see how it settles down. It could be days or a week, we have to wait.
“He hasn’t been rushed to hospital so that’s a positive.”
The 20-year-old had some good moments before his withdrawal but the Dubliner was frustrated at his team’s failure to work Bohs keeper Kacper Chorazka.
TAKING CHANCES
He said: “You need to make them count when you have them under pressure and with the wind as well.
“We had plenty of corners and set-pieces but we didn’t make them count.
“I can’t fault the players’ commitment and their intent.
“Both full-backs are driving forward and there’s people getting in the box.
“We are getting into shooting opportunities that we don’t take. We can’t criticise but that final touch is a confidence thing.
“There are good players there who have played in the league and skinned many full-backs, it’s just that final part of the puzzle.
“Coming off the pitch, someone said we had six or seven shots but I don’t remember their keeper making a save, so that’s the hard bit to take.”
YOUNG TALENT
On Kenny, 18, Gartland said: “Eoin has a lot of great attributes, he’s one of those players who can be in the right place at the right time.
“It’s brilliant for Eoin and I am delighted for him. His work ethic is incredible on and off the pitch. He deserved his debut.”
Gartland will be in charge for Friday’s game against Sligo Rovers but expects progress on the hiring of a manager next week.
He said: “A profile is being put together of what we need.
“There are one or two from Europe that I would not have been familiar with but they have excellent CVs with international and European — Uefa group stage — experience. Then there is the UK and interest from at home.
“But it is important the club gets it right.”