Gary Rogers is one of the most decorated players playing in the League of Ireland today, but he shows no sign of slowing down as he gets set to challenge for further honours with a Cup Final date at the Aviva Stadium next month.
Rogers 36, has already won the league title 3 times, twice with Dundalk and once with Sligo Rovers along with 3 FAI Cups with 3 difference clubs, Drogheda United and the aforementioned Dundalk and Sligo, however he desperately want to add another Cup winners medal.
On Tuesday night Dundalk battled through extra-time to eventually get past a tough Shamrock Rovers challenge in Tallaght Stadium to set up a repeat FAI Cup Final with Cork City, and Rogers said that him and the players are thrilled to be there, “Yeah absolutely, I think everyone in the club and all the players are thrilled with that. It would have been a real anti-climax if we hadn’t have got through the game. With a Cup Final now to look forward to, it’s a fantastic way to finish a season in the Aviva Stadium. Everyone is really relishing the opportunity to go back there in the Aviva in the Cup Final.”
With the game tied 2-2 midway through extra-time penalties were looking ever more likely, however Rogers said they really wanted to at least try and win the game but that he did let the thought of a shoot-out enter his mind, “The thought had crossed my mind alright. I think with us, we would always try and win the game because as you know extra-time is a bit of a lottery. You never really know what way it’s going to go. The best chance you have is to go and try and win the game in extra-time. It doesn’t always work out like that.”
“I suppose the later it goes in extra-time teams sort of settle for it (penalty shoot-out) but we really went for it and got the goals. The first goal was vitally important, and Stevie O’Donnell’s was the icing on the cake and really insured that we were going to get to the final.”
While Cork City look to have ended Dundalk’s title reign this season it will still be viewed as a very successful season should the Lilywhites go on to win the FAI Cup. Having already secured the EA Sports Cup with a 3-0 victory, also against Tuesday’s opponents Shamrock Rovers, two trophies and a second-placed finish after a player over-haul at the beginning of the season would be very satisfactory. “Yeah I suppose it’s fine margins really. I think If we go and win the final it will be looked upon as a good season as you’ve 2 trophies, but if we don’t win the final it flips it the other side and it’s not a successful season, but the fact that we have the opportunity to go and try and win that FAI Cup says something about the consistency of the group that obviously we’re second in the league, the EA Sports Cup already in the bag and the FAI Cup to look forward to,” said Rogers.
“When you look back at our European venture this year, obviously it wasn’t the heights of last year, there was just the width of a post in it really in the end. Rosenberg are now in the group stages, beat Ajax and gave Celtic a real scare and were probably nearly better value for the win in the games based on the performances over the 2 legs. We went out to a really good side, but I don’t feel we were that far behind them in the end. We probably didn’t get the rub of the green that we got the previous season against BATE. Look, all in all, if we can win the FAI Cup along with the EA Sports Cup it will be a successful season. Like I said, if we don’t win the FAI Cup we’ll be very disappointed, but that’s the way it goes.”
Thinking ahead to the Cup Final Gary says it’s an occasion to cherish, “I think it’s an occasion you have to look forward to and enjoy. I mean players want to go and play in the big occasions against the top teams, and look it’s at the Aviva Stadium and there’s no better stadium to be playing in with a big crowd there. Last year was obviously disappointing for us, to lose with the last kick of the ball in extra-time. Obviously it would have went to penalties. To lose in that manner did hurt us, there’s no denying it. We’ve got an opportunity to go back now and try and rectify that.”
Father Time however waits for no man, but Gary, who still has a year left on his contract, has no intention of hanging up the gloves anytime soon, “I’m in far better condition that I was this time last year. I was struggling with a couple of injuries. You know it’s been a very good season and thankfully my fitness has been good. I’ve always been lucky with injuries over the years, whereas I’ve never really missed too many games through injury. If that holds firm, you like to play as long as you can.”
“As long as your form is good, and the manager’s happy with you. I’ve another year on my contract at Dundalk and I’m really enjoying it there and I’m looking forward to next year obviously. We have to look after this year first, and if we can win another FAI Cup it would be a great way to finish off the year. I think, long-term you just try and play as long as you can because you’ll be long enough looking at the game after you finish playing, so I think while you’re fit and you’re healthy and you’re still able to do it then you should try as play as long as you possibly can.”
He was a member of Martin O’Neill’s Squad last season, following his superb displays for Dundalk, and was as delighted as any Irish fan when Ireland beat Wales to qualify for the World Cup playoffs on Monday night, “Absolutely, It was great, great for the whole country. It’s great that they’ve got a chance to qualify for the World Cup. There could be so many former League Of Ireland players going to the World Cup, if the lads can get through the next qualifier.”
Gary played with Preston’s Seani Maguire and he was delighted to see the former Cork City striker make his International debut, “It’s brilliant, I was delighted for Seanie, a really really good fellow. I played with him at both Sligo and Dundalk. Obviously it’s well documented how well he’s done at Cork this year and he’s kicked on again and continued that success at Preston.”
“I’m delighted for him cause he’s worked very hard in order to get himself into the national team, and now that he’s in there he’s obviously done well because Martin straight away put him into a qualifier game. That’s a good indication of what Martin thinks of Seanie. I’m sure he has a bright future. He’s been excellent all season, and as I said he’s continued it into the Championship so I’m sure we’ll see plenty more from Seanie in the green shirt and hopefully some goals in the near future.”
With Maguire’s call-up, mostly based on what he did in the League of Ireland with Cork City, Gary feels that the young players coming through the league now see an opportunity to really progress their careers, “I think it’s great for all the young players in the league to see that there’s been 4 players in the squad over the last year which has been brilliant. Regardless of whether they flew over to England or not, they were all playing League of Ireland either this year or last year and they were all in the National team.”
He continued, “That’s the encouragement for any young player in the league that’s looking to make their way, at least they know that it’s possible if they work hard. That’s what it takes, you have to get the head down, you have to work hard, and work hard at your game, on and off the field in order to achieve that. I know that the lads have done that, and Seanie certainly has done that as well. It’s good for the League of Ireland and for players that it can be achieved, and that it’s something to aim for.”
Photo Credit: Middle (George Kelly)
Comments
Post a Comment