But for captain Mark Coyle, it’s important to listen to voices from within as Damien Duff and his staff try to figure out an exit from their slump in form which has, in a bizarre twist, seen the Reds extend their lead at the top of the table while on a run of just one win in eight games.
There’s a lot on the line for the Reds in the next week as Shels have two fixtures, at home to an in-form St Patrick’s Athletic this Monday (7.15pm) and away to Shamrock Rovers on Sunday. A double success in the next few days for Shels would see them go 10 points clear of second-placed Derry City before Derry play again.
“We have been top for most of the year but there is always that talk around. We have to focus on ourselves,” says Reds captain Coyle.
“I know it’s a cliche but you have to focus on yourself and I really do mean that. You just have to win your games and whatever else is happening, we know it’s in our hands so we have to go and do the business on Monday night.”
Manager Duff revealed after Friday’s 0-0 draw at home to Sligo – an important point for the Reds as it turned out as the chasing pack of Derry and Shamrock Rovers both lost that night – that in a bit to lighten the load on the players (and their mood) he had ditched their usual Monday morning post-mortem, video analysis of a Cup defeat to Derry, and instead showed the squad a compilation of Only Fools And Horses sketches.
“Look it’s something refreshing, and it keeps us guessing,” says Donegal native Coyle, who admits he’s partial to the famous ‘chandelier’ scene from the Trotters.
“There are plenty of harsh Mondays where you come in and they [staff] are honest with you. That’s why we’ve got where we are, through that honesty and taking the feedback on board and making it work. If you want to be a better team you have to take that honest criticism or constructive feedback, take it, learn from it and try to do better.”
St Pat’s travel to Drumcondra on a run of four successive league wins, their best run since the 2022 season when they won five in a row. Though Shels won in all three meetings with the Saints this term, things have swung back in the direction of Inchicore.
“They are hitting that form now and something is clicking for them since the last time we played them. I think that was Stephen Kenny’s first game so I’m sure they have changed a lot since then.
“We have a bit of homework to do but we’ll do that over the weekend and look forward to the game on Monday. They have a great team with a lot of dangerous players.
“But it’s a Dublin derby and we know we’re capable of beating them and that’s just what we have to do,” said Coyle.
