Shelbourne captain Mark Coyle stated their Champions League fixture towards Linfield on Wednesday is a chance to make “new recollections” after final month’s departure of supervisor Damien Duff.
The Dublin facet’s assembly with the Northern Eire champions at Tolka Park (19:45 BST) is their first fixture in Europe’s prime membership competitors in 20 years with each legs of the tie to be streamed stay on the BBC Sport web site and app.
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Duff, who gained 100 caps for the Republic of Eire, led Shelbourne to their first League of Eire championship since 2006 final season, however their title defence proved a disappointment and the previous Chelsea and Blackburn Rovers winger surprisingly with the facet fifth within the desk.
New supervisor Joey O’Brien, Duff’s former assistant and worldwide team-mate, earned his first victory on the third try at residence to Cork Metropolis on Friday evening, giving the facet momentum going into their tie towards David Healy’s squad.
“It has been superb,” stated Coyle of the group’s temper since Duff’s shock departure.
“We clearly have enormous respect and love for the ex-manager however now we’re excited for the brand new period.
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“The gaffer [O’Brien], it has been nice. He is put his personal stamp on issues and you may see across the floor, there’s clearly an pleasure and it is nearly creating new recollections now.”
Former West Ham and Bolton Wanderers defender O’Brien stated he has maintained his good relationship with Duff for the reason that title-winning supervisor’s departure, whereas the 39-year-old doesn’t really feel his ascension into the highest job has been a disruption.
“Lots has modified however quite a bit hasn’t modified actually, it is nonetheless the identical form of factor,” O’Brien stated.
“I am teaching day-after-day, I am out on the pitch day-after-day. Clearly I had an awesome relationship with the person earlier than us [so] I might have had lots of say in lots of conferences and brought lots of conferences and stuff like that.”
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Coyle believes O’Brien has “bought all of the attributes” to be a profitable supervisor and added that the beginning of their Champions League marketing campaign has helped preserve the “good buzz” across the membership.
Within the twenty years since they final performed within the competitors, Shelbourne have endured a number of relegations, monetary struggles and uncertainty over the way forward for their residence floor.
After what he known as “darkish years”, the skipper stated that the supporters deserve an event corresponding to Wednesday evening.
“The followers had been right here lengthy earlier than us, and might be right here lengthy after us, so for them it is clearly a large event as effectively and it is what they deserve for what they have been by means of,” he stated.
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“We’re simply glad we gave them the chance, however now it is about going on the market and placing on a efficiency and ensuring that they will cheer once more.”