Dave Rogers and Finn Harps get down to business

Dave Rogers and his Finn Harps squad will have their first official pre-season training session this coming Monday ahead of their SSE Airtricity League First Division opener away to Galway United. 

The Liverpool native - who joined the Ballybofey club from Premier League side Nottingham Forest, where he was U21 manager - continues to bulk his squad ahead of that February 17 start. 

But, he says, he’ll bide his time in relation to some targets if that means he eventually gets those approaches over the line. 

“We are back on the field on Monday,” said Rogers. “The boys have been working away on their programmes in the last few weeks. Lorcan (Mason), our Head of Performance, has overseen all of that. 

“When we do meet up at the start of next week they’ll already have a really good baseline. The energy and positivity already there, from the group, it’s exciting. We’re under no illusions, it’s going to be a tough season in the First Division. 

“But the supporters are going to have a squad that is prepared to run through a brick wall for this football club and each other. In terms of personnel, I’m not going to throw all my eggs in one basket in the first week of pre-season.

“I understand supporters want to see faces coming through the door. But there is no panic just because pre-season is upon us. The first game of the season is still seven weeks away. 

“Attempting to sign a full squad, just to cater for pre-season, wouldn’t be the right approach for the direction we want to go in, long-term". 

Rogers is no stranger to the League of Ireland having had spells with Drogheda United, St. Patrick’s Athletic, Dundalk, Derry City and Shelbourne, where he won the Premier Division on three occasions.

The 47-year-old’s coaching journey has also taken him across the world, working with the Liverpool FC International Academy in America, South Korea and India. He has also managed in India with DSK Shivajians FC, and more recently in America with FC Arizona.

Long term, and with a four-year contract penned on Navenny Street, Rogers’ aim is to bring some continuity and stability to matters in terms of Harps’ first team squad. 

“One thing I’ve always had a belief in is tieing players down to long term contracts. Because you keep getting this continuous merry-go-round at the end of each season if you don’t. I feel you don’t get stability or longevity that way.

“If we want to build a style or identity, we’re not going to do that by having players leaving all the time. And to be fair to the club so far, they’re backing all of that. 

“This is a new beginning, a fresh start. But we want to hit the ground running. The players I’m bringing in, first and foremost, aren’t just good players. They are quality people. That blend, it’s paramount to where we want to go .

“Anyone that walks through the door at Finn Park will already have had a sitdown face-to-face meeting with me and they’ll be under no illusions of what I expect on a day to day basis. 

“We want lads who want to play for the club, the community and the greater area of Donegal. Donegal is crying out for success and I do believe we will achieve that here eventually.”