Anthony Gorman backing Dave Rogers to be a success at Finn Harps

Anthony Gorman says Dave Rogers knows exactly just how big a task he has on his hands as the Liverpublian steps in the manager’s dugout at Finn Harps. 

The Letterkenny native is a former player and boss at Finn Park. And he was assistant boss to Pat Fenlon at Derry City when Rogers signed from Shelbourne back in 2007. 

“I’d know Dave quite well,” said Gorman. “When he was playing for Derry he actually lived out here in Letterkenny. Obviously, when I was at the tailend of my own career I’d have come up against him while he was still at Shels.  

“There is no doubt about it, Dave has a huge job on his hands. But he knows that as well as anyone. Clubs like Finn Harps, there always is that huge turnover of players. And under Ollie (Horgan) they’d done quite well operating like that, up until the season just passed. 

“Those players would have looked at that as an opportunity to make an impact on the league and then earn a move to a so-called bigger club. The problem there was that it just didn’t allow for continuity. Every year Ollie had a rebuilding job on his hands.” 

Gorman says the League of Ireland’s second tier is a tough battleground and Rogers’ first task will be to assemble a squad that possesses the right mix to hold its own there. 

“First Division football, it’s going to take a real mixture. It’s a tough, tough league. It’s no foregone conclusion that Harps will compete to go straight back up. Dave’s going to need experience. Look at the likes of Galway, Waterford and Treaty. They were decent sides last year and will only improve. You’re talking about sides that are basically full time outfits. 

“It’s also an opportunity to look at giving some of the younger lads a chance. Because of the situation Harps previously found themselves in, battling for every single Premier Division point, it wasn’t the ideal environment to give youngsters a chance.”

He added: “Dave has come from a full time environment. He’s worked in America, India and has been with Liverpool Academy. He’s just come from Nottingham Forest who are traditionally a football club that play a certain way. 

“So he’ll have his own philosophy and he’ll want to put his own stamp on things sooner rather than later. And I’ve no doubt he’ll do that. Credit to the club as well, they’ve backed him with a four-year deal. They’re looking down the track in that regard.”