08-05-2025
‘They're top of the table for a reason' – Stephen Bradley hails ‘very clever' Drogheda Utd trait ‘referees need to see'
STEPHEN BRADLEY believes Drogheda United's rise to the top is down to knowing when to drop - and he has told his players to be prepared for it.
Bradley's Shamrock Rovers' host the Drogs at Tallaght Stadium tomorrow night in a battle of second versus first in the table.
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Drogheda United are top of the Airtricity League Premier Division
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley praised the Drogs
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
And the Hoops' gaffer was full of praise for table toppers
Drogheda United
who he acknowledged have a totally different style to his team.
But he also warned his side to keep their discipline, as he believes no side in the league plays for - or is as effective at - winning free kicks.
Bradley said: 'They've been very good at what they're doing. Very clever at what they're doing.
'They must have the most fouls in the league, they are very clever. They hit the deck at every opportunity.
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'I watched the game against
Cork
, I didn't count the amount of fouls but it was really high.
'That's them being clever, hitting the ground after contact because they know they want to get in the box.
'Any contact and they go down and they get free kicks and with that they get to put it in the box. It's working for them. Why would they change it?
'You're asking for the refs to see that and be strong. But you've got to respect that, they've recognised that and they're doing it.
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'That's a way of playing. Everyone has their own style, their own way.
'It doesn't make me and our way more effective than their way. It's obviously not because they are top of the league.
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'There is more than one way to play
football
, if we all played the same way, it would be pretty boring, they've their way, it's effective.
'They are top of the league for a reason. They've been very efficient at what they are doing. So we've got to be ready for tomorrow.'
But Bradley is confident that his side are in good form despite Monday's win over
Sligo
Rovers being their first in five matches.
But the preceding four - draws with St Pat's, Shelbourne, and
Cork City
, and a loss to Bohemians - saw them lead in all of them and he believes performances have been good.
Bradley added: 'I understand people react to results and would correlate that with your performances and what you are doing but I think what we've been doing is really good.
'If you go back to the Pat's game and take it from there, we should win them games. We were ahead and normally you go and win them games.
'It was about not reacting to them results and understanding a large part of what we're doing was really really good.
'It's just about relaxing, keep doing what we're doing, if you asked us in January to be where we are now after the back of last year and
pre-season
, we would have taken your hand off.
'We know this team only gets better, and stronger as the season goes.'
SOUND OF SILENCE
Meanwhile, Bradley confirmed there has been no contact with Shelbourne manager
He said: 'It's not about reaching out, it's about when I say something that's how I feel. If I feel something I will say it, and then for me it's quite easy, get ready for the
next
training session, the next game.'
And he said that he has not spoken to
Ireland
defender and former Hoop
Dublin
after he was released by
Bradley continued: 'I haven't spoken to Enda, I would often speak to him when he's home, I spoke to him before about his coaching aspect.
'I think he would not be short of options (in England) in terms of what he wants to do, how he plays and the level he has played at, he will definitely have options.'
