Shels appointing Russell is 'shrewd business'

Shelbourne's appointment of John Russell as their new manager represents "shrewd business" from the club, according to former Republic of Ireland international Keith Treacy.

Galway native Russell ends a four-year spell at Sligo Rovers, who he also lined out for during his playing career, and steps into the vacancy left by Joey O'Brien.

Russell was confirmed as Shels manager on Monday morning and will now be tasked with trying to push the 2024 SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division champions up the table as well as getting them off to a good start in the Club Orange Men's FAI Cup and the Conference League qualifiers.

Reacting to the news on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, former St Patrick's Athletic and Drogheda United winger Treacy felt it was a good move from Shelbourne to bring in Russell.

"On the face of it, I think it's a brilliant appointment," he said.

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"I think he's done really well. I think he's earned his chance. A lot of people were asking me, 'Who would you fancy for that (job)?'

"And within League of Ireland terms, I was thinking Kevin Doherty is somebody at Drogheda United who's done really, really well.

"I didn't see John Russell moving away from Sligo, so he wasn't even on my radar as going to Shelbourne. But I think it's shrewd business."

Treacy added that he was curious to see the style of play Russell will look to implement at Tolka Park, having looked to play progressive football at the Showgrounds.

"I remember having a chat with John, I think Rovers were playing Shelbourne in the Showgrounds, and I just had a chat with him in the middle of the pitch and we were talking about Sligo's style of play," he recalled.

"And I was trying to tell him, 'Would you not be a little bit more attritional? You get caught in the middle of the park the odd time.'

"And he said, 'Look, that's our attraction. That's how we get players to play for Sligo. We tell them we play football and we improve them as footballers.'

"It's not all about winning at Sligo. At Shelbourne, it'll be a different kettle of fish. There's going to be an awful lot of pressure on them to win games of football.

"So I'm really interested to see is it a more football-based approach at Shelbourne? Is it going to be a little bit more attritional?

"Because under Damien Duff, they won the league and I wouldn't class that as beautiful football that did that for Shelbourne.

"So they're bringing in a manager who likes to play football. I think with the players that Shelbourne have - Jack Henry-Francis, Harry Wood - they've got good footballers in that team.

"So it'll be really interesting. But on the face of it, on paper, it looks like a brilliant appointment and I'm delighted for John Russell. But I feel a little bit sick for Sligo, I have to be honest."

The Bit o' Red are in an on-field predicament, sitting bottom of the table after the late Connacht derby defeat to Galway United on Saturday.

"Everything just seems to be piling on. They seem to be as low as a snake's belly and they just keep getting repeatedly kicked while they're down," Treacy said.

"It will go one or two ways. They'll bring somebody in and maybe he can (get a) siege mentality, backs against the wall. 'Everybody expects us to go down. Let's have a bit about us.'

"There could be a reaction or there could be just an acceptance. And if there's an acceptance, it's never a good thing.

"I feel there are only so many times throughout the season you can go to the well and keep going and keep going, and losing the manager, a last minute defeat to Galway, it just feels like there's a pummeling taken by Sligo at the minute.

"And like I say, I hope there's a reaction in the positive sense, but I really can't see it. And the way Waterford are going about it, it looks like that horse is just starting to bolt away."

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