Pico Lopes: 'Starting the new year with a European game is uncharted territory but now it’s time for a break'
Time The Stamford In Bridge Picture: ©inpho/laszlo Break: shamrock Lopes Fans After Geczo For A Rovers' The Game Applauds
Pico Lopes was entitled to puff out his cheeks, exhale and reflect on a 60-game year that included the African Cup of Nations and Conference league phase.
Stamford Bridge in south-west London represented his final stopover, an occasion for the Shamrock Rovers side he captains to cherish despite a heavy defeat.
As his manager Stephen Bradley admitted following the 5-1 loss, Rovers and Chelsea are incomparable. One’s operating in billions, whereas Rovers are finally accumulating the millions.
That their objective of progressing from the league phase into the playoffs of the Conference League was secured beforehand rendered this fee-hit territory.
Chelsea are by far and away the strongest team in Uefa’s third club competition, keeping the likes of Cole Palmer in reserve until the latter stages in the Spring.
Rovers won’t share their Christmas schedule but neither will their next opponents, Molde, as the Norwegian and Irish seasons work to a summer format.
A well-earned celebration was enjoyed by the players and staff well into Thursday’s London night before they dispersed to their families for the festivities.
Then, it’s back into January training – it can’t be called pre-season because the campaigns are overlapping – before the playoff and League of Ireland season arrive together.
Either side of their playoff against Molde, the Hoops will be at Lansdowne Road on Sunday, February 16 for the showcase league opener against Bohemians.
“There were games where people thought we should have won and we did,” said Cape Verde international Lopes, referring to victories over the Welsh (TNS) and Northern Ireland (Larne) champions.
“To get the draws we picked up against Rapid Vienna and APOEL were huge bonuses for us.
“We said it for long enough that we want to compete, which is why we’re disappointed with some of the goals conceded against Chelsea.
“The most important thing was to finish as high as we could up the table. The fact that we are coming back and starting the new year with a European game is uncharted territory but now it’s time for a break.”
A first defeat in six matches of this part of the campaign left Rovers missing out on a top-eight direct ticket by goal difference.
They finished 10th in the mammoth 36-team table, whereas Molde mounted a late charge to squeeze into the middle bracket in 23rd spot, beating Mlada Boleslav 4-3 on Thursday with a stoppage-time winner, to squeeze into the middle bracket in 23rd spot. Former Ireland U21 goalkeeper Sean McDermott was a substitute.
It was either TSC Backa Topola from Serbia or the Norwegians to face Rovers heading into Friday’s draw and it wasn’t kind, as Molde reached the last-16 of the Conference League as recently as two years ago.
With the January window approaching, there’ll be tweaks to the Rovers team that confronts 2025. For starters, striker Johnny Kenny is due back at his parent club Celtic. Some players are out of contract, one of whom – Neil Farrugia – has offers abroad he’s considering. Goalkeeper Ed McGinty will likely sign from Oxford United as an alternative to Leon Pohls.
“We’ve been working now over a year non-stop so I think it’s very important to have time off,” noted Bradley.
“There are always changes in squads.
“I see that as normal and quite healthy in groups. You must keep evolving and keep a freshness. I would imagine there will be a few players that move on.”