Joey O'Brien tells Shelbourne players to 'have no regrets' on European odyssey

Joey O'Brien never did take up Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s offer to become his gardener.

The opportunity to see out one final season with Shamrock Rovers before joining forces with Damien Duff at Shelbourne' was more in keeping with his career goals.

Ibrahimovic ribbed O’Brien with that green-fingered jibe when O’Brien marked the global superstar in the Hoops 2020 clash with AC Milan in Tallaght.

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Not that brushing shoulders with big names fazed O’Brien. He enjoyed many glamorous European nights in his playing career with Bolton and West Ham.

But Shelbourne’s Europa Conference League game in Gibraltar this evening, against low profile opponents St Joseph’s, means just as much to the Reds assistant boss.

And he has told the players to forget about their league campaign and embrace the club’s return to the European stage for the first time since 2006.

Joey O'Brien, in action for Shamrock Rovers in 2020, contests a ball with AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic
(Image: ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson)

Shels are Premier Division leaders but O’Brien claims they have put that title push on hold as they look to progress tonight, carrying a 2-1 lead into the second-leg.

“If you can't enjoy it and embrace these moments at this level, you’re in the wrong game,” said O’Brien in Gibraltar last night.

“As a player, it’s a great moment. When I started at Bolton, we had two Europa League campaigns in three years.

“I was 19. Sam [Allardyce] was the manager and he always said to embrace these moments because you don't know when they'll come back around again.

“I look back on my career and I really did embrace them. As a young player you can sometimes let moments pass and think they'll come around again and again.

“Marseille, Sporting Lisbon, Atletico Madrid, huge games that I look back fondly on because that message hit home with me. You may never get it again.”

O’Brien, 38, and capped five times for Ireland, continued: “There were great nights coming back to Rovers and doing it for an Irish club.

“There will be a winner and loser and you want to be on the right side. It's about making sure you don't have any regrets.

Damien Duff
(Image: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane)

“You've got to raise your level and seize the moment, but don't go into battle too tight because sometimes, when you want it too bad, that's when you can't perform.

“Mistakes then creep into your game because you're thinking of the outcome and how desperately you want something. You've got to get the balance.”

Temperatures in Gibraltar soared into the 30s last week and will do so again this weekend - but they have dipped just in time for Shelbourne.

It will be around 24 degrees at kickoff (6pm local time, 5pm Irish) and O’Brien is not overly concerned by conditions, with the stiff sea breeze beside the ground a leveller.

On Tuesday night, Duff and O’Brien went to Victoria Stadium to see how the artificial surface played out in Red Imps Champions League qualifier.

But O’Brien is adamant that Shels - who face Swiss giants Zurich if they progress - will be holding nothing back in Europe, despite their title goals at home.

“There has been no talk about the league since the day after the Drogheda game,” he said. “As soon as you start saying ‘prioritise this or that’, that’s not an option.

“It’s about winning games and that’s. Today is the biggest game of the season and that's just the way it is. Hopefully we’ll take care of business.”

Shels midfielder JJ Lunney reckons their 2-1 aggregate lead is irrelevant going into this tie and has stressed the importance of a win-at-all-costs approach.

Lunney said: "Obviously, it was great to win last week but this is a new game. If you go out and try to hold onto the result from last week, that's when you’re vulnerable.

"You need to try to win. For us, and the manager, you never go out and take a backward step. It’s all focused on winning the game."

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