Graham Burke targeting Tallaght Stadium first for Shamrock Rovers in big European clash
The Hoops trail Slovenian champions NK Celje 1-0 but will secure group stage football is they can flip the tie
Graham Burke wants to create a little slice of Shamrock Rovers history tonight by qualifying for a European group stage campaign on home soil.
The Hoops know they will secure at least the Conference League groups if they can overturn a narrow deficit against Slovenian champions Celje in the Europa League.
Progress tonight would set up a Europa League playoff with Greek giants PAOK, who Rovers faced in group stage football back in 2011.
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That was an historic run under former Rovers boss Michael O’Neill as it was the first time an Irish club had ever qualified for a group campaign.
The Hoops sealed their ticket on a memorable night in Belgrade, stunning FK Partizan with only a handful of Rovers fans in the Serbian capital to witness it.
And when Rovers qualified for the Conference League group stages in 2022, it was a similar story with a small smattering of fans at the Shkupi game in North Macedonia.
Tonight, Burke would love to secure group stage football for the first time on home soil, in front of a packed Tallaght Stadium crowd.
“There were probably 50 (fans) over at Shkupi, so when we qualified and went to the crowd, there wasn’t what it would be at home,” he said yesterday.
“It was just the buzz amongst the lads in the changing room.”
Shamrock Rovers have already secured €1.7m from their European exploits this season and that will rise to €3.87m if they progress tonight.
Defeat, and the Hoops still have the fallback of a Conference League playoff against FC Ordabasy of Kazakhstan or Armenia’s FC Pyunik.
Burke said: “The first round (against Vikingur of Iceland) was massive because you knew if you won you would have three attempts to get into the group stages.
“You want to win tonight and get into Europe right now. You don't want to be looking further down the line.
“We're just 1-0 down. It's not the worst scenario. You can turn a 1-0 deficit around quickly with an early goal and play off that with momentum.”
But while the prize money would be welcomed by club chiefs, Burke insists the players can’t afford to let the loot impact their approach tonight.
“Obviously you know what’s at stake but you don’t want to take that into your thinking as a football player,” he said.
“Maybe the board members think of it but as a player, I don’t go home and think about the finances.
“You have to focus on yourself. What do I bring to the team? What do I need to do to be on top of my game?
“It’s about what I’m going to eat, fluids, rest and what does my body need in order to perform.”
Burke is getting back up to speed after battling a calf injury over the last six weeks - his second such injury of the season.
And he hopes the 60 minutes he got in Sunday’s league draw with Drogheda stands to him even if the Hoops squandered a title lifeline on the day.
But despite being 10 points off Shels - with a game in hand - the Ireland international is adamant that Rovers are still alive and kicking in the title race.
And he is braced for competing on both fronts now that he is back from injury.
Burke added: “The squad we have is built for that. The league and getting into Europe are two big priorities - it’s not one or the other.
“We’re still in the league. We’re within reach of it. We had a poor result on Sunday but I personally believe with the squad we have the league is firmly within our grasp.
“But tonight, the first goal is huge. Hopefully the crowd gets right behind us from the start.”
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Stephen Bradley has called on Shamrock Rovers fans to make it ‘horrible’ for NK Celje tonight as the Hoops target group stage football.
Slovenian champions Celje arrive at Tallaght Stadium protecting a 1-0 lead in the Europa League third round.
But the League of Ireland champions know they will secure at least Conference League group action if they overturn the tie and progress to the Europa League playoffs.
Hoops boss Bradley said: “Hopefully we have a big crowd and hopefully they make it a horrible place for them to come and play. Our full focus is on trying to win the game.”
Bradley winced at talk of free hits, with Rovers knowing they will face Armenia’s FC Pyunik or Ordabasy of Kazakhstan in the Conference playoff if they lose tonight.
“I do hate that, I really do hate that. I hate that word, I hate what it means and I hate the mentality around it, we’re here to win the game,” he said.
“You look at the Armenian side who are 1-0 up, I think they have seven Brazilians. If you think you can look at this as a free-hit and that is your fall back, you’re in trouble.
“That is a team who have invested heavily in the last 18 months. You can’t think like that, you have to focus on this.
“This is a winnable tie. This is a team where if we know we’re at our best we can win and that will be our focus. Nothing else.”
Bradley added: “I said when we got groups that we didn’t want to wait another 10 years to get it again. We’ve put ourselves in a position to try to do it and that’s the aim.
“I’ve no doubt we can score and win the game tonight, but I’ve also no doubt that we are up against a good team.
“If we’re not focused and we’re not completely set up for transition they can really hurt us. They are really strong in that area.”
Last week’s pitch in Slovenia was labelled a disgrace by Bradley and Hoops ace Graham Burke said it was one of the worst he had ever seen.
It’s usually in good condition but appears the wrong chemicals were sprayed on it and destroyed parts of the grass.
Bradley is confident Rovers will give a better account of themselves on the lush Tallaght surface - but knows Celje will too.
“Their two midfielders are really good technicians and you couldn’t see that on the pitch,” he said.
“It took them three or four touches to play what they would normally play in one or two. They are dangerous.”
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