Former Shamrock Rovers target and Chelsea giant-killer on how pal Stephen Bradley can slay Blues
Former Ireland Under-21 international Mark Yeates scored when League One side Bradford stunned Chelsea in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge
Stephen Bradley won’t have too far to go for advice on producing a giant-killing against Premier League powerhouse Chelsea.
Fellow Tallaghtman Mark Yeates played alongside the Shamrock Rovers manager with the DDSL and Ireland underage teams, and the pair were starry-eyed teenagers in London together, albeit on opposite sides of the Tottenham/Arsenal divide.
And ex-Ireland Under-21 striker Yeates almost signed for his old pal eight years ago when the then-rookie boss was finding his feet in his new role.
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It will be 10 years next month since Yeates scored a famous goal for Bradford, then a League One club, in their sensational FA Cup comeback at Stamford Bridge.
Two-down, the Bantams staged an unlikely charge and scored four against Jose Mourinho’s side, with Yeates coming off the bench to score their fourth.
Last weekend the Dubliner, now in charge of Fleetwood Town’s Under-18s, was back at the Bridge for the first time since his unforgettable strike.
“Funnily enough I hadn’t been back to Stamford Bridge since the Bradford game, and then I was there last Sunday,” Yeates told Mirror Sport.
“My really close friend is the head of recruitment at Chelsea now, Sam Jewell. So I went down to watch Chelsea versus Brentford (2-1). That was my first time down there since I scored there.
“It’s a bit of a mad one that Rovers are there a few days later.”
Yeates faced a side that included a certain Mo Salah - making one of his 19 appearances for the Blues - Didier Drogba, Oscar, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta and Petr Cech, while Willian, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas were brought on from the bench.
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Incredibly, that was described at the time as a weakened side, with Mourinho rotating his squad, and Shamrock Rovers will face a much-changed Blues outfit tonight.
But as with almost a decade ago, the word ‘weakened’ does a disservice both to Chelsea and their opponents in this year’s Europa Conference League, where they have maintained a 100 percent record so far.
Heading into the final game of the league phase, Chelsea and Rovers are two of just three sides still unbeaten out of the 36 in the competition.
“I went there (Stamford Bridge) with Colchester when I was 19, I was on-loan there (from Spurs), and we got beaten 3-1,” Yeates recalled of his visits to the famous London ground.
“But we were 1-0 up (Joe Cole scored twice in the last 11 minutes to win for Chelsea) and nearly caused an upset that day.
“But with the Bradford lads, we had a good side and on the day we deserved it, especially in the second-half. Jon Stead was like prime Drogba.
“The lads just played to their absolute maximum and in the end we did well.
“But for myself personally, coming off the bench and scoring the goal that settled it was brilliant. So going back there last Sunday night was good, it was good to bring back some memories.”
Does he have any advice for Bradley and his players?
“I think first and foremost, it will be hard to pick what Chelsea will do,” Yeates replied.
“They are able to put out two different squads and for this tournament they tend to change 11 players. So I don’t think it will be the same Chelsea you see in the Premier League.
“You will have lads on the fringes who need games, still top players, top pros.
“If Rovers have a side that is close and has been playing together all season, then they’ll know each other inside out and they’ll know their own roles very well.
“You are hoping you catch Chelsea on the hop a little bit, that you might have lads that aren’t tuned in enough or haven’t got those combinations with each other in certain positions.
“They’ll have to have everything go in their favour on the night; Chelsea will have to be off their game and Rovers will have to be on theirs, and the big players for Shamrock Rovers will have to turn up on the night.
“You’ll need Dylan Watts, Graham Burke and Johnny Kenny up front to really step up to the mark and, with their technical ability, don’t give the ball away and try to have a spell on it.
“I’m sure Bradser and his staff will have them well prepared. Obviously being from Tallaght myself, you wish them all the best.”
It’s eight years since Yeates held talks with Bradley about a possible move to his hometown club.
He decided to stay in England, opting for Notts County over a Tallaght return with Rovers, but kept a close eye ever since on Bradley’s progress in the Hoops hotseat.
“Me and Bradser were in the DDSL team for a bit, and we were in the Irish set-up in different age groups,” Yeates said.
“We lived in London as well, so we used to see each other a bit as young boys; he was at Arsenal and I was at Tottenham.
“I was at Blackpool at the time when we spoke about a move and I was in and out of the team. We spoke on the phone, I came over, sat down with himself (Bradley) and Stephen McPhail, and it wasn’t far away from happening.
“But in the end it just wasn’t the right thing for myself and my family.
“It’s one of those ones where it probably would have been nice to go back and play at least a season back in Ireland.
“Obviously my father (Stephen) played League of Ireland, he was at Shels. But it wasn’t to be, and to be fair to Rovers they have done alright without signing me!
“I have nothing but respect for Stephen Bradley, he is a pal of mine. All the lads at Rovers have done a super job.”
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