Shamrock Rovers Head Coach Stephen Bradley cut a proud, if somewhat frustrated figure, after his side’s narrow 1-0 home defeat to AIK Stockholm in the UEFA Europa League Final Qualifying Round first leg match at the Tallaght Stadium. “We knew befor
Shamrock Rovers Head Coach Stephen Bradley cut a proud, if somewhat frustrated figure, after his side’s narrow 1-0 home defeat to AIK Stockholm in the UEFA Europa League Final Qualifying Round first leg match at the Tallaght Stadium. “We knew before the game we could cause them problems. We showed that tonight. “That’s what happens in top level football,” bemoaned Bradley of Daniel Sundberg’s 74th minute winner for AIK. “If you switch off against top players you get punished. We switched off for 20 seconds and we got punished.” Bradley’s players gave everything in a composed, confident and often skilful performance. “We were well in the game and playing well. It’s one mistake that cost us. The players knew after the game, they’re disappointed.” Rovers stuck to the game plan. They didn’t and won’t overreact to the deficit, maintained Bradley. “You can get carried away and try and push on and they hit you on the break again. It was never going to be everybody go forward. That’s where they’re very good - in transition. We had to be careful.” The Hoops boss is optimistic about next week’s assignment in Sweden, “At 1-0, we’re still in the tie. We’ll create chances over there.” In Bradley’s eyes, AIK are “tactically good, defensively good. They brought that tonight. It was a high quality game. I’m sure next week will be no different. They don’t change their system. I don’t see them changing next week. We need to go over there prepared, which we will and be ready to play but we don’t need to win the match in the first ten minutes. It’s only 1-0. They’re a good side but we’ll be ready.” “We showed tonight we can cause them problems. They’ll be slightly better at home, they always are but I believe we can cause them problems.”
