Richardson focusing solely on European qualifier

CORK CITY boss Damien Richardson would not elaborate on the future of star midfielder George O’Callaghan, who was sensationally omitted from tonight’s Champions League first qualifying round first leg at Turner’s Cross.

The rift between the pair seems to have deepened following last week’s training ground row that resulted in O’Callaghan being sent home and subsequently omitted from the squad that travelled to Longford on Saturday.

O’Callaghan was due to return to training on Monday but that failed to materialise and City must plan without the player many consider to be the eircom League’s most talented footballer.

The omission of O’Callaghan could backfire on Richardson, but the City manager would not make any further comment, except to say: “George is not in the picture. We’ll get on with the game. I’m only commenting on this game and the importance of it to Cork City Football Club. Nothing else is influencing my concentration whatsoever.”

When asked what kind of player O’Callaghan is, Richardson responded: “He’s a very good player and no manager likes good players not performing. But he’s not performing. So I must get on with the game on Wednesday.”

With O’Callaghan out of the picture and a question mark hanging over the fitness of John O’Flynn, what was considered a game City might win comfortably suddenly looks fraught with danger. However, Richardson is never one to shirk a challenge and he, for one, is delighted the level of expectation has risen for Cork City.

“I totally accept and am appreciative of the fact that the expectations are high for Cork City. It’s definitely a statement of the progression we’ve made.

“But the greatest sense of expectancy is from the players and talent is a great asset to any individual. But the most important part of a professional footballer’s armoury is his ambition and our ambition is quite intense and very high. We want to see our ambitions realised and what that means is we will be giving every game we can the best we possibly can.

“What I’m looking for is a good performance from each individual and if I get that then that’s success to me. We must keep things simple.”

European nights always bring the best out of this group of players, as evidenced from their exploits in Europe over the past three years, and Richardson sees nothing that will deter the players from performing to their optimum level.

“There’s nothing better than European football to whet the appetite of a professional footballer and there’s certainly nothing better than the Champions League. So there’s a sense of anticipation amongst the players because we’ve been down this road before and it has been a very exciting road, everybody is looking forward to it.”

The City manager sees Apollon Limassol “as a very well-organised side, very fit, you can see that there is a big coaching staff in the background and the players have a very good professional ethic as regards their commitment. I think that’s what impressed me most. It was very difficult to get information on them because they’re not playing at this time of the year.

“But it’s the Champions League and I expect a tough game, I expect a tough tie overall and equally I expect the Cypriots to have it tough as well. I think it will be evenly balanced, two good sides, progressive clubs, two ambitious groups of people and I think that’s the nicest part of the tie.

“Here are two different sides of Europe, two different styles perhaps and two different ways of looking at the game. I spend most of my preparation on my own team, I give respect to the opposition but most of my preparation is with my own team. As important as Wednesday night is, the following Wednesday is equally important. It won’t be won on Wednesday night and won’t be lost either.”