Remembering Shelski

LEAGUE of Ireland clubs would be entitled to regard the “turmoil” at Stamford Bridge with envy but it’s not so long ago that Shelbourne were being dubbed ‘Shelski’, as they scooped up the cream of Irish footballing talent and had pundits tipping them to dominate the game here for a long time to come.

And, indeed, on the field of play they have been the most successful club of the last few years, as well as admirable standard-bearers in Europe — but, now it emerges, at a price they couldn’t really afford to pay.

Hard lessons will have to be learned from the Shels experience but, after setting the bar so high, it would be churlish not to wish all at Tolka Park a full recovery. Even if it’s unlikely to be a speedy one.