Exciting times but John Caulfield plays cool

“I don’t look at the stats,” said a self-deprecating John Caulfield yesterday, when asked about clocking up — successfully — his 100th league game as Cork City boss with the 1-0 win against Finn Harps last weekend.

“You don’t look too far ahead in this job. You don’t get carried away because it’s a volatile position.”

He mightn’t be too bothered about how many games he has been in the City hot-seat, or looking too far ahead, but there are other numbers he is very clear on.

Like when he speaks of sating an expectant Cork public, heading into Friday night’s first home game of the season, against Galway United.

“Look at our record over the past three years, we’ve lost 14 league games in three years. I think the season before we came in, we’d lost 13 games in one season. It just shows you there’s no room for error.

"If you lose three games, you might get away with it, if you lose four, you probably won’t win the league. The fine margins, it’s that tight. Every week, every game is crucial.”

City’s trip to Ollie Horgan’s Finn Harps last Friday night was a tricky opening assignment, and Caulfield was delighted to come away with the points from Ballybofey, Seanie Maguire’s goal settling a game played in dreadful conditions on a sticky pitch — a “sea of muck”, according to the Cork boss.

“People said to us last weekend going to Finn Harps is three points but you’re going in to a sea of muck. It’s a mental battle, its not about playing football, you couldn’t play football in those conditions. The lads were brilliant, they adapted. There are days you have to dig in.

“Friday will be different. Galway are skilful and a very attacking team. We’ll have a lot more of the ball but Galway are a huge threat, we need to be careful.”

Despite losing 1-0 at home to Drogheda in their opener, Galway looked a dangerous outfit under new manager Shane Keegan, and they impressed the Cork boss.

“They have Vinny Faherty up top, he’s scored a lot of goals throughout his career. They’ve brought in Ronan Murray, a really good player, we’ve watched him a few times, a goal threat.

"(Former Cork player) Gavan Holohan we know. Against Drogheda they should have been three or four up at half-time. We have to be ready.”

Cork will be without midfielder Garry Buckley, who was sent off in Ballybofey. Stephen Dooley has a knock but should be ready for Friday, while Steven Beattie will be monitored ahead of the game, having missed out in Donegal.

“He’s got an issue, we’ll know before kick off but we’ll give him every chance to play.”

A solid start to 2017 — with a President’s Cup win over Dundalk and an away win already on the board — should ensure a bumper crowd on Leeside this weekend.

Season tickets are already closing on 1,000, with a ‘golden ticket’ free season ticket for the supporter who buys number 1,000.

“The crowd have taken to the team, they’ve seen after the cup victory this is an exciting team,” says Caulfield.

“You get periods in a club’s history when things are down, or not going well, and then you get periods when things are good — at the moment, as a supporter this is a good team to watch, they’re exciting, they’re creative, they score goals. It’s a good time to be a supporter.”