John Caulfield: ‘We have to keep going, we have to drive on’

“I’m very much in the now. Dealing with what’s happening at the moment.”

It’s a good place to be and John Caulfield isn’t keen to look too far ahead.

Not to Champions League football, to replacing Seanie Maguire, or even to next month’s FAI Cup final.

There’s Pat’s tonight and there’s achievement to savour.

Caulfield slipped away Tuesday night for a chat and a laugh with a few old friends. Cork City’s players went into town, celebrating the title with jubilant supporters in a way that’s beautiful and unique to smaller, community-based football clubs.

They were back at the Bishopstown training ground for a recovery session on Wednesday and hard at work yesterday.

“Back on the pitch, buzzing,” their manager says.

He might like to hit pause, to linger in the now, but the game rarely lets you dwell on the ball or in the moment.

First thing on yesterday morning’s agenda was a meeting and a reminder that achievement will trip you up if you dwell too long.

“I told the players this morning, that’s not it. We have to keep going, we’ve to drive on and we’ve to keep the standards high, and to a higher standard than we did this year.

“That will be another challenge. But if the players are hungry enough, we’ll do that. A lot of them would never have imagined the euphoria of Tuesday night, the coverage. They wouldn’t have been used to that. They just wouldn’t have understood. What it means to people.

“I told them, do you think that’s the high? It’s not the high. It’s something you say to yourself you want more of that. If you have the drive and desire that you want more of that, more of that will come. Whether you want to be part of that, it’s up to yourselves.”

It was a hint of the next battle, keeping the title-winners together in the face of more persuasive purses elsewhere. Caulfield confirmed yesterday that from December 1 City will pay all players on a 52-week-per-year basis, a step he believes to be the single most important off-field goal the club has reached. But money will never be his trump card to play.

“Ultimately money in Irish football is poor. It’s about the environment, it’s about the way we train, how we’re looked after, travelling to games, eating properly, having the strength and conditioning guys. Keeping everything in place so they’re getting the best of everything.

“What Europe does and winning does, it not so much increases your budget. Though when you’re a manager you’re always looking to see can you get a better quality player. But it allows you to bring in more stuff in the background. Employ more expertise. Make it more advanced. It gives you more options.

“There are some clubs that give better wages. If you get a few bob more, do you want to run somewhere else? That’s your choice. I’m confident most of the team will stay. Will some fellas leave? I’m sure they will. But I don’t want any fellas here that are not happy.

“Loads of players want to come to Cork City, to be in this dressing room. We have to make sure they are the right players. Who can be eight out of 10 every week. Not eight one week and four for three weeks. That won’t win you anything.”

His own contract is almost sorted. “There was no real issue. Over the next week we’ll get things done right.

“To be honest I wouldn’t be in this job if it was about money. I gave up a job to come here and took a significant reduction at the time.

“In life, Cork City isn’t a job to me. Think what your favourite pastime is. Imagine being paid to do that. That’s me here. I’m on a mission here. We wanted to turn the club round. We want to win trophies. There are more trophies to be won here.”

Steven Beattie will miss out for City after coming off with a groin strain against Derry.