Vinny Perth: Dundalk can survive without European football

Dundalk manager Vinny Perth applauds the crowd after losing to Vitesse. Picture: INPHO/Tommy Dickson

Vinny Perth insists Dundalk can survive its first season without European football in nine years, whether or not he’s still at the helm for the rebuild.

The Lilywhites will either have to win the FAI Cup or bridge an 11-point gap to third place over the remaining 15 matches to qualify for the Europa Conference League.

Their latest European campaign was ended on Thursday in the third qualifying round by Eredivisie outfit Vitesse.

Pat McEleney’s brace in Arnhem last week earned the Irish side a 2-2 draw, but two first-half concessions at Tallaght meant Pat Hoban’s late penalty was not enough to force extra time.

Off-field upheaval has been rife since American hedge fund Peak6 took ownership in 2018, with Perth sacked and rehired within the space of nine months.

In common with all bar one of his players, his contract lapses at the end of November, and they are already aware that McEleney is out the door to hometown club Derry City.

The grim financial outlook for a club burdened with the leagues’ biggest wage budget has raised questions about Peak6’s commitment.

But Perth has dismissed it, countering that the revival of a club that won four out of five titles between 2015 and 2019 is achievable.

“If we do miss out on Europe, we’ve only got ourselves to blame,” he said.

“But I think we can cope with that, whether people want to believe it or not. We need a year to rebuild as a club, and we’ll do so from a decent enough position.

“I genuinely haven’t made any decisions about my future. I am discussing that stuff in a lot of detail with the club. And what I’m hearing from them tells me maybe it is a good opportunity.”

Dundalk are back in league action tomorrow at Derry City. Bohemians, who also bowed out of Europe, host Sligo, while the sole survivor in the Conference League, league leaders Shamrock Rovers, are away to struggling Drogheda United.

Today’s only fixture is between the bottom two, Longford Town and Finn Harps.

SSE Airtricity Premier Division fixtures (all live on LOITV) — today: Longford Town v Finn Harps, Bishopsgate, 7.30pm.

Tomorrow: Drogheda United v Shamrock Rovers, HITG Park, 3pm; Bohemians v Sligo Rovers, Dalymount Park, 3pm; Derry City v Dundalk, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 3pm.