'I hate Plan Bs': O'Brien's eyes fixed firmly on Rijeka

The Shelbourne manager sees Rijeka, instead of potentially Linfield, as the team to beat for the Reds to secure a maiden European league phase participation.

Shelbourne head coach Joey O'Brien speaks to the media during a Shelbourne press conference. Pic: Igor Kupljenik/Sportsfile

Europa League third round; Rijeka v Shelbourne, Stadion HNK Rijeka - Weds, 7.45pm Irish time.

Plan Bs are for strategists that don’t include Joey O’Brien.

Shelbourne’s manager sees Rijeka, instead of potentially Linfield, as the team to beat for the Reds to secure a maiden European league phase participation.

The Croatian double-winners his team faces in the coastal city of Rijeka have form in that regard, reaching the Europa group stages four times between 2014 and 2021.

Ludogorets tumbled them back into that eyeline with an extra-time 3-1 Champions League victory last week.

Defeat came with a deeper cost of losing two influential attackers, Gabriel Rukavina and Toni Fruk, to red cards and suspension for this first leg.

They’ll still fancy accounting for the Irish visitors over a tie which concludes next Tuesday at Tolka Park.

Managed by former Montenegrin international Radomir Đalović and captained by Bosnia Herzegovina goalkeeper Martin Zlomislić, their squad is a cross-section of nationalities spawned from the former Yugoslavia.

The cascading nature of the champions path presents Shels with another shot at the Conference League group if their mission fails. 

It would probably entail a derby match against Linfield, or more succinctly a rematch after the League of Ireland prevailed in the first All-Island clash last month.

Former Ireland international O’Brien is aware of the permutations from Monday’s draw, without letting the minds of his players wander towards future possibilities.

While Shels players have highlighted the kudos and financial rewards from having six extra games in the next phase, their singular focus on getting there is through the Europa.

“I spoke to the players and I said I hate Plan Bs,” he asserted.

“If you think about Plan B, blah, blah, blah, you take your eye off the ball. You play safe and you play as if it's not too big a deal.

“This is it for us. This is the game we want to attack and this is the tie we want to win.” 

Shels may have Conor Kearns returning in goal. He limped off in the second, away leg against Linfield to be replaced by Lorcan Healy and then new capture Wessel Speel but could be fit to resume.

Qarabag, another team with European pedigree, inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Shels in the second round and O’Brien was loath to offer an opinion on how this test compares.

“It’s hard to say because, looking at them from the Ludogorets game, they were the better team and should have won that tie.

“We’re prepared for a tough game but there’s only so much we can talk about the opposition. It’s about players knowing that while we’ll have to suffer for times without the ball, biting down the gumshield at times to get through them, we’ve to make the most of our spells in possession.

“We were guilty last week against Qarabag of too many cheap turnovers, especially in the first half. If you keep giving away possession against this calibre of team, they’ll pin you in, the momentum is with them for chances and it’s a long night.”