'We don’t need his approval,' Bradley hits back at ex-Liverpool midfielder Riera

Shamrock Rovers were beaten at home by old rivals Celje on Thursday.

WAR OF WORDS: Shamrock Rovers’ head coach Stephen Bradley applauds the fans after the game. Pic: INPHO/Nick Elliott

Albert Riera was awaiting the question and had his answer primed to be unleashed.

The Spaniard's beef with Stephen Bradley has been simmering for over a year since the Shamrock Rovers boss accused the ex-Liverpool midfielder of ‘arrogance’.

That retort came after Riera’s Celje side were eliminated from the Europa League by Rovers but revenge was in the air on Thursday in Tallaght.

The Slovenian Cup holders were worthy 2-0 winners on the night, affording Riera the moral ground he wasn’t going to waste.

“What goes on in Las Vegas should stay in Las Vegas,” was his initial response to being asked about the absence of handshakes between the managers at full-time.

“Personally, I will not say any word because I don't know him and I don't want to know him.

"We didn't even have one coffee. And we will not have to, anyway, we will not give him the chance to have a coffee with me because after one year, he still didn't apologise. And this, I will not accept.

"If I can judge, I can judge as a manager, and as a manager I can say that he has to take care of his team, to improve his team.” 

Riera cut deeper, noting how the success of Bradley – four titles, an FAI Cup and three European group phase progressions – hadn’t led to him being lured abroad.

Unforgivably, he either hadn’t bothered to discover, or was oblivious to the fact, that Bradley spurned offers from MK Dons and Lincoln City to remain in Ireland while his son Josh was being treated for cancer.

“He's someone that is many, many years here in Ireland,” added the former Spanish international.

“I think he's nine years here. Even winning here in this country and you stay in this country still. You're not having anyone coming from abroad. I think this means some things.” 

Bradley was next in the room, refusing to increase the temperature.

“I think if he did his homework, he wouldn't be talking like that,” he pointed out. “I think it's quite clear. The last few years, what my number one priority was.

"It's easy to be disrespectful when you've won. It's easy to do that. I think that shows the lack of class that the man has. I said that last year.

“I think it's quite easy to do that when you've won the game and come in and speak like that.

“He had one chance (to handshake) last year and you don’t get that again.

“Why would you let an individual like that and their comments and their opinions and their views bother you? No, I don’t think you can.

“We know the respect that we have around Europe, what we’ve built. We know what we’re doing as a club, where we’re going.

“As a team, as a club, we don’t need someone like him, his approval.

“I think that sums up him as a person. The lack of class and the lack of understanding of what he's talking about really sums him up.” 

Rovers return to league matters on Sunday, requiring a point at Derry City to reclaim their title with two games remaining.

Bradley and his assistant Glenn Cronin are due to arrive at the Ryan McBride Brandywell in the nick of time for the 3pm kick-off. They have a helicopter at the ready after running the Dublin marathon in aid of Oscar’s Kids, a charity for cancer-stricken children.

“There’s nothing wrong,” he said about the Hoops slipping to their fourth defeat in five. “Our detail was off in the first half against Celje, so we don’t have complaints about the result. You get punished for that at this level but there’s nothing within the group that worries me.”