Stephen Kenny believes that his side’s three successive league titles count for very little when it comes to preparing for this season’s campaign, where Dundalk could secure a record-equalling fourth title in a row.
Only the all-conquering Shamrock Rovers side of the 1980s have managed that feat in League of Ireland history, and the Dundalk manager admits that his side must “go again”, starting with a home clash against the Hoops .
Kenny believes that a real tough challenge awaits on all fronts as he has to cope with the loss of key players, the integration of new inexperience squad members, a more competitive league and a gruelling opening six games in a bid to create another bit of history.
“Looking at the league this year, it has got much stronger,” said Kenny, speaking at the launch of the 2017 SSE Airtricity League campaign.
“The European places are very much up for grabs and the league title is up for grabs.
“A lot of teams feel they can make a fair challenge this year, and the way we feel about it in Dundalk is that nobody gives you anything.
“We understand that, and we have to start again with no points and what we have done before counts for nothing really now.”
And while the Lilywhites boss enjoyed a bit of a light-hearted dig at the authenticity of the FAI’s fixture list-creating computer, which sees the mouthwatering opening-day clash with Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park, Kenny felt that what lay in store for his side in those opening six games was certainly not a laughing matter.
“The computer came up with that quite quickly alright,” laughed Kenny, at the prospect of the heavyweight opening clash.
"The challenge for us is that there are some new players coming in and they have to hit the ground running"
“But a home game against Shamrock Rovers, a full house at Oriel Park; it is one that certainly captures the imagination for the public in Dundalk and elsewhere, so it should be great.
“The first six games, the way the fixture list has come, we have got to go away to Cork, away to Derry and away to Sligo, and we’ve got Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick’s Athletic and Limerick so it is as tough a start as you can get.
“And the challenge for us is that there are some new players coming in and they have to hit the ground running.
“It’s a big test for everyone to go again but we certainly won’t be lacking hunger and determination to do that.
“From our point of view, how do we maintain the standards, and not only maintain them but how do we increase them in relation to losing your better players?
“But that is the challenge that has presented itself and you cannot be fearful of it, you have to enjoy it.
“Some of the players coming in are very young but they are no less talented and we look forward to trying to reach the heights.”
Losing out on key players and integrating new ones has become a pre-season theme for the Lilywhites manager in recent seasons, however, Kenny has nothing but good wishes towards his departing Deepdale duo Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle.
“We had three players in the international squad last year, Gary Rogers first and then Andy Boyle and Daryl Horgan and like some of the players in previous seasons, they got the move that they wanted to England.
“And we have to respect that. It’s a great opportunity for them and hopefully they get the opportunity at international level further down the line and they go on to do well.”
"If I’m being honest, we’d rather play on grass"
Another thing that is changing at the home of the champions is the much-maligned artificial surface, which has been ripped up ahead of the new season.
However, the replacement is also of the artificial variety and it would appear that the manager would have preferred a return to traditional turf for the sake of his ball-playing outfit.
“If I’m being honest, we’d rather play on grass,” Kenny admitted.
“Grass suits us. Our away record over the last couple of seasons has actually been better so we would rather play on grass every week, but apparently the new pitch is the most modern pitch you can have so it seems to be fine."
Kenny is also excited of the prospect of a genuinely national league with all 12 teams coming from every corner of the island.
Dundalk captain Stephen O'Donnell says league is the priority & players have the incentive of pushing for elusive four in a row. #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/F3xmhaarLS
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) February 14, 2017
However, the former Shamrock Rovers boss also feels for the weaker sides in the league who must deal with the prospect of three teams getting relegated to facilitate a 10-team league in 2018.
“I remember when there was a ten-team league and six or seven of the teams were from the greater Dunlin area
“But now it is a real national league going right across the west coast, from Derry down to Finn Harps to Galway. Sligo right down to Cork and Limerick, so it’s a proper geographical spread and a lot of the major cities and towns are represented, so I have a good feeling about that.
“The stakes are high and it’s obviously going to be very harsh on teams in a 12-team league for three to be relegated.”
Meanwhile, new Galway manager Shane Keegan explained his side’s approach to ensure to this campaign to ensure Premier Division football in 2018.
"It’s very much going to be a case of attempting to separate yourself from those three relegation spots over the course of the first round of games"
“It’s going to be a very interesting season with the new structures and you are left with a remarkable situation that with 12 teams in the division, seven of them are either going to be relegated or in Europe.
“That’s more than half the teams, so there is going to be a lot to play for for everybody involved.
“For us and for the other sides who finished in the bottom half last year, it’s very much going to be a case of attempting to separate yourself from those three relegation spots over the course of the first round of games.
“Because then you can focus on kicking on and trying to finish in the top half of the table.”
