STEPHEN BRADLEY: "This year is no different" | LOI Players in the World Cup | Summer Football | LOI 2026 Season Launch
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Word on the Street on Off the Ball.
Unfortunately, I think my word in the studio is just going to be nuance. Nuance? Yeah, it's kind of good. That's just my word in the studio. Word on the Street, available now on Go Loud app. Off the Ball.
Stephen Baddeley, Shamrock Rovers head coach, great to speak to you before the new season. Just to get straight into it I suppose and ask you first about Ronan Finn coming in as the new director of football at Shamrock Rovers. Does that change things? Does he kind of come in and do the same thing that Stephen McPhail was doing or how does it all work?
First of all, we were good to little Steve and he's such a big part of what we've done. I'm sure we'd still lean on him for a voice and just have a chat with him about how we're going. I felt Rowan was the natural one to come in and thankfully the club felt that as well on the board. and Ronan will do it in a slightly different way to Stephen. Stephen was more really hands on on the training ground and in the coaches room, which was brilliant for me. But Ronan will do it more in an executive role and be based out at Thales Stadium. But I think it's a perfect fit for the club and he knows the club, he's helped build the culture at the club and he understands what the club is about.
I think it says a lot about the league and how far we have come that we've got three players heading to the World Cup, hopefully this summer. And you've even got Max Mata coming to play in the League of Ireland to try and get his place in the New Zealand World Cup squad.
What does Stephen Bradley think about Ronan Finn's role as the new director of football?
Obviously, Pico Lopez has the World Cup to look forward to this summer. Does that interfere with Chandler Grover's season in the long term or in your own plans?
Yeah, look, you have to plan obviously for Pico to be missing for the best part of five weeks. But we knew this. We knew this was a possibility last year, long before he qualified. So that's been part of the recruitment process and the planning. But look, I think the first part of the season is really heavy and Pico will be there for that. But we have planned for him to be missing four to five weeks.
Victor Ozzy Mvuna, his last year at the club before he moves to Arsenal. I think a lot of people have watched in admiration of him and the way he's progressed at Shamrock Rovers and also the way you've kind of handled his introduction into the senior set-up. I think he made 16 appearances last season. Do you expect him to make more this season?
Yeah, please God, injuries are a coin to him. He didn't have many injuries last year, he just was grown and we needed to protect him in that moment and not push him. We know that's the real vulnerable state for a teenager and a young kid, but now his body's completely settled and he looks really good in pre-season. Like I said, if injuries allow, the whole league will see what Victor's about this year and see him more regularly and more often. and see what we've seen for a long, long time. But he's working extremely hard, he's in a good place and I'm looking forward to seeing him play.
Jake Mulraney, one of the interesting signings you made during the closed season. Look, anybody that's seen him play in the league knows how talented he is. but maybe quite mercurial maybe lacking that bit of consistency is that something you feel you'll need to work on him as a player do you think he can be a successor over us?
I've no doubt he can we wouldn't have worked so hard to get Jake in the door if we didn't feel he improves us and we can improve him and The one thing I love about Jake is he's ready to work. He's focused. He looks really, really fit. And he's ready to work. And I've no doubt with this team, Jake will show his best qualities. And again, really, really looking forward to seeing him play in this team.
And just the last player I want to ask you about, Enda Stephens. A player who knows Shamrock Rovers so well, he had great success the rowers before, going on to have an incredible career in the UK. He's got Premier League experience, Championship experience, you know, I suppose played that Sheffield United team that was so tactically innovative under Chris Wilder.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–1:32
2
What does Stephen Bradley think about Ronan Finn's role as the new director of football?
1:32–6:22
3
How will Shamrock Rovers manage player absences during the World Cup?
6:22–8:52
4
What are the expectations for Victor Ozzy Mvuna in the upcoming season?
8:52–12:07
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from OTB Football
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