Cork City need a proper plan to avoid cycle of boom and bust

“WE have to rebuild,” was the closing statement by Richie Holland on the night which saw Cork City relegated to the League of Ireland First Division after losing a play-off to Waterford FC at Tallaght Stadium.

The coach’s words came in the aftermath of a night that immediately classed as one of the worst in the entire club’s history. 

Three years ago, it was different as financial issues meant a flirt with extinction and going down almost felt understandable given the resources available at the time.

2023 feels different, an accumulation of a project that never seemed to get off the ground, even though the club came on top in a memorable title race in the First Division last year.

COLLAPSE

This season promised so much; a new owner came in and a collection of statement results were made during the first few months of the campaign. City even persevered after the uncertainty of Colin Healy’s resignation as Head Coach, and there was a four-match winning streak.

Any sense of form collapsed in the summer, and a run to the semi-finals of the FAI Cup ended up as a saving grace during a period that saw the prospect of playing in the promotion/relegation play-off became more and more real with each passing week. Once City took the pitch to face Waterford, the success of the original rebuilding process hedged on 90 minutes in Dublin.

What to do now? The glamour of the First Division hardly compares to Friday nights against some of the best in the country. 

Local derbies are a consolation prize, but that’s the equivalent of a joke at a funeral in the eyes of most supporters.

There is a way back, and relegation could be a lesson for future coaches at Cork City. 

Shelbourne experienced this after they finally got out of the First Division and went straight back down after losing the play-off final to Longford Town in 2020. The Reds used the reality check to reset themselves and start a two-year project, which resulted in them turning into one of the most consistent sides in the country.

The first 12 months was all about getting back up to the Premier Division, and then the squad was gutted. A whole new squad of players was brought in, a group with experience of the highest level. 

Cork’s Shane Griffin was one of those recruited during the winter and he went to Tolka Park after winning the League of Ireland Premier Division with Cork City and two FAI Cups.

Fulham did the same thing when they returned to the Premier League in the summer of 2022. Marco Silva’s side, who tore through all before them in the EFL Championship, strengthened by signing goalkeeper Bernd Leno from Arsenal and João Palhinha from Sporting CP.

Their arrival was done to give added quality to what was already at Craven Cottage, and the signings were made in such a way that squad harmony wasn’t risked.

RESET

Burnley had a similar experience after gaining promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2013-14 season. The Clarets went up with one of the lowest budgets at that level in England, and Sean Dyche was given the chance to reset once Burnley were relegated.

The club went straight back up after winning the EFL Championship title and they used the lessons of their last spell in the English top flight to become one of the hardest teams to beat. Burnley ended up spending six seasons in the Premier League and they enjoyed a number or memorable nights in Europe before the cycle came to an end.

A cultural reset was sought by those in charge, a bit like Cork City at this moment in time, and Vincent Kompany was told to take charge of the project during the summer of 2022.

He led the team to the EFL Championship title by playing an attractive brand of football and the goal is now to continue the project while staying in the Premier League.

Where the rebuild goes, will be determined over the next few months and it’s not important to the people of Cork.

The takeaway is how lessons have been learned, and a two-year plan is needed to prevent a constant boom-to-bust cycle.

If things work out, it could make 2023 a blessing in disguise as City will know what to do once they get back up to the Premier Division. The mistakes of 2023 will be a template of how to navigate a return to the top flight of Irish football.

Right now, the focus is on who will take on the rebuild and oversee the next two seasons at Turner’s Cross. At least there’s a proven way back from the abyss.