Cork City boss Ger Nash: 'Club needs to a plan to develop and have sustained success on the pitch'
Cork City are now 11 points from safety after losing to Sligo Rovers at Turner's Cross on Friday night. Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Ger Nash insists that it’s my way or the highway as he bids to resurrect relegation-bound Cork City.
Goals from Evan McLaughlin and Seani Maguire handed the Leesiders their first two-goal lead of the season. But they crumbled in the final half-hour to ship three goals to Sligo Rovers, which leaves them 11 points adrift with 11 games remaining.
There were further worrying signs as Malik Dijksteel, who signed a pre-contract deal with St Mirren for January, made himself unavailable for selection, while Cathal O’Sullivan limped off injured.
Nash took over from Tim Clancy in May, but has failed to win in nine league games since then.
When asked about his future, the 39-year-old replied: “I know what I've come here to do. I feel really strongly and passionate about what I want to do with the football club. I think I can do it.
Dijksteel has spent two years at Turner’s Cross, but indications are that the 24-year-old Dutch winger sees his immediate future in Scotland.
“Malik is still under contract with the club. St Mirren made a bid to take him in this window. That was rejected by the club,” said Nash.
“Unfortunately, since then, Malik's agent has made it clear that Malik will be unavailable for the game tonight for personal reasons.
“I only have the information I have on tonight's game, so we'll speak to Malik tomorrow.”
Regardless, Nash sees City’s future being built upon home talent. He spoke beforehand about the team being made up of 10 Irishmen and a loanee who chose to extend his deal.
“This club needs a plan because it's yo-yoed for too many seasons now,” he added.
“We've tried to do that with a lot of foreign players, a lot of players who have come to the club, a lot of players whose contracts are running out, so we don't have any value in them.
“This club needs to have a plan for how we're going to develop this football club and have sustained success on the pitch. That will be with a settled squad of players who want to be at this football club. That's what I want to do.
“You can see that with my signings. I'll stand over it. I've come here with a plan and how I want to do it. It can be ridiculed, but I'll stay strong on it.
“Look, I might get one go at this job. I'll do it my way.”
Nash admitted criticism of signings not being fully fit was “fair”, although he felt those who had joined have made an impact. He added that the club tried to lure some League of Ireland talent.
“We were really close to bringing a couple of players who've been in the league, who've been playing, who've been in-season. That would have really helped us. We didn't quite get it across the line, which is really frustrating.
“There’s a certain type of player I want to bring to the club. I will be really strong on that because this club has brought a lot of players to the club from window to window, and we've lost a lot of players. What we've been doing is developing players for other teams.
“All the time, I've got young kids at Cork and young players that I think we can develop and get some value in.
“That's what I intend to do. That's what my focus will be, developing the club in that way.
“I'll give the opportunities to the young players. If that's not what the club want to do, then I'm fine with that. Because that's what I'll do.”
Nash said the group were “devastated” by the defeat, which leaves them winless in 14 league games.
“We know the run that we've been on, it's two (wins) in 25. That definitely feeds into the psyche.
“The team hasn't been two-up in a hell of a long time.
“We've had such a big change to the group, and we're forming something. It's not what anybody wants to hear tonight. I understand that.
“The anger will be there from the fans. I appreciate that. But the staff are definitely working to form something that can make this club successful."
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