Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
1-0 down, 2-0 down, chants calling for his head (not for the first time) – at half-time in Tallaght on Monday it seemed increasingly likely that Alan Reynolds would be leaving Dublin 24 with his job in serious jeopardy. The way in which Josh Honohan and Michael Noonan breached the Bohs’ defence so easily looked like being the final straw – for those who hadn’t already turned on the Waterford man.
What happened next was as unexpected as it was thrilling. It wasn’t quite as dramatic as Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes and co. produced across the water last week but it was as surprising. The Gypsies hadn’t been terrible in the first half but the goals sucked the air out of them. The wing-back system wasn’t helping in trying to deal with Honohan and it was hard to imagine a significant improvement, to the extent that Virgin Media’s pundits discussed the second half as an exercise in damage limitation for the Phibsborough side.
The ability that Reynolds’ showed to adapt and change mid-game is probably the most promising thing that came out of the game for his prospects in the job. He brought on Niall Morahan for James McManus, but the decisive change was the change in shape, from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1. The double pivot of Dawson Devoy alongside Morahan and then Keith Buckley, in front of a back four, shored things up. Ross Tierney looked liberated ahead of them with natural wingers outside of him, having previously operated in an unorthodox-looking front 3 with James Clarke and Connor Parsons.
The third quarter was quite sluggish by Dublin derby standards but Reynolds’ changes in the second half really turned the dial. 18-year-old wildcard Rhys Brennan coming on in the fifty-second minute injected life into the side, before the introduction of striker Colm Whelan – a proper number nine instead of a false one – gave the other progressive players a reference point in possession.
The goals that came from Devoy, Tierney and Brennan weren’t undeserved. Reynolds’ men sensed blood and went for it. Tierney’s goal in particular was wonderfully worked, the type of attractive yet effective football that this side should be playing regularly. It was clear amidst the celebrations for each goal that there is a determined streak running through the side.
The big picture of form and league table is also starting to look reasonably healthy. With three wins in four and only three points off enemies Rovers and Shelbourne, it could be worse. The fact that he has the backing of senior players who are ambitious and driven – such as Tierney – is a positive sign, as it suggests that belief remains in the dressing room that Reynolds can turn things around.
Players and fans alike should believe that they are capable of more than a sixth or seventh place finish, because there is quality in the side. McManus, Devoy and Tierney is a homegrown midfield trio worthy of envy, whilst Whelan is one of the most talented strikers in the league. At the back there are problems but Leigh Kavanagh and Seàn Grehan should be a solid centre-back partnership on paper.
It’s difficult for a manager once the hardcore of a fanbase starts calling for his head. Even more so in a new age for the league, where interest is booming and fans want to ride the crest of a wave. Rivals Shels and St Patrick’s Athletic have glamorous names at the helm in Damien Duff and Stephen Kenny, who boast CV’s that Reynolds can’t quite match. However he has been involved in three FAI Cup wins as a coach, and two First Division title-winning campaigns as well. He shot himself in the foot by remaining involved with the Ireland Under-21s when he first got the Bohs job, but seems determined now to make a success – as unlikely as it may seem – of his time in charge at Dalymount.
There won’t be time to rest on yesterday’s victory, with two big home games against Pats and boyhood club Waterford in the next ten days. Those home games on Friday nights at Dalymount are crucial, with demand for tickets high and fans expecting good performances as well as results. There have been home Friday night wins against Sligo and Cork City already, but they are both relegation candidates, whilst the limp defeat at home to Galway last month still leaves a sour taste.
Second-placed Pats, who sent Reynolds’ men back across the Liffey nursing a 3-0 defeat last month, will represent an acid test of sorts. Reynolds admitted yesterday that it remains a ‘fight’ to win over supporters, and consistent strong performances against Dublin rivals will be a big part of that effort. It will be a challenge to implement the intended front-foot approach led by Tierney and Devoy, whilst also guarding against the threat of Mason Melia in particular. But those are the types of problems that the Waterford man must continue to figure out if he wants to turn the ship around.