Williams can Prove Vital on Two Fronts for Pike

Pike Rovers player-manager Robbie Williams has had a positive start to life at the club following his appointment at the end of August. Following the sudden departure of former manager Mick Sheil, many feared that it would have an adverse effect on Pike’s fortunes.

Sheil had set high standards at the club and although the former Limerick FC assistant manager may not have won a lot popularity contests among the Limerick junior soccer fraternity and even among members of his own squad as he has openly admitted in the past, he took the Hoops to two FAI Junior Cup finals and two consecutive Munster Junior Cup finals, winning one of those and losing two on penalties.

Before a ball was kicked in the 2019/2020 season, Sheil had decided that his time was up with Pike and he resigned as manager. Many names were linked with the role but it took everybody by surprise when Williams was unveiled, mostly because he was still a player at the city’s senior soccer side Limerick FC.

Upon his unveiling by the club, there was some confusion as it read as if the former Barnsley man and current assistant manager Brian O’Callaghan would be joint managers. This was not the case as O’Callaghan was just tasked with making the transition from senior to junior soccer smoother for Williams in the first few weeks.

Luckily for the centre-back, he inherited a squad full of experience but with a lot of players still on the right side of 30. Positionally, there was no need for him to make massive changes as his side were already challenging on all fronts in previous seasons.

The team that took to the field on the first night in the thrashing of the Janesboro had a familiar look to it; the O’Donovan brothers Wayne and Eddie at full back, Pat Mullins and Wayne Colbert in the centre and a midfield comprising of Steven McGann, Colin Daly, Shane Walsh and Conor Kavanagh.

However, his predecessor had always made it abundantly clear that he wanted to keep a tight-knit squad with 17-18 players maximum vying for a position in the team. Sheil felt it was imperative for squad morale as all players could see a pathway to the starting team.

It is the biggest change implemented by Williams. As he stated after Sunday’s 2-0 victory in the FAI Junior Cup over Ballynanty Rovers, he proposed an increase in squad quantity upon his arrival at the club.

“That’s what I wanted to do when I came in (increase squad size). I told the staff and the committee that we need a squad if we want to win things. We now have 22 lads signed on and rearing to play and if anyone on the pitch doesn’t perform, it doesn’t weaken us. Any players available have a chance and we are looking good at the moment.”

Williams recruited Keith Mawdsley, Adam Lipper, Kyle Duhig and Oisin Kelly before the transfer window close to bolster the squad. Mawdsley in particular could prove to be a good signing as he provides a different attacking option to Johnathan Grant. With Grant being a poacher and effective in holding up the play, Mawdsley provides more energy and pace to the attack.

Lipper and Duhig have both signed from Limerick u-19s and although chances may be limited to start, Williams will be hoping both will improve and reach the high standards of the players in the environment surrounding them at junior level, which can be a different animal from academy football.

Perhaps the most beneficial part of the appointment of Williams is the fact that the Englishman signed as a player-manager. At junior level, Williams should prove to be a class above the rest. His greatest enemy will be complacency.

The former Limerick man made his first appearance as a player for the club in Sunday’s victory and could not afford to be complacent as he faced former Limerick teammates Connor Ellis and Kieran Hanlon. Along with Pat Mullins, a great servant to the club, they nullified the threat with relative ease. Williams reading of the game at this level is second to none and will be a big asset as the season continues.

As was evident on Sunday, the FAI Junior Cup is the holy grail for Pike Rovers as a massive support was in attendance at LIT. The Hoops now face Newcastlewest Town in the last 64 of the competition and Williams is confident of progression.

“It should be a good tie for us and we are unbeaten this season. We will go into that game full of confidence in two weeks time and today (against Ballynanty) it was just about getting the job done and we did that well.”