‘Limerick FC need to keep a steady and clear head’ - Tommy Barrett

LIMERICK FC manager Tommy Barrett insists signing new players ahead of the transfer deadline is not the Blues’ top priority ahead of the start of the new SSE Airtricity League First Division season.

Limerick FC confirmed on Monday that the club have secured financial backing for the 2019 SSE Airtricity League season.

In a statement the club announced that a local consortium have committed to financially supporting the club throughout the 2019 season.

The statement continued: “This support is to ensure financial stability going forward and to prepare the club for a mutually agreeable take over at the end of 2019.”

The club also unveiled its new jersey for the coming season on Tuesday which included a ‘Daly’s Car Sales’ logo on the front. 

Limerick FC manager Barrett said issues such as selling season tickets and merchandising and getting an additional venue for squad training should be their top priority for now.

Tommy Barrett said: “From our point of view, not too much will change. We need to keep a steady and clear head and stick to what we had planned to do. 

“Obviously, the first thing that they will need to do is sell season tickets, we sell merchandise and bring in revenue in other ways as well. 

“I see some people are already getting over-excited, ‘can we sign this player, can we sign that player, Premier League players?’, but are we going to make the same mistakes again?

“We have to be careful, put a plan in place and stick to that plan.

“We won’t rush into anything in relation to signings, but we won’t rule out anything either. At this moment in time I think there are more important things. 

“We are training at Hogan Park at the minute on the back pitch and at St Mary’s astro which is a 60x40 in size. It is not ideal.

“Hogan Park is brilliant when the weather is good, but when it is bad weather we need to probably another training option, at least one day a week. We need to get our house in order there and get those things right.

“My understanding is that the consortium are coming in to help out and put structures in place so we will have a bit of stability going forward and to do that we have to get the off-the-pitch stuff right.

“We have to use this investment from the new consortium coming in now as a chance to create our identity properly and to build the product off the pitch as well as on it. 

“In fairness to Pat (O’Sullivan) he has done that since he has come in.”

Meanwhile, the transfer window closes on February 22 for professional players. 

“I don’t think we are in the market for professional players at the moment. Now, I will sit down and speak with the powers that be and see where we go. If we can get one player in, great.

“At this moment in time, we need to keep a clear head and not get carried away. We have to build it properly and not make the same mistakes as the past.”

Limerick FC, who have confirmed experienced defender Shaun Kelly as their captain for 2019, kick-off their return to the First Division with a game against Longford Town at the Markets Field on Friday, February 22, 7.45pm.

The ‘Blues’ then travel to relegated Bray Wanderers on Friday, March 1, before hosting Drogheda Utd on March 8.

Limerick recorded a timely 1-0 victory over Cobh Ramblers in their most recent pre-season friendly at St Colman’s Park on Saturday last. Ex-Pike Rovers player Kieran Hanlon scored the game’s only goal.

Barrett said: “The lads are working hard in pre-season. Last week we had six lads away at the Collingwood Cup and two boys with the Ireland U21s, so we were down to 10-12 players training.”