Seanan Clucas admits Irish League standard 'smacked' him up the face

Seanan Clucas has admitted he got something of a reality check when he returned to the Irish League a decade ago.

After fire years in England at Preston North End and Bristol Rovers the former Dungannon Swifts man thought he was "going to walk this League" as he signed on at Linfield.

The 31-year-old quickly got his eyes opened both with the standard of the football on offer and the style of play being produced by the clubs.

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“I thought, ‘I’m going to walk this League’, I thought I was a wee bit better than what the League was," said Clucas. “It smacked me up the face, because I wasn’t. I had to earn the right to play, and it’s a completely different type of game.

“It’s all action, you don’t get a minute on the ball and I slowly had to transition into proper men’s football back here, and it’s not easy. For me the League has moved up tiers in terms of standard."

A number of Irish League clubs have made the jump to full-time football in recent seasons. Many predicted those teams would pull away from the rest but Clucas feels the rest of the league has benefited by recruiting players who are not able to switch to full-time.

“It’s hard to know if the top and bottom six is changing,” said the Carrick Rangers midfielder. “We’ll get a better indication at the end of the season. To be fair, the full-time teams, the ones that have been full-time, you’d expect them to do more in my opinion.

“Obviously, Larne’s schedule with a lot of Sunday games and playing European football, Linfield not at it, the Glens up and down, Coleraine... but it’s what makes this League special.

“I think what has helped maybe the so-called bottom six teams is the fact that a lot of players can’t go full-time, the likes of myself and other players in the League. It’s maybe opened up the opportunity for the so-called bottom six teams to strengthen.

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“I believe that’s what we’re seeing, and it makes for an exciting League. You don’t know who’s going to win come Saturday.”

Clucas is preparing to face his former club Linfield on Sunday as Carrick Rangers prepare to take on Linfield at Taylors Avenue. The Gers are looking to continue their good form under Stephen Baxter as they bid to move away from the foot of the table.

“Stephen has come in and really given us all belief in our own ability individually but also collectively," said Clucas. “Obviously having a figure like Stephen who’s been there, won 15 trophies, the lads all have that respect for a man who’s been there and done it.

“He has given us that belief and we do have a really talented squad and we’ve massively underachieved at the start of the season. We got off to a good start then lost eight on the bounce and as players we need to take full responsibility.

“It was just about going back to basics, getting the monkey off our back with a positive result against Cliftonville and we’ve kicked on from there.There’s real confidence building within the squad.

“Linfield are coming to our turf, they’re coming to Carrick, a tight pitch and I believe it will suit us a lot more than it will them. So we’ve got to use that to our advantage. I honestly believe we can get three points on Sunday and maintain our momentum, but we will have to be at our absolute best.

“We’re not there just to show up and let Linfield walk all over the top of us. That’s not the case, we’re there to win points and we believe we can get points."

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