Manager’s programme notes
Posted : 27th July 2023
Tonight we will face a huge challenge against a quality Pogon Szczecin team who finished fourth in the Polish league table last season and who are packed with an array of talent from various countries across the world.
However, we love challenges of this nature and we have shown in recent seasons that we can compete with some of the continent's leading clubs and we will aim to maintain our proud reputation on the European stage in this our latest venture into the exciting Conference League arena.
We were delighted to win the Conference League first round tie against KF Vllaznia of Albania. The first leg game at Windsor Park was a memorable game and one I felt we deserved to win quite comfortably, with the real negative on the night being the red card rather harshly issued to Daniel Finlayson.
We had a healthy attendance of over 4500 at the game and with it being my 400th game in charge of the team as manager, it will always be a victory I take great pride in and look back upon with fondness and affection.
As expected, the second leg in the heat of North West Albania, close to the Adriatic coastline was a much tougher challenge. Vllaznia really believed they could claw back the deficit and they probed and pushed and put us under a lot of pressure. Thankfully however, our defence stood firm and was breeched only the once by an excellent headed goal and we were able to progress to tonight's second round game, courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate victory.
Chris Johns made some fine saves and other experienced players rose to the challenge in Albania, as we expected them to but the two-legged games against KF Vllaznia will have been a really valuable learning experience for the younger players who were in the match day squad across both legs.
We will welcome Daniel Finlayson back to the squad tonight following suspension and Josh Archer will be available again after an injury he picked up in one of our pre-season games.
We will be missing Stephen Fallon due to injury, as well as our longer-term absentees Robbie McDaid and Jordan Stewart.
Although the start of the domestic campaign is not far away, we have been fully focused on our preparations for this second-round Euro tie against Pogon Szczecin which will provide us with an exciting challenge across the games, both tonight and next week in Poland.
Euro nights are special at Windsor Park and we will be trying our very best to give you another memorable one, to add to the list of recent ones you will be able to recall and reflect on with great affection.
Please get behind each and every one of our players on duty tonight and drive them on to what we hope will be a positive result.
Thank you to the 30 supporters who travelled all the way to Albania last week and safe travels to those heading to Poland next week