Derry boss Higgins wants second FAI Cup for the fans, not himself
This Sunday, Higgins can become the first ever Derry City manager to win two FAI Cups
‘Ruaidhri, do you enjoy being Derry City manager at present?’
“Yes I do, but it has its major, major challenges,” is Ruaidhri’s considered reply. “Obviously, you enjoy it when we win. We'd like to have won more, but there's no doubt that this job comes with its challenges, but there's been a hell of a lot of support, I just want to say that.
“I know there's been a lot of people voicing their opinions or concerns, whatever way you want to call it, but I can only speak from my point of view, and there's been an awful lot of goodwill and good support around the place, so I'd rather focus on that, because that gives you the energy that you need.
“To answer your question, I enjoy it, at times and at times It's extremely challenging, but that's what sport is, it's a challenge and it's ups and downs, etc, and it comes with the territory, but certainly this job is a challenging one.”
Higgins was speaking at his first press conference since the defeat to Shelbourne, easily the most painful of his managerial career, as he had to watch and listen to the celebrations on the Brandywell pitch and in the opposition dressing room as Damien Duff’s team celebrate the title that Derry City let slip through their fingers.
This Sunday, Higgins can become the first ever Derry City manager to win two FAI Cups – a feat that should not be underestimated, an achievement which will also secure European football for a fourth successive season. But the City manager knows that the pressure is on after falling short in the league, with a fourth-place finish especially painful, and especially for the supporters.
He wants that trophy in his hands again this Sunday, and he wants it not for himself, but for those who have red and white running through their veins.
“I just want it for the players and their families and the true Derry City supporters and people who commit their lives to the football club,” he continued. “I want it to be a real successful and happy day for everyone concerned, for the majority. People like that really, really deserve it, and the staff, the players and their families. It would be amazing if we could win our second FA Cup in three years after not winning one for ten years previously.”
Higgins is actually only the third Derry City manager to lead the team to two FAI Cup finals, following in the footsteps of Jim McLaughlin in 1988 and 1989, and Felix Healy in 1995 and 1997.
“Immensely proud,” he said. “We've seen how big this football club actually is a couple of years ago, with the numbers that we took to the Aviva Stadium. It was a special, special day. To do it two years later is a special feeling along with the staff and the players. There's no better day in the Irish football calendar and to be part of it for two out of the last three years is extremely special.”
Expectations are at an all-time high at the Brandywell in 2024, with the quality of the squad and the money spent in recent times increasing fans’ expectancy tenfold. That equally puts the expectancy to deliver trophies at an all-time high.
SAME AGAIN PLEASE… Derry City manager Ruaidhrí Higgins poses for a portrait during the 2024 Sports Direct Men's FAI Cup Final media day at the Da Vinci's Hotel in Derry. (Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)
“We were rock bottom of the league, four points adrift, from Longford, who were second bottom at the time. We get into Europe, we win the cup the following year, with a second-place finish, the European run the following year, and a second-place finish, another cup final this year, so if we can manage to win another cup, then there'll be no prouder man, trust me, and the players deserve it, especially the run that we've had to get to the cup final. The players, staff and supporters all deserve it.”
Motivation
Two years ago, over 22,000 Derry City fans turned the Aviva Stadium red and white, and that inspired an incredible performance on the pitch, with the Candystripes dominating Shelbourne 4-0 in the most one-sided FAI Cup final in history. With potentially more fans making their way back to Dublin on Sunday, Higgins is hoping his players can respond to the sea of red and white in a similar manner.
“I think what motivates us to win the trophy is for the amount of people that's travelling. It’s handy if you're a club like Dundalk, Drogheda, Dublin, even Waterford to a certain extent, the Aviva is not that big of a journey, obviously, but to travel three and a half hours from here in the numbers that we travel in, that's why it's important for us to try and lift this trophy. I said it after the cup final a couple of years ago, it’s for the people of Derry.
"We hadn't won the FA Cup for ten years previous to two years ago. Now we have a chance to do two in three years. It's to bring joy to a city and a community. I think that's what drives me, certainly.”
Both Patrick McEleney and Pat Hoban face a race against time to be fit for the final, but even if they miss out, Higgins believes there is enough big-game experience on the pitch to give his team an advantage.
“I think it always helps the more people who have sampled that type of fixture, the better,” he acknowledged. “A lot of our lads have played in big games, and I think is Patrick's ninth Cup Final. Hopefully we'll see how he goes this week. But we have a lot of players who have good experience.
"The ones that haven't played in Cup Finals, the likes of Paul McMullan and Danny Mullen and the boys like that, they've played in huge matches in Scotland, so that'll help. But listen, Drogheda aren't short of a bit of experience as well. There's some really experienced campaigners in their group, and I'm sure the ones that haven't played in Finals in their group will lean on the other lads.
Opponents
Higgins has long been an admirer of Kevin Doherty and Drogheda, and not for the first time hailed them as one of the form teams in the division since the summer, when they bounced back from a poor start to their league campaign. While their Premier Division status remains up in the air with a play-off against Bray Wanderers to come, Higgins is well aware of the problems Drogheda can cause, especially to the so-called bigger teams in the division.
“We totally respect our opponent and we’ve a lot of admiration for the people there, and what they've done, and how good they've been from the summer on, really,” he explained. “We know it's going to be a tough, tough game. But if we approach it in the right manner and play to our strengths, we can lift another trophy.”
WHAT A DAY… Ruaidhri Higgins with captain Patrick McEleney two years ago at the Aviva Stadium. (Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)
Derry City and Drogheda United have never met at this stage of the FAI Cup before and with victory also bringing European qualification, there are two prizes on offer come Sunday.
“I just think when you get to a cup final, there's always a huge responsibility to win,” Higgins stated. “And when you get to a cup final, there's pressure to win, and that's human nature.
"That's why we're in the game. I'd rather be going to Dublin on Sunday than not, that's for sure. If you look at the route that we've had to take to get to the final, I don't know if there's been, honestly, I can't ever remember a more difficult route for a team, and the players deserve so much credit. And if we play well on Sunday and win it, we'll absolutely deserve to win it because St Pat's, away to Cork, Shelbourne, league champions, and away to Bohemians in Dalymount Park, then it'll be an outstanding achievement.”