Cork City striker Graham Cummins has said that there can be no excuses next year as the club battle to regain its Premier League status but that he also expects the competition to be tough.
“It depends on what type of squad the manager puts together before the start of the season, other clubs like Waterford and Shelburne have strengthened so it will be tough but there are no excuses for us, last year was all about stability and learning as a team. Next year we will have a good pre-season and we will hopefully be able to really push for it” he said.
The City star had a fantastic season last year finishing as the division one top scorer and earning a string of rave reviews for his performances on his own up front. He puts his great season down to a combination of things.
“The coaching staff helped me a lot. I felt a lot stronger and fitter last season. The season I had with Waterford in 2009 really pushed me along as well. Being upfront on your own is a lot of responsibility and that helped me in a way. You are not dropping deep or out to the wings, you are staying up top and trying to be a threat. I think I have become more mature as a player and because of that I was able to focus on the role”
He sees room for improvement in his game however.
“I was happy with the amount of goals I scored but I kind of hit a wall towards the end. I didn’t score in my last five games and I’d like to get more towards the end of the season”
His performances for City were recognised by him be selected in the First Division team of the year and winning the division’s player of the year award last season. He was also selected for the Republic Of Ireland under 23 squad for game against Estonia last September.
“That was probably a personal highlight. I really enjoyed the set-up there. Training in the morning. All your meals ready for you. It was a good environment to learn and help you grow as a player. A great experience”
He believes City can kick on next year and earn promotion back to their rightful place in the Premier League.
“Everything about the place is geared towards it” he explained. “ The stadium and training ground are great and the management give you everything you need outside of that like gym membership, it’s a very professional set-up”
The striker who scored eighteen goals last season is happy at the club and sees his immediate future there having agreed a two-year contract earlier this year.
“Yeah, it is a two-year deal and I’m enjoying my time here, I don’t see anything happening to change that at the moment, a lot of the lads have signed on again from last year so that can only help us” he said.
The lure of England must be strong however for a player who has attracted interest after his sterling performances last season.
“Of course playing in England is an ambition for most lads, if a good opportunity came you would have to look at it. It would mean more stability for you in your career. But I was over in Sunderland before for two weeks and being on trial is not easy. You have to be sure. I think a lot of players used to go over when they were fifteen or sixteen and then come back. You are better off playing in the League of Ireland and then if a chance comes up maybe look at it”
He cites the likes of former city stars Kevin Doyle and Roy ‘O Donovan as examples of players who spent their youth playing in Ireland before plying their trade across the water. Former city player Kevin Long- who last week extended his loan deal from Burnley to Accrington Stanley- is another example.
“Kevin Doyle opened the gate I suppose, he was such a success that teams started looking at the league for other players. The likes of Roy ‘O Donovan at Coventry is doing well and Kevin Long has a good deal at Burnley so it shows there is a lot of quality in the league”
The recession of course has cast it shadow across all spectres of sport in the country but soccer is affected more than most. Drogheda United announced last week that they need to raise €185,000 by the 28th of January if they are to meet the likes of Cork in next seasons First Division. This kind of instability only adds to the pressure for players to find work. Cummins is currently doing some Christmas work and admits it is hard to combine his soccer career and to find stable employment.
“I finished college last year and am just picking drink orders for Christmas. It is hard. The clubs here now can be unreliable with their financial difficulties. You hear a lot about GAA players maybe going abroad for work and it may happen with soccer players too. It’s hard to combine the two. You need time off, usually every Friday and employers aren’t going to be too keen on that”
For now his sights are firmly set on next season. Improving on such a good season last year won’t be easy. Is his target to score more goals than he did last season?
“Well you want to improve as a player. I’d obviously like to score more goals than I did last season but if you offered me scoring less goals and us winning the league next year than I would definitely take that. It all about getting into the Premier League”
The Douglas man is gunning for the season to start then. If he can repeat, or improve upon his stellar form last year than City have a great chance to return to where they believe they belong.
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