‘I’d do the same again!’ - Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch

Derry City vs. Waterford  |  Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium  |  Friday, 7:45pm

Tiernan Lynch has insisted that he will risk getting sent off again if it means coming to the defence of any his players.

The Derry City manager was red carded on his competitive Brandywell debut against Bohemians last week, sent to the stands alongside Bohs manager Alan Reynolds after players and staff from both teams became involved in a fracas on the touchline.

It means that Lynch will be in the stands again against Waterford tomorrow night as he begins his suspension, but he admits he has no regrets.

“From a professional perspective it was the wrong thing to do, but if I was in the same position I would do it again,” he stated. “We’re talking a lot at this club about building a collective and an all-for-one and a one-for-all. I think that has to include me.

“I thought that Fergie (Shane Ferguson) was probably being mishandled and getting himself into a situation that wasn’t comfortable for him, and I acted as I did. It wasn’t necessarily in an aggressive manner and there was no malice or intent, it was more to diffuse the situation and get us back playing again.”

It has been an explosive and whirlwind start to Lynch’s League of Ireland career, but the former Larne manager is relishing the experience.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “There are big crowds, good players, good managers and every point is definitely a prisoner in this league, there’s no doubt about that. There’s no games where you’re going in thinking that this will be an easier one or that they are gimmes or anything like that. It’s a really competitive league and up to now we’re enjoying every minute of it.”

Derry City defeated Waterford four times last season without conceding a goal, which means that Keith Long’s side will come to the Brandywell more determined than ever to get a result.

The Blues have already won on their travels this season, at Sligo Rovers, and Lynch is well aware of their threat.

“We’ve been watching Waterford now in their last two games,” he continued. “They are a really, really well-organised team and a really structured team. Their concepts have probably been slightly different over the two games, at home to Shelbourne and away to Sligo. Regardless, it will be a hugely difficult task but as we keep talking about, it’s about we do.

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“We know where their strengths lie, and we have to be very conscious of that and then we have to look at areas where we feel we can break them down and try and get some success and that’s what we’ve been working on.”

The deal to bring Kevin Holt to the club was finally completed in the last hours of the transfer window, with the 32-year-old signing a two-year deal at the club. It was an important and necessary signing for Lynch and the squad.

SETTLING IN… Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch begins a one-game suspension tomorrow night following his red card against Bohemians last week. (Photos: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile)

“He’s a top player and a top person,” he said. “There are very specific people that we want to bring to this football club now and moving forward, and it’s more than just being a good player, and I think that Kevin ticks all those boxes.

“He’s integrated this week, and he’s seamlessly moved into this squad as if he’s been here for a long time. We just wat to wish him the best now and hopefully he goes on the pitch now and delivers.”

Lynch met with members of Derry City’s different Supporters’ Club’s earlier this week, a meeting he believed was both important and productive.

“It was massive for me, massive for what we want to do because we want to embed ourselves in Derry City Football Club,” he added. We want to spend time with the supporters during the good and bad. This is not just going to be plain-sailing, and we know that, and we’ll need the supporters through the tough times as well as hopefully the good times.

“We want to be able to have good, open conversations with the, which we did, and we want a good, working relationship with them which we’re hoping to build and great credit to them.

“Last Friday night they were great, and they had the place rocking.”