Shamrock Rovers clinching the League of Ireland Premier Division title against Bohemians would be extra sweet for Danny Grant after he was released by Bohs at the end of his contract last year.
The wide midfielder has gone from strength to strength since being signed by Rovers and he’s had, in his words, the “best, most enjoyable season I’ve had to date”.
The way he left Bohs, however, still leaves a sour taste and he felt it could have been handled better.
“When players were being told about their futures, I was left on the long finger. Six or seven players were spoken to at the end of the last season and told your future is going to be elsewhere, which is fine, but I wasn’t spoken to,” Grant said at the EA Sports FC 26 x SSE Airtricity League cover launch.
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“I wasn’t pulled aside, which is fine. I had to pull the manager [Alan Reynolds] over about three weeks before the season finished and he didn’t tell me I wasn’t going to be there next year, he said differently.
“Then the end of the season came around and I received a 45-second phone call to say I wouldn’t be there next year, so I thought it could have been handled better considering I had two stints there over four or five years. At the end of the day, the decision was the decision.”
Grant said it wasn’t in his mind at all to leave Bohemians, and it was a “football decision”.
“There was an option on my deal to extend for another year, it was the club’s option so they chose not to do that. In that period I was preparing for the next season at the club, I wasn’t looking elsewhere or anything.”
The 25-year-old said he does not hold grudges and he is grateful for what Bohs did for his career, especially as a younger player, but says he has landed on his feet playing for the “biggest” and “best” club in the country.
“I’m in a group full of winners, I’m surrounded by good people. We’re in the position to finish the season very strongly.”
Rovers are in the FAI Cup semi-finals, the Uefa Conference League group stage and could win the title on Friday night should they beat Bohemians at home and Derry City lose to Drogheda United. Bohemians have beaten Rovers three times in a row this season, so it will not be easy.
“It’s a tough game for Derry going to Drogheda, but we’ve to look after our own business as well in a tough game against Bohs, fighting for their own title ambitions. The sooner we get it done, the better. We don’t want any hiccups.”
Resilience is the name of the game for Grant, his biggest taking from an injury-hit spell in England for Huddersfield and when released by Bohemians.
“Once you hang in there you can get back to enjoying your career, that’s what I’m doing now,” he said.
Resilience has also been required of Cathal O’Sullivan at Cork City, having suffered two cruciate ligament injuries in three years at a key point in his development.
The 18-year-old had been tipped for a big-money move like that of his friend Mason Melia to Spurs, but O’Sullivan missed his opportunity through injury. The path to the top is rarely linear though, and he’s is determined to get back on the pitch and prove himself.
“[Mason] has been absolutely flying it, that’s what I want to be doing as well. With my knee, I can’t be. Seeing him going to Spurs, that’s where I want to be as well, going over to England, playing at the top level, scoring goals left, right and centre. Once I’m back fit, hopefully I will be doing the same thing,” he said.
O’Sullivan, who knows the road back from injury all too well, said his recovery is has been going better this time around.
“Things are healing quicker, with the exercise I’m doing. In some ways I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing at this stage compared to last time, it was a lot slower, but I am not going to rush it obviously.”
O’Sullivan is a tricky winger or attacking midfielder and his inspirations are Neymar and Lamine Yamal “even though he’s the same age”. He missed playing against the young Spaniard for the Ireland under-17s, “I was actually injured again”, but he’s focused his game to be like players who “can win a game on their own, get the crowd off their feet with one trick. I love that”.
O’Sullivan’s contract is up at the end of the season and he’s been linked with moves to the likes of Brentford, Crystal Palace and Celtic. He said he has not been talking to Cork about a contract, they have been leaving him to do his own thing.
“Nobody is really talking where I’m going to be and that stuff for the moment. The main thing is getting back on the pitch and then doing what I was doing.”
