The relationship between fans and manager is always a fragile one, although the Bohemians faithful appear to have embraced Pat Fenlon.
After guiding The Gypsies to the league and cup double in his first year at the helm in Dalymount Park, he ensured that his transition into the hotseat was a successful one. Now he is aiming to repeat the trick even though it has become even difficult to weave his magic.
There are now more teams fighting for the top spot in the Premier Division with a flurry of decent players scattered around the ten teams in the top flight due to the finanical cut-backs that were enforced on the league this year.
Bohemians were also affected by this, so each club has started off on a level pegging in the 2009 race.
Fenlon, along with his backroom staff, took a pay cut to remain in charge at Bohs. He had plans to take the club even higher than they scaled in the previous year and he wasn’t prepared to give up those ambitions without a fight.
The big prize on offer is European football. After St Patrick’s Athletic and Drogheda United did so well last season, Fenlon’s appetite for competing on that stage grew stronger. While he will wants to retain the league and the FAI Ford Cup, this year is all about mounting a serious challenge to reach the Uefa Champions League group stages.
Following on from their superb double, the Bohemians squad has been boosted by the arrival of three of the best players in the league (Joseph Ndo, Brian Shelley, Paul Keegan). But the most important asset that the Dublin club has is its manager. If anyone can lead them on a good European run, it is Fenlon.
He came close to the group stages when managing Shelbourne and has since gained vital experience with his stint as Derry City boss and also his work with the Republic of Ireland U-23 team. So he knows what is required and has assembled a squad capable of even surpassing last year’s League of Ireland representatives.
You might ask, what makes Fenlon so special? Well, just like so many other good manager he possesses a variety of different skills. He is a good communicator, an excellent motivator, a clever tactican, has a superb work ethic, is someone that is willing to learn, and remains hugely ambitious.
For tonight’s game, several ex-Bohs players will make up the St Patrick’s Athletic team and each of them, if pushed on the issue, will attest to the abilities that Fenlon has. They will talk of his tough training sessions, his sensible team-talks, and his eye to spot things that others normally miss.
So as the season starts to unravel and Bohs go in search of more glory, remember who the ringmaster in this forward-moving circus is. He is someone that knows what the crowd wants and how to deliver when it really matters.
One thing is for certain though, Fenlon will continue looking at ways to improve as a manager and that can only be a good thing for Bohemians.