Back To Business with Kieran Brady

BACK TO BUSINESS

WORDS // RHIAN TILLEY

Kieren Brady joined Southam United in the spring just before the Hellenic Division Two Cup Tournament and hasn’t taken long to become a dependable and familiar face on the team’s backline. But today its all about getting three points and playing in front of the Saints fans again at Bobby Hancocks Park

Obviously a postponed match wasn’t how you envisaged starting the season. After the false start you began league play last weeked in Launton.

We were dissapointed to be a game behind in the league table. Most teams have played two games, but we’ve obviously only played the one so far. But at the end of the season we know that everyone will play 24 games, so it doesn’t matter too much. I think for most of the guys, we’re just excited to play competitive football again. Its been a long time since we’ve actually played with points on the line.

You picked up an injury in preaseason. How is the ankle feeling now?

Yeah, my ankle feels back to 100 percent now. And I think having the competition in training within the team has helped me get back up to speed. Personally I think I was ready for the first game week so it was sort of an ant-climax when it got postponed, but as I said, we’ll play that Marston Saints team later on in the season now.

The team opened league play with a strong showing in a 2-0 win against Launton.

I think moving leagues you sort of don’t know what to expect but it was a tough and physical game, which I think we were prepared for. I think we matched them physically and then once you match a team physically the quality starts to shine through. As long as we match the teams week in and week out I think our quality will show and we’ll keep winning games.

Obviously the past few seasons have been strange for Southam United, but it hasn’t been without successes. There must be high targets and aims going into another campaign.

Without trying to sound too cliche I think our target is just to win as many games as we can. I think success this season would be getting promotion and I think we’d all like to win a trophy as well, whether thats winning the league or one of the various cups we’re in. So, I think, getting promotion is kind of the main aim, and then it would be great for us lads to lift a trophy at some point over the season.

The squad has shifted since the last competitve matches, with players in and out. Even though you’re a relatively new player, coming to Southam in the spring, it actually feels like you’re part of that core, veteran group.

Yeah, I think I’ve settled in quite quickly really since I joined in the spring. There’s a lot of fresh faces in the squad now and I’m trying my best to give those new lads the welcome I received when I joined.

Rich has spoken about how the squad depth will be incredibly important and that the many recent absences have affected results. How much of an impact is it going to make to finally have the full squad together.

I think making sure you’ve got players, your key players available every week, is the key to having a good season really. Obviously we are in a lot of competitions, so having the squad depth to field a strong team every week is important. An example of that was on Saturday. I think the lads that came on did really well to help us close out that game.

It was obvious in the Launton match that even being up 1-0 early on that the team was not content and was still looking for the next gear.

It was a bit of a strange one really. Being 1-0 up at half-time is usually a good thing, but I think we all know within ourselves that we can go to that next gear. We weren’t really content with how we were playing. I think a few of the lads showed that at halftime and were sort of G-ing us up a bit. But I think it did work really. I think in the second half we did play better. Obviously we got that second goal and went on to win the game quite comfortably in the end.

Late on in the match the team was really up against it; down to 10-men through injury, the ref allowing about 10 minutes of additional time to be played, and Launton throwing everything they had at you. Not only did the team not concede, but managed to win 2-0 with Lewis [Hudson] being named Man of the Match. What were the deciding factors when the pressure was on?

I think we all stayed together as a group at the end there and defended properly at the back. With Lewis its always great to have a goalie that can bail you out every now and then, and he certainly did that on Saturday. And then going from there we did very well not to concede and then caught them on the break late on and that sort of decided the game.

Luca, who normally plays in that rightback area, got a goal in the match. That must be some motivation to nab one yourself.

Yeah I’d love to get myself on the scoresheet. Obviously I haven’t quite got a goal yet, and I’ve played probably 10-12 games now. Being in defense the priority though is not conceding. But hopefully, as I said, it won’t be too far off, getting my first goal for Southam.

It must be great to be back at Bobby Hancocks Park, and with the supporters finally attending competitive matches.

Its great. I think everyone knows how good a ground it is. And I must say, it makes a huge difference when you’re playing in front of fans. I seem to enjoy the games a lot more when there are people watching, so this Saturday I’m really hoping we get as many people down as possible. *

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