2 weeks Ago By Simon Collins
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to Derry Journal, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Higgins apologised to the 25,000 strong Derry City supporters who made the long trip to Dublin for the 2024 showpiece and admitted his team simply weren't able to produce when the chips were down this season. Advertisement Advertisement Having been in the thick of the title race with Shelbourne right up until the penultimate match of the season and within touching distance of a second FAI Cup triumph in three years, it was an almighty collapse in the end.
The Derry boss will naturally be under pressure having come up short and failed to qualify for Europe which is now considered the minimum achievement given the financial resources he's been afforded. However, he's confident he's the man to lead Derry forward. "To be honest, I mean it when I say it.
I back myself. I've worked extremely hard to be in this position. It's been years and years of hard work.
I back myself. Ultimately football is my life. Advertisement Advertisement "Results can go against you and go for you.
I've always remained confident in myself. I've got a belief in what I do and I don't think that'll change. I'm young.
I've just turned 40. I've gained a lot of experience in the last five years and an awful lot of learning this year and I'm sure I will continue to keep developing. It's what I love.
It's what I do. It's what I know. I love the game.
" Several factors were at play in Derry's end of season collapse including a mounting injury list and a lack of cutting edge in front of goal. Perhaps a fear factor or a lack of belief among the squad. Doubts over the future of several key players certainly didn't help and Higgins knows there's lots of improvements needed from top to bottom at the club if they're to challenge for honours next year.
Advertisement Advertisement "There has to be a refresh and reboot and there's work to be done that's for sure. There's work to be done over the off season for the clun to try and go forward. "I ultimately lead the team and four weeks ago we were in a brilliant position and it's a collective thing.
We just haven't been able to get it done when it really mattered and that hurts. That hurts because there was real potential and excitement and it feels like an anti climax. There's a lot of soul searching to be done.
It'll be a long off season I'm sure." So where did it all go wrong in his eyes? "If you're generalising it people would say those back-to-back games at home to Bohs and Sligo on the Friday, Monday but it wasn't. We didn't' pick up enough points and at certain venues away from home our form wasn't as good as it was in previous years and ultimately I can't pick any specific point.
Advertisement Advertisement "Maybe that Friday, Monday, after that maybe people thought it would be an uphill task but it was still in our hands. We still had control of it and our destiny was still in our own hands. If truth be told when we really needed to we haven't been able to produce.
" Did his players have the right mentality to bring silverware to the club this year? "Well, results would suggest otherwise. When it really mattered we came up short and we can't deny that. We can't put any other spin on it.
When it really mattered we didn't produce the goods and that's the hardest part. Advertisement Advertisement "We've talked about it there. To get over the line you need a real strong mentality and need everyone together.
We haven't been good enough in certain periods of the season and ultimately that's the way I see it.".
