He was once a youngster at the books at Arsenal when Stephen Bradley just about died in past due 2003.
“Within a minute of coming home, the door was getting kicked in. They put a gun to my head. One was saying: ‘Shoot him, shoot him.’ And the other stabbed me; three times. That’s all I remember.”
The surgeon who handled him at a London clinic informed Bradley that if the 18-year-old hadn’t deflected the blade, he would were stabbed throughout the mind.
No longer lengthy ahead of he was once attacked in his own residence for the sake of a dear monitor on his wrist, he have been coaching with Arsene Wenger’s first crew. It was once 2003-04, the season Arsenal gained the Premier League with out shedding a recreation.
This age Bradley, 40, returns to town the place he moved as a 15-year-old, now as the executive of one in all Eire’s maximum historical golf equipment, Shamrock Rovers. On Thursday they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the place Bradley first went on trial on the date of 10.
The UEFA Convention League recreation can be particular for Bradley, and for enough quantity of his Rovers avid gamers who made that very same move to Premier League academies handiest to have their goals dashed.
“I nearly died, but it’s one of the best things that happened to me,” Bradley tells The Athletic in his administrative center at Rovers’ coaching grassland in Tallaght, south-west of Dublin town centre. “I made bad decisions back then, and I paid for it. But it made me who I am today, as a person, and as a manager.”
Taking part in for Dublin schoolboy golf equipment Jobstown Celtic, Maryland Boys and Lourdes Celtic, by means of his early teenagers golf equipment in Eire, England and throughout Europe have been acutely aware of Bradley’s skills.
His mom Bernadette fielded yells from many govern Premier League managers, with one even visiting the population house within the running elegance Dublin suburb of Jobstown.
“My older brother’s friends were all Manchester United fans, and they couldn’t believe Sir Alex (Ferguson) had come to our door,” Bradley says. “Arsene Wenger and Gerard Houllier were also in regular contact with my mam. It’s incredible now, but at the time I was just a young lad in Jobstown, who happened to be good at football.”
A number of the maximum chronic suitors have been Chelsea, the membership Bradley supported as a boy, and the place he had that first trial elderly 10.
“I was at Chelsea 10 or 15 times,” he says. “I went to a lot of tournaments with them, trained at Stamford Bridge with Gianfranco Zola, John Terry, Dennis Wise, Tore Andre Flo. I travelled with the team to the (1997) FA Cup final, against Middlesbrough, when (Roberto) Di Matteo scored in off the bar. I’ve really fond memories of Chelsea.”
At 15, Bradley determined to tie Arsenal, the place former Republic of Eire midfielder Liam Brady headed the academy. Two years nearest he signed a pro-contract and was once quickly captain of an Arsenal secure facet that integrated David Bentley, Gael Clichy and Jeremie Aliadiere.
“I was asked to mould my game on Pablo Aimar,” Bradley recollects. “He came to Highbury with Valencia, he was top class. I remember a reserves game against Chelsea (in August 2003). I beat Winston Bogarde early on. He probably made me look like Pablo Aimar that day.”
All over the Invincibles season of 2003-04, when Arsenal have been unbeaten on their approach to successful the Premier League identify, Wenger known as Bradley to coach with the primary crew.
“At the start you get imposter syndrome,” he says. “My first few times training, I was nervous, couldn’t pass the ball. Senior players really helped, they demanded and pushed you — Tony Adams, Ray Parlour, Ashley Cole, Dennis Bergkamp. Martin Keown was incredible.
“One day at training, I turned out, and Patrick Vieira could have absolutely smashed me. He pulled me afterwards and explained: ‘If you do that in a game, you’ll get hurt.’ He gave me different ways of turning, looking, maneuvering the ball, so that situation didn’t happen again. I had loads of those conversations.”
Bradley educated with their superstars, however by no means performed a first-team recreation for Arsenal (Photograph: Tony Marshall/EMPICS by way of Getty Photographs)
However Bradley by no means performed a first-team recreation for Arsenal. Even more youthful midfielders Cesc Fabregas and his former housemate Sebastian Larsson moved forward of him.
“To be fair, I stopped working, took my foot right off the gas,” Bradley says. “In your head you’ve made it, you’re training with these boys, earning a lot of money, taking for granted the facilities, the coaches, the environment. Liam (Brady) pulled me aside and said: ‘Look, you need to get going here.’ Pat Rice (did the same), Wenger himself too.
“Football is ruthless, especially at that level. Straight away you could see how special Fabregas was. It’s too late then, at a club like Arsenal. You think you’re getting away with things, but you’re not.”
The incident that modified Bradley’s presen got here in past due 2003. Having been instructed to shop for a dear monitor as an funding, he began dressed in it on nights out round London.
“You get caught up in that lifestyle,” Bradley says. “And the wrong people noticed. I went out for dinner with some team-mates. Within a minute of coming home, the door was getting kicked in. They put a gun to my head. One was saying: ‘Shoot him, shoot him.’ And the other stabbed me; three times. That’s all I remember.”
Bradley was once left subconscious at the ground of his area. Thankfully, his team-mates Larsson, Stephen O’Donnell and Patrick Cregg quickly arrived, and he was once in a rush to clinic.
“The surgeon said with the blood I was losing, I’d not have made it if they had not been there,” Bradley says. “He said: ‘You were millimetres away from the knife piercing your brain, which would have killed you. When you defended yourself, the knife went around, rather than down. They must have been kicking you when you were out cold.’
“I had two broken ribs on each side. The watch was gone.”
Ahead of the assault, it was once already unclouded that Bradley would shed Arsenal. A possible proceed to Fulham was once now off. Rather it was once again to Dublin.
“Arsenal did help me,” he says. “Liam helped me. But I was angry at football, angry at everyone. I could play no physical football for almost a year. I knew I needed to be home, around my mam and my family. I really had to do some soul-searching and find myself again.”
As soon as Bradley was once bodily able, Brady helped organise a summer season 2004 proceed to the Scottish crew Dunfermline. He quickly returned to Eire at Drogheda United, successful the 2005 FAI Cup and 2007 Premier Section identify.
The true homecoming got here in March 2009, when Bradley joined Shamrock Rovers. 4 years then the membership nearly disappeared totally till 400 lovers dipped into their very own wallets to put it aside, Rovers have been opening a unused stadium in Tallaght, only a 10-minute move from his population house.
“You could feel the energy that night was different,” Bradley recollects. “People had been waiting so long; had fought so much.”
Bradley performed 63 video games over two years at Rovers, together with two Europa League qualifying legs towards Juventus in summer season 2010. Later spells with St Patrick’s Athletic and Limerick, he retired elderly simply 28, having already determined his week was once in control.
“I felt I’d never reach my potential as a player,” he says. “And I was at peace with that. While I was still playing, I took notes on everything — training, team talks, opposition teams, even Champions Leagues games and international tournaments.”
First of all, he mixed a youth-coach process at Rovers with scouting for Arsenal, running with Steve Rowley, Brian McDermott and Francis Cagigao, writing evocative studies on possible signings.
“I had an influence on signings like Granit Xhaka, Gabriel (Magalhaes) and (Gabriel) Martinelli.” Bradley says. “I also liked (Wilfred) Ndidi, (Manuel) Akanji and (Nathan) Ake. I really liked (Virgil) van Dijk when he was at Celtic, but they weren’t sure how quick he was.”
Arsenal talked to Bradley a few extra senior Ecu scouting function, however permitted his resignation to turn into Rovers’ supervisor in July 2016, on the date of 31. The membership had a unused stadium however disagree coaching grassland, and maximum in their avid gamers have been nonetheless part-time. Along side unused wearing director Stephen McPhail, the previous Leeds midfielder, Bradley got down to “change the whole mentality, from boardroom level down”.
In 2019, Bradley guided Rovers to a primary FAI Cup win since 1987, successful a penalty shoot-out then a 1-1 draw with Dundalk. Rovers’ goalscorer in customary occasion was once Aaron McEneff, who have been at Tottenham as a youngster. Scorers within the shoot-out integrated Jack Byrne, who starred for Manchester Town Beneath-18s however by no means reached the Premier League, and Gary O’Neill, who have been at Wolves, Port Vale, Southport and Hereford ahead of going back on Eire.
The previous Guy Town academy participant Jack Byrne lifts the trophy (Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile by way of Getty Photographs)
“Irish players were going to England too young,” Bradley says. “And most were coming home broken, hating football. I know — I was one of them. I remember saying: ‘When I’m a manager that’ll be my number one thing.’ If you fixed the person, you’d get the player.”
In 2020, Rovers gained their 18th league identify, starting a ‘four in a row’ run alike their historical success within the Eighties. A number of the avid gamers to have contributed are stream Eire senior internationals Liam Scales, now of Celtic, and Gavin Bazunu, now at Southampton and probably the most high-profile graduate of Rovers’ unused academy at Kingswood.
“When I was growing up, five minutes’ drive from here, you played schoolboys’ football, then you went to England,” Bradley says. “Now you can progress here from seven years of age to the first team. We’ve had players who turned down moves to England when they were young, trusted us and came here.”
In June 2022, Bradley’s son Josh, next 8 years aging, was once identified with acute lymphocytic leukemia. The upcoming house recreation was once a 1-0 victory over town opponents Bohemians.
“I remember telling the players beforehand that what we’re doing is bigger than 90 minutes,” Bradley says. “I looked around the dressing room and five or six people were crying. I was crying. But the players really appreciated me being so open with them.
“They were incredible that night. Josh came into the dressing room afterwards. They all gave him a hug. It was a special moment.”
Regularly Bradley would govern the crew within the night time, next please see morning deliver his son for chemotherapy at Crumlin clinic in Dublin.
When Rovers gained the LOI identify in October 2022, Josh left clinic to aid captain Ronan Finn carry the trophy.
One of the crucial easiest Irish wearing moments of 2022. Josh Bradley – who was once identified with leukaemia in June – lifts the League of Eire trophy along his dad and the triumphant Shamrock Rovers squad. pic.twitter.com/7cDx6RtWfL
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) October 30, 2022
“The hospital didn’t think Josh’d be able to leave the bed, but he wanted to go that night,” Bradley says. “Those moments, that 5-10 minutes of relief, made it all worthwhile.
“Right now he’s doing great. When he’s not in treatment, he’s back playing football with his friends. A lot of families put their life on hold for two or three years (after a cancer diagnosis). But we were adamant that was not going to be the case. Hopefully we only have a few more months of the treatment, and then we’re finished.”
Bradley along with his son Josh at a recreation in 2023 (Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile by way of Getty Photographs)
Firmly established as Eire’s most powerful crew, Rovers’ upcoming problem was once Europe.
They reached the 2022-23 Europa League crew level, however controlled handiest two issues from six video games. Closing season’s marketing campaign ended early then a 6-0 combination play-off defeat by means of Hungary’s Ferencvaros.
This summer season they beat Vikingur Reykjavik within the Champions League qualifiers, next fell to Sparta Prague. Within the Europa League they eradicated Slovenians NK Celje 3-2, however misplaced towards PAOK Salonika. That also intended qualification for the Convention League crew levels.
Some other problem is the League of Eire season operating from February to November. A focal point on Europe contributed to Rovers shedding this 12 months’s identify race to fellow Dublin facet Shelbourne, who’re controlled by means of the previous Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Newcastle United winger Damien Duff.
Within the Convention League desk, a gap attract Tallaght with APOEL Nicosia was once adopted by means of wins over Northern Eire’s Larne FC and Unused Saints of Wales. Upcoming there was once a gritty draw at Fast Vienna and endmost age’s emphatic 3-0 win towards the Bosnian champions Borac Banja Luka. That intended an Irish crew certified from a Ecu festival crew level for the primary occasion.
(Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile by way of Getty Photographs)
“We’ve been off for a month competitively, but the players’ mindset and attitude has been brilliant,” Bradley says. “Maybe I didn’t think we’d get 11 points by now, but our aim was to qualify for the knockout stages. We’ve gone and done that, which is fantastic.”
Many Rovers avid gamers had combined stories in England. Midfielder Dylan Watts joined Rovers on a isolated switch from Leicester Town. Centre-back Daniel Cleary was once at Liverpool as a youngster. Bradley has combined them in his squad with global signings, corresponding to Estonian global midfielder Markus Poom — son of former Derby County, Sunderland and Arsenal goalkeeper Mart — and German ‘keeper Leon Pohls.
The star against Borac was 21-year-old striker Johnny Kenny, who scored two to make it five goals in five games in the Conference League, and 20 in 38 games this season. Kenny is on loan from Celtic, where he has struggled to make an impact since joining aged 18.
Cool. Calm. Composed. #RoversInEurope pic.twitter.com/2Hgtoi4YsE
— Shamrock Rovers FC (@ShamrockRovers) December 14, 2024
“When Johnny came in here, he was in a really tough, dark place,” Bradley says. “I remember thinking: ‘I can see myself in him; he needs help as a person.’ Now you’re optical his skill. It was once about getting him into an state and a tradition the place he feels preserve and satisfied.”
Thursday’s recreation at Chelsea is a excess past for everybody at Rovers. Amongst their 3,000 supporters at Stamford Bridge can be lots of the 400 whose private contributions stored the membership in 2005. A combined possession style now sees businessmen Ray Wilson and Dermot Desmond (additionally a Celtic shareholder) proudly owning 25 consistent with cent each and every.
This season’s Ecu exploits will earn Rovers greater than €7million — a excess providence by means of League of Eire requirements. On the other hand endmost season noticed €2.3m losses then exiting Europe early, which means shareholders needed to capitaltreasury running prices originally of this 12 months.
Bradley needs to peer “alignment” between the lovers’ representatives and rich shareholders, to safeguard the membership assists in keeping making an investment in avid gamers and amenities. He does now not conceal his personal private week ambitions, age additionally remembering the debt he and his population owe Rovers and their supporters.
“I owe these fans so much,” he says. “We have to keep pushing and getting better every year, on and off the pitch. I’d like to manage at the highest level and really test myself.
“But Josh’s treatment is number one. After that, what will be will be.”
(Getty Photographs)
