Shelbourne Developments

With 8 points from 4 games Liam Buckley's new-look Saints appear to be ticking along nicely even if they have yet to show anything like the spirit of '99. This Friday presents the Saints with another opportunity to pass the ball around meanderingly for 90 minutes in the fashion of a FIFA-12-semi-pro-struggling-to-get-to-grips-with-the-shoot-button, as for the second time in a week they take on a motley crew of Macron-clad minnows from the northside of the Liffey, namely Shelbourne.

It's half a decade since the clubs last met in a league fixture. Back then, of course, a game against a Shels side was a very different proposition, a typical XI containing the likes of Owen Heary, Colin Hawkins, Jim Crawford, and Jason Byrne. Although the average nose size of a Shels player has decreased considerably since then, if last year's FAI Cup semi-final proved anything it is that - irrespective of the quality at their disposal - there remains something inherently unlikeable about Shelbourne Football Club.

'Drumcondra Says "NO"' Reverend Stephen Paisley

Their European exploits now also seem like a thing of the distant past, and their hob-knobbing with such luminaries as Hadjuk Split, Deportivo la Coruña, Lille, and Harchester United has been well and truly put in the shade by the recent achievements of FC South Dublin County Council.

Shels' Arch-rivals, Harchester United

These days Alan Matthews - two-time runner-up to Richard Sadlier for The World's Most Boring Voice Award - must work off a budget a fraction that of his predecessors, and while in Dean Kelly, Stephen O'Flynn, Jake Kelly, Christy Fagan, and Ian Daly the Saints have something of an embarrassment of riches up front, in Philly Hughes Shels have something of an embarrassment up fornt.

Not that 3 points can be taken for granted, as Liam Buckley himself pointed out this week in an exclusive Twitter interview with The ExPat Blog. The interview - although initially considered quite a coup for a blog with one follower - was difficult ,to say the least. The Saints manager came across as slightly unfamiliar with the medium and the interview rapidly descended into farce. Below is the timeline.

theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 thanks for taking time out for the interview, Liam #appreciated
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog don't mention it
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 v bohs: 2 points dropped or 1 gained?
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog 2 dropped. you could say we need to Bucko up our ideas #punintended
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 any personnel changes v Shels? Fagan, Forrester, perhaps?
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog  perhaps. I'm the gaffer. I pick the team the Bucko stops with me.
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 ok...are shels a threat this year?
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog  maybe. they should take a leaf out of my Bucko, though #longballmerchants
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 how will we deal with that long-ball threat on Friday?
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog don't worry. we won't Buckle under the pressure.
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 Liam, can we cut out the puns, please?
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog why? they're the oldest trick in the Bucko.
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 come on, Liam...please...
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog  we should do the interview by the Bucko
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 please...
bucko_3_5_2 @theexpatblog don't judge a Bucko by its cover
theexpatblog @bucko_3_5_2 FFS, Liam...