BertieFaulkner is expecting a good season for Brigade

AFTER a disappointing and trophy-less season last year Brigade start the 2010 campaign as favourites for the Senior One title.

The Waterside men have recruited six new players - Chris Dougherty, Trevor Britton, Johnny Thompson, Gareth McKeegan, Thomas Riddles and Niall McDonnell - and that’s why the expectation levels have risen this season.

Nevertheless Bertie Faulkner remains cautious and knows everyone will be giving their all against the Beechgrove men.

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“We certainly have recruited some new players but a team on paper doesn’t play cricket, a team on grass plays cricket,” he said.

People forget we have lost 11 players in the last four years, playing now for various clubs for different reasons but we have some fine young players coming on, like Matty Moran, Nick Donnell, Chris Campbell, Aaron Kitson and Simon Logue, but they are just not ready yet, so therefore we have decided to bring in a few players this year in order to bring those youngsters on.”

With new signings comes expectations but Faulkner believes if the Waterside men can’t cope with the pressure then they possibly don’t deserve to pick up any silverware.

“If we can’t stand the pressure or can’t stand the heat in the kitchen then you don’t deserve to win and that is what a good team is all about, being able to play under pressure.

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“It has always been a tradition that every team that plays Brigade over the years, even whenever I was playing, it was their cup final and it’s no different now, but I look forward to that challenge.

“We have worked very hard over the winter months both indoor at Bready and outdoor at the club; we have had three pre-season friendlies and the players have really bonded well and I expect to have a good season, but I’m not predicting anything, I’ll let everyone else do those predictions.

“We will take each game on its merit and we will try and play to our full potential; there is a lot of experience and it’s a very good side who are well balanced, but they have to perform on the day.”

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