As tensions reach boiling point at Cork City, manager Ger Nash has moved to clarify comments he made last weekend about Malik Dijksteel’s availability and his selection being dominated by Irish players.
Dijksteel’s two-year spell at City effectively ended last Friday when he wasn’t part of the squad which threw away a two-goal lead at home to nearest rivals Sligo Rovers, widening the gap at the bottom to 11 points with 11 games left.
A pre-contract move to St Mirren in November was announced by Cork City in advance of the game. Nash contended afterwards that the 24-year-old was ruled out on foot of a directive from his agent but confusion arose over the weekend.
Nash has since met with the Dutchman on Monday and logically the transfer has been accelerated. Dijksteel has been in Scotland this week finalising his medical and he joins Milan Mbeng and Djenairo Daniels in departing.
This summer window was flagged by the new manager as pivotal to their survival hopes but he’s not delivered a victory in any the 11 league matches at the helm, a winless run totalling 14 matches encompassing the end of Tim Clancy’s reign.
Nash has now admitted that Dijksteel didn’t go on strike for the Sligo game.
“The information I gave was on the back of a conversation with his agent,” he said ahead of Friday’s visit of Galway United to Turner’s Cross, which may see fans launching a demonstration against the club ownership led by Dermot Usher.
“Malik had a lot going on in his mind and personally. When you’re dealing with those sorts of transfers, it’s not easy. Whether he was in the right frame of mind was questionable.
“He made it clear that it was an issue for Malik dealing with what he was dealing with. So, from that conversation, it was clear that we had to move on without him for that game.”
That explanation indicates the stance of omitting Dijksteel was ultimately down to Cork City.
“Yeah, we made the decision as a club the day before. We obviously planned and picked that team in advance.
“We had to select a team that we were sure could give us what we needed in the game. And we couldn’t be in doubt in certain situations.”
The Dutchman later released a statement on Thursday evening saying “things have been said about me that are completely false”.
“Everyone around me knows how much I love the club,” he wrote on Instagram, “and knows that I would never make myself unavailable to play a game. I had multiple conversations with the club all last week where I’ve always clearly indicated that I’m ready to give 200pc.
“The club made the decision on Thursday not to put me in the squad. It hurts that I wasn’t able to give my all one last time but I leave with my head held high knowing that my teammates know my character and know that I was ready to give my all until the end.”
That wasn’t the only topic which the manager, operating in his first standalone managerial job, had to elaborate on.
Bemusement accompanied him making a point of stressing the inclusion of 10 Irishman in his starting team. He noted the exception, loanee Kitt Nelson, as a player who chose to stay rather than return to Preston North End.
Origin can be a sensitive subject, especially when the history of Cork’s League of Ireland team is laced with players hailing from outside the county and country.
Nash attempted to provide context by stressing he was referring to longevity and commitment of players, rather than some whose stay has been brief, without commercial value accruing to the club.
“I’ve probably talked a little bit about players from Cork and Irish players and maybe they’ve not been the best quotes in some respects,” he began.
“Because it’s just about people. It doesn’t really matter where you’re from as long as you’re committed.
“You can be from anywhere in the world, but it’s about commitment to Cork City – wanting to play for the club and wanting to be successful.
“It’s just the challenges the club has had with a number of players who can play 10, 12, 15 games and then leave.
“It would be a good model if we were getting a million pounds for each player, that’s probably a really good model but the reality is we’re not getting those returns.
“What I’ve got now, looking forward, is a squad which is absolutely desperate to play for Cork City and help us get out of the situation that we’re in.
“Bringing in players from window to window, there’s no real sale value and isn’t necessarily the best way for us to do this.
“I think I look at somebody like Matty Kiernan. He’s an 18-year-old who played a lot of football this season in the Premier Division.
“He’s someone who loves the club and cares.”