Former Derry City league winner urges Ruaidhri Higgins to 'prove people wrong'

​The Top of the Hill native accused some Derry players of lacking hunger and being 'too nice' during their failed bid for a league and cup double this season as the supporters now come to terms with ending a campaign empty-handed and the likelihood of a player exodus.

"They have to stand up," he said. "Ruaidhri says they can't roll over and they can't. They have to stand up and be counted and show people what you're about. Prove people wrong!"

Hargan reckons all is not lost but called for clarity from the Board of Directors, a few marquee signings and a fortified plan for the future which he believes can win back the club's increasingly disillusioned fanbase.

"I think if Ruaidhrí does stay, that has to be his motto - prove everybody wrong," said Hargan on the Journal's 'Talking Derry City' podcast this week.

"I'm going to prove that I am the man to do this and I'm the man to turn it around and get things back on track and back where it should be.

"When you're winning at Derry and winning trophies and winning leagues it's the best place in the world to be but see when things are going against you that's when you find out about people.

"That's when you find out about players and I think we found out about a lot of players in the last eight or nine games of the season who let you down a bagful whenever you needed them to step up and put their bodies on the line. You find out about people then."

Hargan, who was also part of the Derry teams who agonisingly lost out on league titles in 2005 and 2006, reckons the Brandywell club can't delay any further in making a statement clarifying the future of Higgins and its out-of-contract players to 'ease tension'.

"Obviously the club hasn't come out with any statements to ease anybody's tension with regards managers or players or anything like that.

"The club has to come out with some sort of a statement just to ease everything for Ruaidhrí, especially if he's trying to get players in.

"They would have to give some sort of a statement to say 'this is where we're going' and 'we're sticking with Ruaidhri'.

"When that's all left in limbo, everyone has their opinions. If they just turn around and say he's staying for at least another year with a possibility of whatever, the plan is we're going to invest in the club and the players and we're getting more staff in the backroom team.

"If you get a few marquee signings in it'll get the place lifted again and that's why I think they have to come out and say 'this is where we're going' and 'this is what we're planning'.

"All the fans want to see the club doing well. No one wants to see it do badly. I think when the club's doing really well the crowds will come."

Reasons for Derry City's underachievement this season are multi-faceted but the former defender who spent 13 years representing his hometown believes there exists the same problems at the club that were there almost 30 years ago!

Logistical issues regarding training pitches, club facilities, a lack of full-time staff and an over reliance of volunteers have been major stumbling blocks for Higgins and many of his predecessors over the years.

While the new North Stand at Brandywell and promise of funds to finish the Mark Farren Stand bode well for the club, the fact remains they are anchor tenants in the Council-owned facility who ultimately call the shots on the problematic plastic surface which has compounded matters.

"If we're looking at Shamrock Rovers compared to our Derry City setup with regards to the whole structure of the club, the staff. We have so many volunteers in the background doing a lot of stuff that full-time members of staff should be doing in my opinion.

"They do a great job but you need people in the background running the club. I think the whole thing needs to be revamped and looked at.

"We're still running around trying to get pitches. We were doing that 25 years ago and we don't have our own ground.

"Every Gaelic club in the town has their own ground. You're always looking for somewhere to train. You're getting changed in one place and driving to another. It's just the way the club has been for so long and it's nearly like it's acceptable.

"I remember 'Badger' [Hugh McDaid] complaining about it when he was chairman. I remember Stephen Kenny fighting with groundsmen out in Prehen and talking about third world facilities.

"It hasn't changed and we still don't have our own ground which doesn't help matters.

"You're talking about things behind the scenes, you're going over and the offices are in the back of a container. All of this stuff should be taken care of in the background.

"It was a massive lost opportunity to go and lift the title this year and it's only going to be harder from here on in."

Finishing the season empty-handed despite being three games away from a 'double' has left the fansbase flat and Hargan put the nose-dive in form since the summer down to a lack of hunger and desire from players who could've played with '20 or 30 per cent more effort'.

"We have a lot of players that want to eat but they're not hungry. And there's a difference between wanting to eat and being hungry because you'll find a way when you're hungry.

"It was a seriously disappointing end to the season, the last maybe 10 weeks. You kind of saw it coming with the performances in the league and why it didn't click together or how we didn't get it over the line is hard to fathom at times.

"I was chatting before about the magnitude of what was at stake for this team and what they could've done in writing themselves into the history books. The first time in 27 or 28 years.

"The thin line between success and failure, three games we would've had a double and we're sitting with zero.

"There was definitely a lack of hunger and desire - it looked like that. I'm sure the staff and manager were beating it into them and trying to get them up for it but if you can't get up for that you shouldn't be here.

"There've been so many disappointments with some of the players that have been brought in as well and I think some of them could have been giving 20 to 30 per cent more than what they have been giving.

"It's just so frustrating because you have an abundance of talent there but if it's not clicking and not working and you don't have the hunger and desire and the honesty to go and put the performance in.

"The least any player can give is 100 percent commitment and battle and bust yourself in the game.”

It wasn't 'all rainbows and unicorns' during Hargy's time at Derry and the club has come a long way from his days of carpooling to Dublin with five teammates in a Ford Galaxy.

He believes Higgins must find the next 'rough diamond' in the transfer market and change the mentality in the dressing room.

"Going forward I'm sure they're going to have to sit down and have that meeting. 'What's the plan? Where are we going here? What are you thinking? What players are we going to try and bring in?'

"It could be like the Alex Ferguson one where they nearly get rid of him at United and then the next thing he's there for 20 odd years and turns the whole thing around again.

"I think Philip [O'Doherty] will stick with him [Higgins] for at least another season and give Ruaidhrí that opportunity to put things right. He's backed him right up until now. The thing is, if they did let him go, who are they going to bring in?

"What players would they bring with them? The thing definitely needs a refresh. You'll have a load of players leaving and players coming in if you're going to be challenging again next year.

"There will be no one as disappointed as Ruaidhri. Listen I played alongside him and I know what he’s like abut the game. He'll be devastated and it will be going through his head. He made mistakes. Of course he has, it's his first managerial job. He's learning as he goes along.

"I think we need a couple of big signings who can come in and change the whole changing room nearly and give the place a lift because it’s going to need it.

"We lost the cup. We lost the league in the last three matches of the season and players are on the ground nearly. To get that lifted I think we're going to need a couple of big signings coming in.”

LISTEN: Full interview here