Chris Shields programme article
Posted : 26th September 2023
‘Look at Linfield’ this week catches up with popular midfielder Chris Shields. A man of high standards, the Clondalkin-native is a straight talker and he highlights the importance of tonight’s crunch clash against Crusaders at Windsor Park.
“The Crues have assembled a very good squad this year. They’re a very experienced team, as they have lots of players who know the Irish League very well and they’ve shown that in their performances this season with how they’ve approached games and got results.
“We didn’t beat them in any of the four league meetings last season and, looking back, those were the points that got away; season defining points – especially at home with the two goalless draws. Those were games we should have found a way to win. Going to Seaview is a different story, but if you want to win the league, you need to be winning your home matches.
“We aren’t unfamiliar with this system – we played it quite a bit last year and we’ve stuck with it this year and I feel that it’s really suited our attacking players in the early part of this season. Formations are not match-defining when you’ve got players with quality in your squad; you can’t solely rely on formations and tactics – as a player, you have to see in-game changes and stuff like that.
“Kyle is a joy to play with. He’s been unlucky with injuries in his career and it’s been great to see him get a good run of games. He is repaying the team and the gaffer with his performances so far this season. Kyle is involved in nearly everything we do as a team and sometimes, you forget that he’s only 24. He’s been a big player for us, an intelligent footballer and hopefully, he can continue this form. As a central midfield player, I know you need an understanding with the guy beside you, and myself and Kyle definitely have that.
We've also welcomed another hugely influential midfielder, Stephen Fallon back to first team action and it's been great to have his presence back on the pitch.
“Personally, I feel I’ve started the season quite well. When I first arrived, due to the football calendar at Dundalk I basically played a season-and-a-half without a break, and I think that caught up on me a wee bit last season. I’ve felt very fit, strong and back to my best so far this season and I don’t feel 32, so that’s a good thing.”
At the end of last season, the NI Football League revealed that attendances in the NIFL Premiership had risen by 92% in the last decade. In the first month of this season, attendances were up another 24% from last season, so this is a league on the up. Investment in rival clubs has played its part, as well as in increase in professionalism across the division, with Linfield one of four clubs to move to a Full-Time training model. This is all familiar to former Dundalk stalwart Shields who has experienced a similar boom in the League of Ireland in his 13 years playing over the border, and he’s in full support for the way things are going, with further clubs expected to receive investment and go Full-Time.
“You want to have a Full-Time league. I can never understand the suggestions of returning to Part-Time in this league. You see how many Full-Time teams there are in the League of Ireland – seven or eight of the ten teams - and how that benefits the league down there. The more teams in Northern Ireland that can go Full-Time, the stronger the league will become and the standard of players will improve even more. Linfield has been the biggest club in the country since it was formed, and this club has been the standard-setters in the Irish League, so if we are to have a fully professional league, we need to lead the way and show how Full-Time football is beneficial, and I think we are seeing that increasingly more and more.
“I’ve been through it all before; I was Part-Time with Dundalk and I’ve seen how much the change to Full-Time can be beneficial. It didn’t just benefit Dundalk, it benefited the league as a whole, because once one team took that step, the other teams are forced to react, or they could be left behind. You can see attendances here are on the up, there’s a hunger for Irish League football and long may that upward surge continue.
“The Irish League is tough. We were disappointed when we drew here against Carrick Rangers, but Loughgall going to Seaview and getting a point, and Dungannon going to Larne and Glentoran and drawing, those results show that it can happen to anyone. Teams will give you a real game, whether it be home or away, as it’s a competitive league. Teams have improved and you will have the odd hiccup here and there; it’s just about how you bounce back, and we showed that ability after Carrick when we went to Coleraine and won.”
Best wishes to Chris and his team mates in tonight's hugely important Belfast derby against Crusaders