Stephen O'Donnell has admitted that the plight of his former club Dundalk has surprised and saddened him, but he can show no sympathy when they visit Inchicore this evening.
O'Donnell was a central figure of Dundalk's success under Stephen Kenny, the captain of the all-conquering side that starred in Europe in 2016 before joining the coaching staff as opposition analyst following his injury-enforced retirement.
Indeed, there was a view at the club that O'Donnell would be the eventual replacement for Vinny Perth, Kenny's successor. Perth is angling for a return to Oriel Park at the moment with a variety of opinions held about the club's direction in the aftermath of a humbling 5-1 defeat to Bohemians on Monday.
O'Donnell is now settled in Inchicore and his improving team, which includes a number of ex-Dundalk players, sits third and three points off the pace heading into the last match before the short mid-season break. The Galwegian is surprised that Dundalk are languishing down in seventh.
"If you'd told me Dundalk would be mid-table after 13 or so games, I would have thought you were messing," said O'Donnell.
"A lot of the games are fine margins. You saw what they were capable of last Friday when they ended Shamrock Rovers' unbeaten run. That's what you judge them off, the ceiling they can get to. When they do perform, they perform to a really high level and are as good if not better than anyone in the league when they are at it.
"They are a wounded animal after Monday, there's a lot of players with success under their belt and we are definitely expecting a reaction. I think you put Monday as a freakish result, rather than looking at it and seeing what level Dundalk are at
"Obviously you'd have a real soft spot for the club where you had so much success," continued O'Donnell, when pressed further on the Lilywhites plight. "If they weren't playing St Pat's, you'd want them to do well. But in a small league, my focus is on St Patrick's Athletic on what you can achieve and improve."
The return of former Dundalk favourite Robbie Benson from injury has strengthened O'Donnell's hand, with important contributions against Bohemians last Friday illustrating that point. Benson missed key games including the defeat to champions Shamrock Rovers.
"He gives you a little bit of a different dimension in midfield," said O'Donnell, "You are always going to miss players of Robbie's calibre and we did."
