Shelbourne look to follow path set by Rosenborg

The Shelbourne chairman Gary Brown and team manager Dermot Keely will today meet with representatives of Rosenborg Ballklub to discuss plans the clubs have for an alliance between them.

The teams meet on the field in Trondheim's Lerkendal Stadium tomorrow evening for the second leg of their Champions League second qualifying-round tie, with Rosenborg odds on to build on their 3-1 first-leg lead. Following today's meeting off it, the hope is that their relationship will have a mutually beneficial future.

"Rosenborg is a model we can realistically follow," said Keely. "This place excites me. It's the first time in my career that I've come away and seen something that is relevant to us in Ireland.

"As a league, Norway isn't any better than ours. But Rosenborg are far superior than any other club within their league.

"We have to find the secret of being able to come into Europe and play at a level that gets you into the Champions League like Rosenborg have. If it can be done here in Norway, it can be replicated in Ireland.

"We have the potential to match any facilities they have here. We are closer to them than you would think. We can get there as far as that end of it is concerned. The next problem is that we must go full-time.

"Then we must discover what we have to do to make that crucial step up on the field. There is a knowledge there that can be learned and we are hoping to set up something today whereby we can come back here and learn."

Brown, too, is excited by the potential of the link-up. "The idea is that we will keep in close contact," said Brown.

"Dermot Keely and our coaching staff will come to Trondheim for several weeks in the summer to work and study the Rosenborg system and, likewise, in their off season, they will come to us and spend time working and seeing how we prepare and play.

"Rosenborg were greatly impressed when they came to Dublin, especially by our players' hardworking attitude and physical approach to the game which they are keen to marry into their more technical play."

Three Shelbourne players sat out the latter part of yesterday's first training session and will rest today to ensure their availability for selection.

Central defender Tony McCarthy is Keely's main concern as he nurses an ankle injury.

Pat Fenlon, who took a knock on a knee, and Richie Baker, who has a slight groin strain, pose less of a worry.