‘There will be changes, players will go’ – Alan Reynolds ready for Bohemians reboot amid fan anger

Bohs go into the mid-season break in third-last place in the league table after a 2-1 loss at home to Derry City.

It was their ninth defeat in 19 matches, and while they have four games in hand on some of the teams above them and could potentially be four points off second place if they won their back games, there was a sense of gloom at Dalymount Park, with boos from home supporters at the final whistle. Bohs have just two points from the last four home games.

Some fan anger was directed last night towards manager Reynolds, who missed part of the build-up to the Derry game as he was in Croatia with the Ireland U21 squad for their friendly games.

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The Irish Independent believes the Reynolds trip to Croatia was sanctioned by the club. Reynolds was already on the Ireland U-21 coaching staff when he was hired by Bohs in March, with an FAI contract that extended to the end of the current Euro qualifying campaign. His contract with Bohs allowed him to keep up his U-21 involvement.

Because of a change in the calendar to accommodate Euro 2024, there was no specific international break in the League of Ireland campaign this month. While Bohs’ games against Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers were postponed due to international call-ups, there was surprise in some Dalymount circles that Reynolds missed some of their training to work with the U-21s for friendlies in Croatia, especially as Rovers requested that striker Johnny Kenny be allowed leave the U-21 camp before the second friendly, against England on Tuesday, to allow him to train with the Hoops ahead of last night’s derby away to St Patrick’s Athletic, where Kenny scored in a 2-1 loss.

For his part, Reynolds admits the club have work to do when the league resumes. “I think people are enjoying us struggling at the minute, so we have to bounce back and stick together,” said Reynolds, who took over from Declan Devine earlier this season as he plans to trim down a bloated squad.

“When I came in here, there were 28 players, something that was new to me. The players need help, we need to get players in for July and we are looking for the second half of the season to be a lot better than the first. There will be changes, players will go.”