Renowned data specialists Jamestown Analytics were retained by Shelbourne to mirror Brighton and Hove Albion’s recruitment model but manager Joey O’Brien used traditional methods to source their Portuguese striker Rodrigo Freitas.
It was through his former teammate at Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United, Ricardo Vaz Tê, that Shels found the piece to the puzzle they hope revives them into title contenders.
Freitas was headhunted from Portuguese third division outfit Varzim SC and will lead the line in Friday’s opener at Waterford – provided the RSC pitch passes an inspection.
This was O’Brien’s first pre-season as gaffer – stepping up from assistant to succeed Damien Duff last June – and he was adamant the eye test was necessary.
Jamestown is the go-to authority for Tony Bloom, who owns Brighton and took a 29% stake in Hearts to rejuvenate the Jam Tarts into Scottish top-flight contenders.
“We went to watch Rodrigo in Portugal,” explained five-times capped O’Brien. “I’ve a great relationship with his agent, Ricardo, who is a personal friend of mine.
“He helped us out a lot in that sort of thing but it’s going to take time to adapt, coming into a new league, a new country and all the stuff that goes with it.
“However, I think long-term he is going to be a really good signing. He’s really good technically, as you’d expect, coming through the Portuguese system.
“He’s nice on the ball, he’s great movement at the top of the pitch and has an eye for goal.”
O’Brien had lamented his team’s bluntness up top last term, especially in the Conference League phase, where they failed to score in any of the six games.
Freitas possesses durable attributes too, the type that won’t see him go missing on a rainy, scruffy night in the south-east.
“It’s an area that we wanted to improve in, especially to improve competition,” outlined O’Brien about the acquisition.
“He has a bit of an edge about him too, not your typical Portuguese player. The level he has played at and the area where he is from in Portugal, he has a little bit about him. I don’t think he’ll get kicked around.”
That Conference League run banked Shels €4.45m in prize-money, strengthening the manager’s hand in the transfer market. They’ve sold players and recruited players, Lewis Temple moving to Bolton Wanderers and Odhrán Casey coming from Cliftonville, both for six-figure fees.
O’Brien said: “The money helps with stuff in the background. The people in the background are shrewd businessmen, I’m sure they haven’t wasted the money.
“You see improvements at Tolka and the training ground. The board put massive money into it. I see it because I notice things going on inside, like the meeting and dressing rooms. That’s improved in my short time.
“Our budget has increased but it’s not too mad. We went outside the league for some players and they’re not on mad, mad money or anything like that.
“Like all clubs, you are working off a budget. Sometimes you go after certain players, they want a certain amount of money, and we can’t pay it. That’s it and you move on.”
Their ownership group, led by brothers Neil and Cathal Doyle, as well as media mogul Mickey O’Rourke, invested a seven-figure sum to ensure the fourth stand was deemed safe again. Once that’s reopened in March, Tolka Park will house over 6,000 fans.
“There’s plans in place for that stand and it’s not just talk,” affirmed the 39-year-old.
“They’ll definitely do it and once it’s there it will be really good.”
