ON another day to forget for Fermanagh, it was at least great to see Derry manager, our own Rory Gallagher, enjoying himself so much on the sideline as each of his team’s goals went in.
In fact, the ex-Fermanagh boss celebrated the third goal so wildly that for the rest of the match, members of St John’s Ambulance were on standby with a defibrillator in case Derry scored a fourth one.
His goal celebrations could be improved though.
Fist-pumping and roaring at the top of your lungs is too old school these days.
Instead, Rory should do something like Richarlison’s ‘pigeon dance’ when he scores a goal for Spurs or Brazil.
As the Brazilian forward once explained: “The pigeon dance came from a group from Rio de Janeiro who had a song in around 2012. I think I’ve helped the band’s profile grow because of that.”
Surely, Rory flapping his arms and duking about on the sideline every time his team scores a goal would help his profile grow in popularity too?
Fans could even throw him bits of bread. Cooing sounds are optional.
A change in celebration would also see him avoid any further ructions with followers of the Erne county, who took to social media over the weekend to express their anger at his sideline shenanigans (some of the more printable ones are in this column).
Not that this is the first time he’s got on the wrong side of Fermanagh fans.
In an interview last year with Kieran Cunningham, the chief sports writer for the Irish Daily Star, the journalist asked him about his celebrations after Derry had hammered Fermanagh by 19 points, 5-13 to 0-9, in their 2021 National League Division Three encounter at Owenbeg.
On that day, Fermanagh natives were not happy with Gallagher’s animated celebration of the Oak Leaf county’s fourth goal.
“I think I remember our fourth goal being a brilliant goal, actually. If there was a celebration, it was because of that,’” Gallagher told Cunningham in the article.
“If you want the truth, there was an individual that was involved at the time who was talking about changing the way Fermanagh played from my time. Maybe I was having a private laugh.”
His reaction is understandable enough in that context, although it did seem he was still enjoying that “private laugh” on Saturday at Brewster Park two years later.
So, come on Rory, there’s no need to rub it in further. Embrace the ‘pigeon dance’ celebrations and let bygones be bygones.
Don’t worry, the referee won’t blow you for a ‘fowl’.
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