Football Show: Baxter on Crusaders' title chances & Ballymena's Addis talks about his wonder-goal

COOL FM
Author: Alex KeeryPublished 23rd Aug 2019
Last updated 23rd Aug 2019

This week on our Bet McLean Football show we welcome Crusaders boss Stephen Baxter and Ballymena United defender Johnny Addis.

Filmed at Seaview, this episode sees the panel discussing how the Belfast club can benefit from their Europa League adventure, and whether or not Ballymena can match the pace they set last season.

"I think it's brilliant for our league to have 6 or 7 teams that are title contenders. All teams can beat each other and it's exciting, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge of the season.

"I think we've got a really good product in the Irish League now. You see the ties coming up week on week and you can't predict them. It's brilliant for our game," said Baxter.

The manager of the Shore Road club also told us he's been trying to capture the good feeling generated by their high-profile Europa League clash with Wolves.

"The camaraderie, the momentum - the whole thing has lifted the club and I think we're still on a bit of a high from it. But we must build on what we've learnt from it and continue with that momentum into the season," said Baxter.

The Crues have made a blistering start to the domestic campaign, picking up 3 wins without conceding a single goal.

"This is a 38 game campaign and we are 3 games in. We got off to a slow start last year and after 6 or 7 games we were playing catch-up, 9 points behind. You simply don't want to be falling off the pace," said Baxter.

Also featuring this week is Ballymena United defender Jonny Addis who talks about the club's hopes and expectation for the season, and also his wonder-goal scored from the half way line versus Larne.

"I think it's Mark Randall who goes to set the ball back and I'm running onto it. The keeper's a wee bit further out than he normally is so I had a pop and away it went. I don't score many goals at all, so to get one like that, and against Larne, was pretty special," said Addis.