By Matthew Burgess
Australian manager Anthony Limbrick is hoping his trio of summer signings will help The New Saints overcome Northern Irish outfit Linfield on Tuesday night (7.00).
It’s been a mere 65 days since Limbrick’s Saints wound up their 2021/22 season by lifting the Welsh Cup, but they return to action for what will be one of the most crucial games of the whole of their 2022/23 campaign.
Progress would not only provide the reward of significant prize money, but also take the club a step closer towards reaching their long-term ambition of qualifying for the main group stage of a continental competition.
Tickets at Saints’ Park Hall home have officially sold out in anticipation of their first UEFA Champions League tie in three years.
Tasmanian-born Limbrick had a taste of European competition with Saints last summer in the UEFA Europa Conference League. On that occasion, he steered the club past Northern Ireland’s Glentoran and FK Kauno Zalgiris of Lithuania before losing out on penalties to Czech side Viktoria Plzen.
Taking the Cymru Premier champions into the Champions League marks the culmination of a long journey, both geographically and metaphorically for 39-year-old Limbrick.
“The Champions League and the FA Cup were the only times you could stay up late in my household so I have good memories and good times from when I was very young, so to be competing in it now as a coach is a proud achievement,” he reflected.
The Saints appear well-prepared for Linfield with Limbrick expecting a good contest.
As part of their summer training, Saints travelled twice to Northern Ireland, taking in pre-season games with Cliftonville and Larne.
“It was good to travel over there and have that experience of doing the travel, training the night, playing the next day – so all in all, that has been a good experience and without doubt will help us,” he said.
“I think it’ll be a really good match-up against two teams that are very even, both from an attacking sense and a defending sense.”
Saints have added three new faces since last playing competitively, beating off competition from Football League clubs to secure the signature of former Coventry City and Newport County centre back Josh Pask, whilst also recruiting ex-Liverpool under-23 goalkeeper Dan Atherton and former Shrewsbury winger Josh Daniels.
“Our three signings have all been important to push to the starting eleven,” said Limbrick.
“We ended up having two of those players (Daniels and Pask) late so we’re still getting them up to speed, but when you’ve got those players who’ve had Football League experience and big game experience, it definitely helps.”
Despite the lack of pre-season, Pask and Daniels are both expected to start for Saints, whilst Limbrick must make a decision as to whether to start Atherton or Connor Roberts in goal, with the latter impressing in early preparations.
On Thursday, Bala Town will make Park Hall their temporary home when they host Sligo Rovers in the Europa Conference League first round (7.00).
At the same time, Newtown face a difficult test in northern Europe against Faroe Islanders HB Torshavn.
Live streams for all three ties involving Cymru Premier clubs in Europe are available via 247 TV.