Leeman has the Blues
Andy Jones  |  by www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. All rights reserved. 6.11 | 20:41

Tommy Leeman has his sights set on knock-out glory, but Linfield are the furthest thing from his mind.
The Harland Wolff Welders manager takes his side to Windsor Park this evening in the first round of the Crest Teamwear County Antrim Shield, but the game is at the bottom of his list of priorities.
On paper it is a complete mis-match, the First Division minnows travelling to take on the side that won the Shield last season, one of the four trophies that glisten in the Windsor Park trophy cabinet after their grand slam last time around.


For Leeman though a trip to play Newington in the quarter-final of the Steel Sons Cup on Saturday is the one he will be focused on, with his main battle in his first year in charge of rebuilding the fortunes of the east-Belfast side.
Since his return from a successful coaching stint in Australia, the former Glentoran man was linked with a number of jobs before taking the plunge at the Welders.
It hasn't all been plain-sailing, living in the shadow of Glens meaning that attracting players to Tillysburn Park is never easy, but after a shaky start in the Carnegie League Cup, things are looking slightly rosier.


Given his own connections with Glentoran and with club captain Stevie Livingstone still strutting his stuff at the back, you get the feeling that no matter how hard they try to play down the clash with the Blues, the Welders will be breaking down the door to get at David Jeffrey's men.
Leeman, who has had an 'interesting' relationship with the Blues in the past, is having none of it though.
"It's the Blues against the Welders, not the Blues against Tommy Leeman," he insisted.


"It's not about me and I'll not be getting involved in any of that because it's in the past.
"For me it will be a pleasant distraction for our young team, but the league is more important to us because we're not going to win the County Antrim Shield.
"We're in the middle of rebuilding things here and we want to improve and that will be done by bringing in new personnel and changing things behind the scenes.

"
And strides are already being made in that direction, a recent sponsorship deal with a local internet caf e , Surf City, providing the Welders with new training gear.
And that gear is taking pride of place just up the road at Ashfield Boys' School's magnificent new complex that is now providing much-needed facilities in that part of the city.
"It's a magnificent venue, only the second of its kind in Ireland, and is great for east-Belfast," added Leeman.


"It's fully booked for two years and that shows you just how few facilities we have in this country."
The Blues may use the game as a chance to rest some of their key men, and with Mark Dickson and Timmy Adamson itching to get back into action, they could be unleashed on the Welders.
Mark Craig is the main threat to the holders, scoring twice in Saturday's first league win over Moyola Park, and if he can find those shooting boots again then who knows the Welders could be surfing on the Crest of a wave, despite protests to the contrary.


TONIGHT'S FIXTURES: Crusaders v Ballyclare Comrades, Larne v Wakehurst, Linfield v H W Welders.

Read more on by www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. All rights reserved.
Keywords: County Antrim Shield, Tommy Leeman, Windsor Park, County Antrim, Antrim Shield
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