Connah’s Quay Nomads manager Andy Morrison is hopeful that his team can pull off another eye-catching result in Europe when they face Dinamo Tblisi on Thursday.
Having been eliminated from the Champions League, the Nomads dropped into the Europa League via the champions path.
This has presented them with the task of facing the Georgian champions at Wrexham’s Racecourse Stadium.
With the qualifying stages of European competitions being delayed due to the implications surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nomads will see their Europa League fixture take place after their Cymru Premier campaign has begun.
“This is my first experience overlapping football with domestic league and European football, so it’s a different kind of challenge,” said Morrison.
“We’re representing the Welsh league, we’re playing the champions of Georgia who are an incredible football team full of internationals.
“We’ve got to look forward to it and rise to the challenge because it’s going to be another great challenge.”
Andy Morrison of the Connah’s Quay Nomads. Nikitas Mesney ©
Despite the heavy demands of the increased fixture congestion following a six-month layoff, Morrison is keeping a positive outlook.
“We are in September and we’re playing games of football in Europe, it’s a reflection again of what we did last season and we have to remember that.
“This is the reward for all the hard work we put in, go and enjoy it, go and have a real go, make sure you leave a real impression.”
Morrison’s side head into Wednesday’s game with numerous injury problems, which will make the Nomads’ task that bit more difficult.
“It’s just life of a football manager, you pick up injuries when you least expect it.
“George [Horan] has got a bit of a hamstring problem, it’s touch and go as to whether he will be ready.
“Aeron Edwards has broke his hand, he played with that [against Bala], he did it last Thursday but played on the weekend with it.
“Callum [Morris] had to come off, he’s got a bit of an ongoing ankle problem.
“Declan Poole had a toe injury. Craig Curran’s ill.
“So it happens, you don’t want it to happen during this period of games, but it comes sometimes in the season.
“At this moment we’ve got a tough period with a few players missing. I’m more than happy with the players that are stepping in.”
Cardiff, Wales, UK. 19th August 2020. UEFA Champions League First qualifying round match between Connah’s Quay Nomads and FK Sarajevo, played at Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. (Image: Will Cheshire)
The Nomads played their last European game at the Cardiff City Stadium, but will now play closer to home under different surroundings at the Racecourse.
Morrison says he would be increasingly confident of his side’s chances of progressing had they been allowed to play at their Deeside home.
“I went on record after the Sarajevo that if we played them at Deeside, we win.
“Our home record has been formidable, it’s been best part of 18 months since we lost a game of football there.
“It’s something that they wouldn’t look forward to in opposition, and it’s one of the only sour points of European football for me. You play all season on your home ground, you qualify for Europe, being a Welsh side you’re going to be massive underdogs and you can’t play at your home stadium.”
“The home draw which you’re hoping for has to be favourable, and it’s anything but for us.
“It’s closer, the lads haven’t got to travel. For the Sarajevo game, it took our players longer to get to Cardiff than it did for the Sarajevo players.”
Dinamo Tbsili have high expectations after sacking their manager following their elimination from the Champions League.
With no room for errors, there will be intense pressure on their current boss – Giorgi Geguchadze – to progress.
With that in mind, Morrison is expecting a tough challenge from the Georgian champions.
“They won three-nil at the weekend.
“Such was the disappointment and, I guess the internal disgust of being knocked out the Champions League, the manager was sacked.
“It was so unexpected for them to lose to Tirana in that first stage.
“Then they drop down to the Europa League and the new manager is in, as I said they won comfortably at the weekend. Everything’s against us,” said Morrison.
The Connah’s Quay Nomads side that secured a famous win against Kilmarnock. (Image: NCM Media)
Despite heading into the game as clear underdogs, Morrison is looking forward to seeing his squad once again being tested against another difficult European side.
“I’m looking forward to their reaction, and looking at their character to see how they grow in a game like that.
“A lot of questions can be answered about people and individuals in these games. Sometimes you don’t get the result that you want, but you find out so much about your players.”
The Deeside outfit achieved one of Welsh club football’s greatest nights in European history when they defeated Kilmarnock last year. Morrison will be looking for his side to replicate that performance and result at the Racecourse.
“There are times where you go to Kilmarnock when it’s totally unexpected and you get a result.
“We’ve shown we can do it before, we can most certainly can do it again.
“It is something for our players to step up and rise to the challenge, and make sure that whatever the outcome, whatever happens in that game of football, they make sure that Tbilisi know they’re in a game.”
(Featured image: Will Cheshire)
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