Stephen Bradley ready to embrace Rovers' drive for five

Shamrock Rovers have no intention of curtailing their domineering spell to four seasons – and it seems Stephen Bradley is sticking around for the tilt.

The Hoops have done what only one team previously achieved by completing a quadruple of titles on the spin.

Unlike the pioneers from their own club between 1984 and 1987, the current generation blazed the trail under the same manager.

Not long after Friday’s 2-0 victory at St Patrick’s Athletic wrapped up their title defence with two games to spare, Bradley was speaking of not letting up.

It’s widely accepted that the original team’s march was halted by the disastrous move from their Milltown home in the late 1980s.

No such infrastructural threats exist within the modern version of the club but the uncertainty around Bradley’s future has clouded their run-in.

He was content to predict immortality for this group of players, without necessarily confirming himself in the package.

At least two components of their success, Alan Mannus and Jack Byrne, are unlikely to be around in their drive for five next year.

Six league medals are enough for the goalkeeper to retire at the age of 41 while Byrne is out of contract and may choose a new venture, domestically or abroad.

Asked about the doubts he recently cast himself over his continuation at the helm, Bradley placed the onus on the board of directors to share his ambition.

The 38-year-old doesn’t operate on a contractual basis as he has continued the full-time employee status he had before being promoted to the top job in 2016.

A significant trading loss incurred this year from a lack of progress in European competition, which triggered a debate at board level, delaying agreement on a budget Bradley could work with to