Former Drogheda United and Bray Wanderers manager Mick Cooke feels a lack of experience is the main cause for Shamrock Rovers' inconsistent start to the 2017 Premier Division season.
Stephen Bradley's young squad are sixth in the table ahead of the 11th round of fixtures and are coming off the back of a 4-2 loss away at Bray Wanderers last Friday.
Speaking to Newstalk.com, Mick feels more experience in the camp is necessary to try and match their short-term ambitions before impatience takes hold.
"I think they're lacking somebody with experience in their camp but that's the road they've gone down and you're talking in terms of a three year plan here," he said.
"The supporters are going to have to be patient. But what football supporters are patient? The flagship of any club is their enormity of a club like Shamrock Rovers, I don't think the supporters will be patient."
While Mick is not expecting a relegation battle for Rovers, he believes their reliance on young players will not be a benefit in their ambitions to get into the European places.
"I don't think Stephen maybe recognises the strength and the physicality of this league," he said.
"There's one experienced player they let go and that was Gary McCabe. He went out and scored two against them last week. I think they got rid of a hell of a lot of experience out of the club since last year.
"If you're missing your experienced players, you're playing too many young players at the one time and I think it's a league that you cannot do that. You can blood one or two as Cork and Dundalk have done. But the other way rounds is a hard road for them but certainly long term I hope it will be successful.
"But there is no guarantee that these young players will stay at Shamrock Rovers."
Mick Cooke's LOI Premier Division predictions
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