Newly appointed Antrim football boss Liam Bradley has stated that his aim will be to try and get some respect stored for the Saffron County. Bradley, who succeeded Jody Gormley last month, admits that Antrim have become "the whipping boys in Ulster" and that the reason he has taken the reins of the province's minnows is to take the first step in changing that. "We will not be setting any targets at this stage," Bradley told the Irish News newspaper. "It is only the beginning of November and all we will be telling our players when we meet them is gain a bit of respect for Antrim football. The first night we meet them, that's what we will tell the players - get respect for Antrim football. "If they can gain that respect then they will not be that far away, I think. That is the target we will be setting ourselves. I would not have taken the job on if I didn't think I was capable of doing it and capable of, I'll not say brining them forward, but getting Antrim a bit of respect. "First and foremost Antrim football, and guys might say no this isn't true, but I'd say they have very little respect throughout Ulster. "You know, the first draw everybody wants in the Ulster Championship is Antrim. They think it is going to be an easy thing and probably rightly so because they've won so few games in the championship in the past 20 years and more, so we know we're the whipping boys of Ulster. "Fermanagh use to be the whipping boys in Ulster also but not anymore. Fermanagh have set the benchmark of where Antrim want to be. Gaelic footballers have to realise that, when they join a county panel, they are ambassadors for that county and you have to get a mindset into them that it is about a will to win, a will to improve. "That is what we will be trying to install. The management team I've drawn up know it's a big, big task but I think with a bit of work, things might change next year." The Derry native will come up against one of his former manager's along the sidelines next year in Mickey Moran. Moran took the position of Leitrim manager after Dessie Dolan had stepped down in August and infamously dropped Bradley from the Oak Leaf panel during his time in charge. "It is a coincidence that Mickey has taken up a new managerial post with Leitrim and I've been appointed by Antrim," Bradley admitted. "One of the hardest games Antrim will probably have next year will be playing in Carrick-on-Shannon in our fourth game of the National League. I will be looking forward to that game alright. It will be an interesting game. "I know it is Division Four football, but there's a lot of strong teams in there with us, Carlow, Sligo, we're at home to Wicklow in our first game. None are pushovers. It's a tough, very, very competitive League." Tweet

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