O'Brien bullish for Newport after 'amazing' Roma game

Former Newport County captain Mark O’Brien has lauded Tuesday’s pre-season defeat by Roma for producing an “amazing” night at Rodney Parade.

Four days before their domestic campaign kicks off with a League Cup tie at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, The Exiles went down 4-1 against the three-time Serie A champions in front of a sell-out home crowd.

But O’Brien, who made more than 100 appearances for Newport and now serves as a club ambassador, believes the occasion served as further reason for fans to be optimistic following the appointment of Hayden Mullins as their new manager.

“It was amazing and great to have a massive encounter with such a big team,” he told Radio Wales Breakfast.

“Obviously in our history we have been able to get some European giants down like Manchester City and Manchester United.

“But to be able to enjoy the occasion with the family-feel like it was, and no pressure on the result, I think the city and everyone involved with the club can hold their heads very high. They did themselves proud.”

Mullins fielded six summer signings in his starting XI, and O’Brien – who joked he “missed the memo” on fans dressing up as Roman soldiers – argued the experience for the squad outweighed any result.

“It was always going to be a tough task, but the bigger picture was the occasion, to be able to give something back to the fans and the city,” he added.

“As far as the performance, the players have done themselves proud. Some players have just come out of Welsh League and all of a sudden were against the likes of (Paulo) Dybala who is a World Cup winner – all experiences that will go down in the history books of Newport.

“And if the players can take some of the performance of what they showed yesterday and take that into a League Two campaign I don’t think they’ll have any problems this season.

‘Fans have something to be hopeful for’

Newport follow the Wimbledon encounter with their League Two opener at home to Rochdale on Saturday, 15 August.

“Every team in League Two wants promotion – but with the manager being in such a short period, for now I look at it and think let him get his hands on the squad and implement what he’s spoken about,” said O’Brien.

“I don’t think they’ll (the squad) will have any issues. There are new players as well as players who went through the relegation battle last season, and that will have given them experience through tough situations.

“They’ll go to Wimbledon on Saturday and the fans have something to look forward to and be hopeful for.”