There's no place like Bohs for Keith Buckley after Oz travels

It only took one line from Declan Devine's statement last autumn to understand the impact he expected Keith Buckley to bring upon his return to the Bohemians captaincy for this season and beyond.

After a year away far from these shores in the Australia, it was confirmed last October that the midfielder was coming back to Dalymount Park on a three-year contract starting this coming campaign, and immediately assuming the on-field leadership at a club that found itself cast adrift in midtable during a transitional 2022.

"I need people alongside me who really care about this club and who understand what Bohemian Football Club is about," were the words incoming manager Devine accompanied in his eulogising of Buckley who he went on to describe "as part of the past, now the present and also the future". Not surprising when he has spent 11 of the last 13 years at Bohs.

So the affable 30-year-old is going to be a busy man and that was clear as he spoke to RTÉ Sport at the launch of the 2023 League of Ireland season at Dublin's City Hall.

Technically speaking it was an interview conducted all along the length of the Big Smoke's Dame Street from the steps of City Hall all the way to College Green as Buckley needed to rush towards his next port of call.

The last year and a bit is a case of there and back again. He's already had quite a journey to and fro before the big kick off which sees Bohemians kick off their new season at newly promoted Cork City on Friday live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

Having captained Bohs to a spot in the 2021 FAI Cup final, only to suffer a penalty shootout defeat, Buckley left for the vast expanse that is Australia.

"It was open-ended to be fair," he said as he reflected on that decision to head Down Under.

"But