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Stephen O'Donnell was ambitious. Hopeful. Ready to take a risk.

"The aim will be to really restore St Pat's at the top end of the table and being challengers," read his foundational announcement.

"As I said before, I was a player when Richmond Park was rocking and I'm looking forward to help try and bring those nights back."

As opening assertions go, it was nothing historic or iconic like 'Irishmen and Irishwomen, in the name of God...'. No modern classic like 'My lover's got humor, she's the giggle at a funeral'. It wasn't even a disasterpiece like 'Eh, the fella in the green and white shirt'.

But it revealed something, a feeling of exasperation extending far down through the club over how the last few years have gone, summed up in one word: 'really'.

Because St Patrick's Athletic are 'really' onto their fourth rebuild in four seasons.

O'Donnell's appointment was a surprise, summoning a sanguine but curious reaction from the Inchicore faithful.

A massive influence at the most relevant Irish club of the decade, O'Donnell's retirement as a player triggered his career's next stage, taking a job as an opposition analyst under Vinny Perth at Dundalk.

Saints fans seemingly, guessing by the responses given at the cup-tie defeat to UCD, were ready for a fresh face in a post-Harry Kenny world.

O'Donnell was a gamble. The club made an ambitious call. The fans were hopeful. Ready to take a risk.

Fourth place was still up for grabs as O'Donnell went back to Oriel Park at the end of the season, new team in tow, to try have a double celebration.

But Pat's were sent cascading back down to earth as Dundalk and Derry City dominated their final day fixtures.

They finished 5th, five points behind the Candystripes and the sweet taste of Europe, with a negative goal difference to boot.

And two and a half weeks on, they're rebuilding. Again.

Europe would have been a bonus, but the end of this season was about O'Donnell and his team taking stock of all their options and deciding what to keep, and what to send out to the shop floor.

At least nine departures are already known as reports conflict over the futures of at least another two.

The last time Pat's had less than ten players either come into or leave the senior squad was before the 2016 season, when nine lef and nine came in.

Rebuilds, ideally, will resemble a quick u-turn. Pat's are stuck on the inside lane of the Walkinstown Roundabout.

Liam Buckley let young lads go in 2017 and brought back experience. He was backed for one last roll of the dice in 2018, shipping out a lot of what had been shipped in.

Chris Forrester's comeback, coming with more proven quality in tow, under Kenny last year had Pat's putting the indicators on, but there were still a few cars blocking the exit lanes.

And now they have to try again, still spinning the wheels, still turning, still looking for the gap.

(Image: INPHO/James Crombie)

But this one feels bigger. It seems bigger. The hands can only stay on the wheel so long. The fuel will run out eventually.

Luckily, indeed hopefully, O'Donnell may prove to be a pilot.

The on-pitch style was a step up from the first half of the season. Pat's were passing again. They looked more secure, less defeatist.

They did carry on conceding and the simplest of long balls over the defensive line usually produced a catastrophe, but it's baby steps along the right course.

The second half resurgence away to Derry, with the season on the line, were some of the best passages of Pat's play all year.

And the optimism feedback loop will only send itself into overdrive with Robbie Benson's signing.

Bringing Benson, a quality midfield player in this league, on board is a big statement of intent from O'Donnell, his former Lilywhites team-mate.

A composed midfield presence, Benson will work hard in the engine room, be tidy in possession, create a few chances with his passing range, and produce the odd absolute screamer when given time to shoot from deep or arriving into the box.

The Athlone native slides right in alongside the aggressive Jamie Lennon in the double-pivot of O'Donnell's midfield, an instant upgrade in a key position in the system.

Benson joins the tricky Jay McClelland in the incomings column, and these kinds of signings are more of what Pat's need.

But only if they can make them work - and for their own sake, they need to.

They threatened to barge their way back up the road last year, but it never came together under Kenny.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the Phoenix Park, Bohemians' quick turnaround showed how it could and should be done.

They lost many notable names - to retirement, injuries, career opportunities, and money they couldn't offer.

Yet they strengthened their starting 11, fleshed out their squad, trusted in their youth, kept the age profile down, and turned 48 points into 60, 6th into 3rd, and mid-table safety into European football.

If the rebuild is done right, you should only have to rebuild once.

Bohs were ambitious. Hopeful. Ready to take a risk.

Pat's fans will be hoping their club is just the same this winter, so they can finally nail a real rebuild.