What an off season - now the actual season

[SeanDrog]

With the off season seeming to die down (fingers crosssed TNB has gone away) we can actually look forward to the season in a few weeks time. When I look at the teams invovled it looks like this might actually be a very competitive season.

I would have to have (Group 1) Bohs and Rovers as the two punching it out. Assuming Bohs stay ok finance wise)

On the top of the the "rest" scale I would have (Group 2) Dundalk, S.Fingal and Pats, maybe Sligo (for me SLigo are borderline group2 group 3), then you have (Group 3) UCD, Drogs, Bray, Galway (no particular order).

Now in saying this I would expect 1 or 2 teams from the thrid group to out perform and one or two teams from group 2 to under perform, so groups 2 and 3 will be very tight imo.
.
In terms of relegation, I thinks its very wide open this year and will be very competitive. For me signs that the FAIs tougher stance is starting to pay off with a more level playing field beginning to materialise, we may not be there but we are heading I the right direction.

I reckon this is going to be a great season.

[SeanDrog]

Admin if you could correct spelling error in title it would be great - thanks

what an off season - now the actual season


Cheers

[marinobohs]

With the off season seeming to die down (fingers crosssed TNB has gone away) we can actually look forward to the season in a few weeks time. When I look at the teams invovled it looks like this might actually be a very competitive season.

I would have to have (Group 1) Bohs and Rovers as the two punching it out. Assuming Bohs stay ok finance wise)

On the top of the the "rest" scale I would have (Group 2) Dundalk, S.Fingal and Pats, maybe Sligo (for me SLigo are borderline group2 group 3), then you have (Group 3) UCD, Drogs, Bray, Galway (no particular order).

Now in saying this I would expect 1 or 2 teams from the thrid group to out perform and one or two teams from group 2 to under perform, so groups 2 and 3 will be very tight imo.
.
In terms of relegation, I thinks its very wide open this year and will be very competitive. For me signs that the FAIs tougher stance is starting to pay off with a more level playing field beginning to materialise, we may not be there but we are heading I the right direction.

I reckon this is going to be a great season.

Think you are underestimating Sligo (hope i dont put the kiss of death on them !) as I could see them challenging Bohs and Rovers. Bohs squad is deeper than last year and the Cork lads will strenghten Rovers (although they could still looking for goals if Twigg does not have as good a season) a good sprinkling of signings around the league and of course the return of Seanie at Galway. Looking at the League there will be few easy games and even the so called lesser lights will be difficult to beat.
A lot will depend on injuries, new players blending in and the myriad of other factors that makes it the beautiful game.
Bring it on !!!!!!

[SeanDrog]

Hear what your saying re. sligo but on paper the usually have a decent side but they IMO fail to deliver. Thats one thing I love about the league, on paper sides can look great but its usually the "off paper" issues which decide the league, like Nutsys ability to bottle it at some stage of the season (which he sometims recovers and other times doesnt), Pats ability to throw the crucial game after doing all the hard work in other games, Sligo glass ceiling regardless of the squad, Doolins safe tactics resulting in draws instead of wins, Brays crazzy run of good results upsetting the applecart but not enough to usual save them, UCDs strong performances but inability to keep it up for the entire season (perventing a challange but usually enough to stay off relegation) - etc etc

[peadar1987]

I'm predicting Bray will unearth a hidden gem from Fassaroe, who will score 28 goals, finishing as the division's top scorer, even though we're mathematically relegated by February.

[pineapple stu]

By February of what year?

[peadar1987]

By February of what year?

This year

[Dodge]

I think its Bohs to lose. Even though Switching Murphys from Brian to barry is a major drop off they still have too stronga squad for most.

After that I'd have Rovers and Fingal. I thought Rovers would do more to improve their squad but some think Dan murray is good (I don't). Fingal are strange. Stong in some departments but somewhat lacking in midfield I feel. They certainly have the experience

After that it'd be Sligo, Dundalk and ourselves. In November I definitely wouldn't have had us this high but I've been hugely impressed with how Mahon and Gill have assembled their squad. Goals might be a problem but hopefully Alex Williams can score 15 or so. Sligo are pretty similar to last years squad (not many can say that). Dundalk were looking dodgy for a while but I think Melligan could be the steal of the close season. In daying that they're projecting Alan Cawley to start so they won't scare any team

UCD will be UCD. Well organised and playing decent football. No idea about any of their players. Galway could struggle again but for all his faults Faz should get them enough goals to get some decent results. If Drogheda have secured the likes of Jamie Harris they should be OK. I think bray will struggle. Not really fair to be planning for first division and thrust into premier. Hopefully Eddia can get enough experience in to, at least, make a fist of it.

OPtimistic prediction;

1 Bohs
2 Rovers
3 Finglas
4 Pats
5 Sligo
6 Dundalk
7 Drogheda
8 UCD
9 Galway
10 bray

[DRDoc]

Galway could struggle again but for all his faults Faz should get them enough goals to get some decent results.

If Faz signs for them

[blackholesun]

the Cork lads will strenghten Rovers (although they could still looking for goals if Twigg does not have as good a season)

Chambers, Dennehy, Turner and Murray scored around 30 goals last season between them.

bhs

[oriel]

OPtimistic prediction;

1 Bohs
2 Rovers
3 Finglas
4 Pats
5 Sligo
6 Dundalk
7 Drogheda
8 UCD
9 Galway
10 bray

Dodge there is no way we will drop a place from last season, the squad this season is a lot better balanced, the m/f for eg is strong in all areas, you mentioned Melligan, I also agree re Cawley, but will give him a chance. Ross Gaynor could also have a big season. No passengers like george o'c or harpal singh this year, or players who dont want to play (fabio), overall I`m impressed with the age profile, and experience foster has got in. Our defence is defintely better than last year with Cherrie now in from the start, a clearly better keeper than Bennion, also Breen will be a huge improvement in partnering Burns in the centre than Heary was last year (not hard), shaun kelly was another good performer from last year who re-signed. We`re meant to be signing our last striker today, Malsom, he should partner Fenn up front. And the young local hope 20 y.o striker, Mulvenna to come in also, currently out injured.

I`d do with

1. Bohs
2. Rovers (- 3 pts)

4. Dundalk

Hard to call the rest, def agree with Sligo/Pats all same standard as us, I just have a feeling Fingal will not deliver.

At the bottom Bray & Drogs might just surprise a few people, and we dont know what UCD will be like, hard to beat, but can they win enough games to rise into mid table ? Galway too could go either way, I`d say they will be safe but low down the table.

[Kildare Lad]

Id generally agree with SeanDrog about the groups he has divided the teams into, except for me Sligo will be one of the stronger teams in "group 2". Can't see anyone challenging Rovers or Bohs for the league, but the race for the remaining european spot could be interesting. I expect Fingal to do well this season, but having said that I expected Dundalk to do well last season and while they may not have done too bad they didn't set the league alight, maybe bad judgment on my part though. Sligo and Pats have seemed to assemble decent squads and either could finish 3rd given a bit of luck IMO, then down in "group 3" it could be a struggle, can't see any of them 4 doing great this year but at least it may provide entertainment down the bottom.

Prediction:
1. Rovers
2. Bohs
3. Sligo
4. Pats
5. Fingal
6. Dundalk
7. Galway
8. Drogheda
9. UCD
10. Bray

[LFC-Zulu]

Premier Division.. Pfft.

1. Waterford
2. Derry
3. Limerick
4. Shelbourne
5. Monaghan
6. Cork City Foras Co-Op Football Club
7. Longford
8. Finn Harps
9. Athlone
10. Wexford
11. Mervue
12. Salthill

I expect 3rd to 6th place to be ridiculously close though.

[El-Pietro]

Don't know much about the first division.
I'd say the top 3 will look like this though.

Derry
Waterford
Sheliban
After that.... who knows. Don't expect us to be competing near the top this season at least. Just try and be competitive in games and build our club from the bottom up.

[Steve Bruce]

I predict more financial turmoil.

Rovers to win the league

[Schumi]

1. Bohs
2. Rovers
3. Sligo
4. Dundalk
5. Fingal
6. Pats
7. Drogheda
8. UCD
9. Galway
10. Bray

[John83]

Bohs will surge into the lead before realising that a football club can't be build on dreams alone when it turns out that they've already sold their midfield to four different clubs and a property developer who wants to build a shopping centre on Anto Murphy. Shams will chase them all the way like a needy ex-girlfriend who doesn't believe it's over, crying bitter little tears when no one notices or appreciates all the effort that went into their new stadium. UCD B, by which I mean Fingal, will win the league after a tactical nuclear strike during a Bohs-Rovers game results in 16 points deductions for both clubs, Ronan Finn and Conan Byrne combining to make football of such pure beauty that it makes Paul Doolin weep as he realises that he's wasted his life building teams which kick teams until they're too bruised to chase the long balls to his lone striker any more. Dundalk will settle for finishing ahead of Drogheda, who will finish the season playing their home games in a debtor's prison. Pats will miss out on Europe in spite of a three point and 30 goal lead going into the last day when their opponents realise that the way to beat Conor Kenna is to play the ball on the ground in spite of him being three foot two. They'll bitterly ruing the fact that Paul Byrne wasn't able to add to the ninteen goals he scored in the cumulative total of sixteen minutes and twenty two seconds he was fit over the season. Galway will finish last, but win an MTV award for the music video of their season set to Rogue Trader's The Price We Pay. Bray will get relegated after losing their playoff to a resurgent Monaghan, but are saved when Sligo go to the wall after it turns out they haven't paid any tax since the foundation of the state. Finally, the SCP will be evaluated, and the Premier title awarded to Athlone.

[total hoofball]

1. Bohemians *
2. Shamrock Rovers
____________________
Sligo Rovers
Drogheda United *
UCD
Sporting Fingal *
Galway United
St. Patrick's Athletic
Dundalk
____________________
10. Bray Wanderers

* providing they last until the end of the season


Bohs and Shamrock should dominate the rest, Bray to get destroyed. I don't think there is alot between the other 7, none of them great shakes and I can see all of them taking alot of points off each other, expect alot of draws. I expect Drogheda will have more money troubles by mid-season and Sporting Fingal are living on the borrowed cash of a stone broke property developer, if the cash tap is turned off at Anglo Irish Bank or NAMA collapses they will be gone.

Overall bar the top 2 it looks be the weakest Premier Division in many a year. The only thing you can guarantee is more scandal, more players not being paid and more serving up of Abbostown's finest fudge.

[Dillonman]

1 Bohs
2 Rovers
3 Fingal
4 Dundalk
5 Pats
6 Sligo
7 Drogheda
8 Galway
9 UCD
10 Bray

Im not touching that first division with a barge pole but the top 2 shoudl be Derry and Waterford.

[Acornvilla]

but atleast theres the possibility of some very strong assuult on europe from bohs and shams have no idea how fingal will fare and dundalk(sligo) the same..

that is if the world doesn't end and all the other financial shennagians that may develop