2012: How confident are YOU?!

[gormacha]

I genuinely don't know what the season holds, and whether any confidence would be misplaced or not.

You look at the first division and an honest appraisal would suggest that it is weak. Limerick are the only genuinely strong outfit. With Cork, Shels and Monaghan now gone, and no competitive side being relegated (I feel genuinely sorry and gutted for our galway brethren), second should be ours for the taking, with perhaps only Longford to compete with (and God knows they have a habit of beating us, so even that would be far from assured).

But given how poor we were last season, and the fact that we have been down in the FD for what feels like several millenia (well, it does straddle two), and that we still have only eleven players signed, then who knows?

Signing Gary Dempsey seems a good bit of business, and we have a promising attack with Kiely, Maguire (who is untested at this level but looks the real deal) and young Walshe, and having some decent other players suggests we should have too much for most teams in the division, but we still have no keeper and only half a defence, having lost the best centre-back pairing in the division. We also re-signed Gary Keane, and whilst he works his proverbial off, he is not LoI standard, and re-signing him in my view shows a lack of ambition, funds and vision - all of which is worrying.

My heart says second. My head says I have no frickin clue - maybe as low as fifth if we don't sign well in the upcoming weeks.

[LFC-Zulu]

we have been down in the FD for what feels like several millenia

Lord help you. Try nineteen years since you've had Premier football.

Signing Gary Dempsey seems a good bit of business, and we have a promising attack with Kiely, Maguire (who is untested at this level but looks the real deal) and young Walshe, and having some decent other players suggests we should have too much for most teams in the division, but we still have no keeper and only half a defence, having lost the best centre-back pairing in the division. We also re-signed Gary Keane, and whilst he works his proverbial off, he is not LoI standard, and re-signing him in my view shows a lack of ambition, funds and vision - all of which is worrying.

Willie John was very off last year, and didn't look any way decent. Fair enough, the personal setback would have hindered him, but he still looks half the player he was a couple of years ago. I've never rated Daragh Walshe, or Danny Furlong (who btw, played for Wexford in a friendly last week, making his move seem questionable?) but young Maguire is meant to be top class. It's a big year for him. A keeper and two defenders are required. I know Seamus Long almost went to Limerick; he's a good re-signing. I'd consider playing McSherry in midfield, ye look very fragile there and he has a way about him. I reckon Waterford should finish third. I think there's a lot of hype associated with them over the signing of Dempsey. Longford have a better squad as it stands I think.

[Nailor]

IMO.
PD: 1ST: Rovers, 2nd Shligo, 3rd Cork City FORAS

Relegation: Any 2 from Bohs, Dundalk, Bray, UCD, the latter two being the most likely.

FD: 1ST: Limerick, they should walk what looks like a poor league, 2nd Waterford, 3rd Longford, the fight for 2nd/3rd will be the only interesting duel in the FD I reckon, with maybe Athlone giving it a bit of a go.

39 days and counting.

[nigel-harps1954]

The only confidence I can take so far, is it's one of the first years in my memory of first division football that nobody has suggested Harps should be pushing for promotion. So, hopefully, I'm praying for some sort of miracle season where we win the league and shock the footballing world...sort of.

[harpstilidie]

Don't hold much hope this season to be honest going by the players we have signed. Mid to low First Division finish for us

Then again, these past few seasons we have been so optimistic and have all ended in disaster so being pessimistic this season, you never know.

[Acornvilla]

Longford man living in Limerick. Either way I'm on to a win for once!

[pineapple stu]

Are Bray doomed to relegation unless someone goes bankrupt??

In fairness to Bray, they at least signed some players last week. They look a lot less screwed after that.

We've lost our three most experienced players. Harding is probably replaced (Douglas), but we don't really have replacement wingers, unless you count Mulhall, in which case, we don't have any strength up front. I think Cork and Shels will finish ahead of us, in which case, it's another season similar to last, just without the hilariously bad Galway to take pressure off us. So could be a long year.

Has relegation/promotion been decided? Used to be two up/two down and a play-off with a 12-team league (and presumably other scenarios too going back in time)

[Guinney]

Starting to get worried to be honest, when your oldest player signed is only 23 and 5 out of the 9 players signed for the upcoming season are teenagers, saying we lack experience would be an understatement. Then two of the nine players signed (Osborne and Shanahan) won't be available until a couple of months into the season. We have a bunch of trialist at the Oriel at the moment so hopefully some of these show they are good. In the youths we have a bunch of good prospects that will likely to be involved this year, but still experience players need to be signed. But to be honest all the better ones seemed to be snapped up. At the moment Cherrie is training with us so hopefully that will be out first choice goalie sorted.

I really don't want us to be in a relegation dogfight, but with the squad we have at the moment, I can't see much else happening. The two Rovers look the strongest, with Pats not far behind.

[gormacha]

Lord help you. Try nineteen years since you've had Premier football.

If it wasn't for the prospect of a 16 team PD, I wouldn't bet against it.

Willie John was very off last year, and didn't look any way decent. Fair enough, the personal setback would have hindered him, but he still looks half the player he was a couple of years ago. I've never rated Daragh Walshe, or Danny Furlong (who btw, played for Wexford in a friendly last week, making his move seem questionable?) but young Maguire is meant to be top class. It's a big year for him. A keeper and two defenders are required. I know Seamus Long almost went to Limerick; he's a good re-signing. I'd consider playing McSherry in midfield, ye look very fragile there and he has a way about him. I reckon Waterford should finish third. I think there's a lot of hype associated with them over the signing of Dempsey. Longford have a better squad as it stands I think.

I agree re WJK - he was very poor last season. In addition to the personal stuff, he also got a few injuries so he never got a run of games, and his fitness was consequently poor. By the time he was playing regularly we were so off the pace that motivation was clearly a problem. I don't know enough about Walshe to judge yet, and Furlong is an imponderable as he hasn't signed (which is kind of my point about not being sure of much of anything). I don't want to add to overly high expectations re Sean Maguire, but in every outing I've seen in him so far, he has been outstanding.

I'd go further than you and suggest we need another four defenders, and I agree that midfield is where McSherry should play. He likes a tackle, and he brings a really good all-round game. You're again right that we were feeble in midfield last season.

I really hope we re-sign Paul Walsh, although I have heard he is training with Dundalk? Open to correction on that. He is a top quality right winger, and his delivery is amongst the best in the LoI.

Your analysis is pretty much spot on. You sure you're not a Waterford fan in disguise?

[SkStu]

quietly confident of mid to lower table obscurity. Would like a win out Tallaght way this season. Interesting times ahead for Bohs fans.

[blue til i die]

Your analysis is pretty much spot on. You sure you're not a Waterford fan in disguise?

Would you believe, he actually is


Realistically, we need 3 defenders, 3 more midfielders and another striker, along with two keepers. Still confident we'll finish second.

[Donohoe10]

can someone tell me why everyone thinks Pats are so good? I see that they have a decent keeper, and then a bunch of Bohs players

Not only have we a "bunch of Bohs players". We have James Chambers a great centre midfielder, Jake Kelly probably the most consistent performer in the LOI in the last 2 years, John Russell a consistent performer for Sligo the last few seasons. We also have gone with some promising youth players this season ie Jake Carrol, darren meenan, Chris Forrester. Also from last year we have signed back Conor kenna arguably one of the best centre halfs in the league, Ian Daly a talented young man and Sean o connor a midfielder who gets a lot of goals.

We have IMO a better squad then we had last year. so were bound to improve. We didn't play great football last season and this season that will change with Liam Buckley in charge.

[El-Pietro]

Jake Kelly hasn't signed yet I don't believe?

Chambers is decent in fairness - Russel is solid if unspectacular and Kenna is a very good centre half, ther than that though you don't look that strong to me

I don't see where your goals will come from, that young lad Fagan had a good season last year in fairness but will he replace North and Kavanagh? Daly got 2 goals last year in a bit part role (including 9 starts), is he going to get 10 -12 goals?

Pats had a very good year last year - and I don't blame ye for booting out last years team, I thought ye should have done it mid season if it were possible (unfortunately not) but I don't think ye have improved.

[Dodge]

I don't think theres much confidence in Pats at all. Most are predicting top 3/4 based on the troubles of others more than any strengths we have. Looks like Bohs and Dundalk will be worse off this year. Derry are a bit in limbo. I think Shels and Cork will be alright but will they challenge for Europe? Maybe Everyone else will be the same as last year (ish)

[El-Pietro]

thats a fair point Dodge. Derry and Bohs are most certainly weaker (at this point) then last year, City and Shels have decent sides but are both lacking in certain areas and we don't really know how well some players will perform at the higher level

[forza]

Jake Kelly hasn't signed yet I don't believe?

According to yesterdays Evening Herald he has.

Kelly snapped up by Pat's

ST PATRICK'S Athletic have made another move on the domestic transfer market by signing Bray Wanderers forward Jake Kelly.

The striker had been linked with a move abroad as clubs such as Bradford City and Aberdeen had inquired about taking him on trial.

But Kelly, who scored seven goals for Bray last season and was heavily linked with a move to Shamrock Rovers, has opted to stay closer to home and will join Liam Buckley's new-look side at Richmond Park next season. Kelly is the 13th close season signing by Buckley

http://www.herald.ie/sport/duffy-has...s-2996774.html

Its the the last story down the page.

[legendz]

2012: How confident are YOU?!

With reports of an 8 team first division, I'm not confident at all!

[El-Pietro]

you will have to forgive me for missing that "confirmation" as I do not read the Hedald

[passerrby]

Don't feel we can win the league but a second place will have to do, who am i kidding would be happy with 7th or 8th

[Spudulika]

I think there may be a case for Pats giving it a rattle, especially if they start well. I know I said the same thing last year, though LB is a good coach and manager and I just feel that Rovers could slip. Sligo have it wrapped up unless they have a serious meltdown.