What inherited debt?
You're not comparing like with like. You're applying the 2016 position to the 2011 position.
Back in 2011 the money earned by Shams was also unprecedented in terms of the LOI, at that time. No other club had anything like that and I fully expected Shams to go on and dominate the league for years. Look at the position they were in - success on the field, cash in the bank, new stadium, massive new population base to exploit......................all positive.
The accounts for the succeeding years clearly show that not only was the Europa money blown but losses of over €500k were incurred up to 2014. And to add insult to injury the entire capital base has been eroded, hence the investment/bailout. Call it what you want. It doesn't disguise the fact that the club was poorly managed, both on and off the field.
While I appreciate your concern for Rovers finances I think the approach they have laid out in terms of infrastructure and Academy development is the way to go.
The 2011 money in relative terms was around 1 million compared to around 7 or 8 this time (depending on what you read) if you think that the playing budgets for LOI teams are 7 or 8 times higher then they were 5 years ago you are wrong. Yes they could have done better but that's sport, if Dundalk get pipped for the league by Cork this year and then lose in the first round of the Europa league next year will that make Kenny a bad manager or make Dundalk a badly managed club ? ? Not in my opinion its Sport sometimes the ball just doesn't break
I am disinterested in Shams finances. I'm just pointing out the position as stated in the accounts, available for all and sundry to read.
The Europa money was c.€1.1m at the time.
I do not think nor did I suggest that the budgets had increased by a multiple of 7 or 8. I simply pointed out that they had a lot of positives that no other club had at that time and well, the rest is history. As to what Dundalk will do, who knows?
A work colleague is a member and he says, in round figures, it's €1m for the academy and €.5m to shore up the day to day running of the club.
This has nothing to do with Stephen Kenny and Dundalk.
The club was poorly managed off the pitch - changing managers, throwing money at problems, running up losses that have now to be dealt with, not commercially exploiting the positive position from 2011........................
The club was poorly managed on the pitch - no major silverware, no European football in 2013 and 2014, a lot of poor signings, big wages......................
Why would I bother trying to play it down? I'd say I'm far more aware than you of how the potential was squandered. It still doesn't change the fact that Rovers' entire windfall was the amount that Pat Dolan would have wiped his arse with a couple of years earlier. There certainly was the chance for Rovers to use the money to slowly build up a dominant position in the league, but it was also a small enough amount that it could be seriously dented by one bad season and one bad appointment.
I take your point regarding Drogs & Cork. Shels I'm not sure about as they are not required to file accounts. However, as I recall it back then they were shareholder loans rather than borrowings from financial institutions. Hair splitting I know. Not really relevant now as Drogs and Cork are operating under new entities.
Pats on the other hand have sold their soul. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Manager: Fergal, have you your boots with ya?
Fergal: Ya, I have them here.
Manager: Ah good stuff, well give them to this man so, he forgot his!
Sometimes the problem with building facilities in Ireland is that not enough use is made of some of them to justify the spend. The redeveloped Pairc Uí Choimh is likely to give a poor return. Is Dublin not well served with gyms, running tracks, astro pitches etc. What about the national sports campus, 3rd level college facilities. I know Crewe Alex did it in England for many years, but a policy of developing youth players to then sell on is difficult to achieve, very risky. Maybe a strategic plan to achieve average gates of 3,000 fans could be a better way to go.
Program yesterday talked a bit about the Roadstone development. The 3G is to be built by Christmas as phase one. Phase two will be the building of a kitchen, changing rooms, a relaxation room and a treatment room.
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