Connor declares war on the League of Ireland (especially Bohs!!)

[wexfordned]

https://www.tiscali.co.uk/tv/images/library/shows/blackadder-goes-forth/lg-promo/lg-promo-blackadder-goes-forth-1.jpg

The spoofer is at it again! He has been listening to too much of those idiotic mudjahadeen chants it would seem.

http://www.dundalkfc.com/news/090505_Connor.asp

I wish to send a message to Dundalk supporters following the events of last Friday night in Dalymount Park.

In any season, there are always what I call “watershed” matches. For me, after 11 games, there have been two “watershed” games. Away to Shelbourne on Easter Monday in the EA Sports Cup was totally unacceptable. I felt that the players responded to the discussions we held following that match. The second “watershed” match, one that I think is much more important for the whole football club, was the game in Dalymount Park last Friday night. That was a watershed game in terms of how angry both the players and the staff were after the game. It’s a professional sport. I know these are strong words – but we felt cheated following the game. My worry is that there is an agenda against either this football club, myself or a combination of both. Why there is an agenda against us – I just don’t know. In the past I have been quite outspoken. I try to speak my mind. I try to be open and frank with journalists. My experience with Bohemians has showed me that this approach leads to making enemies within the journalist profession and the FAI.

Some of the decisions that have gone against us and some of the yellow cards that we have picked up are unexplainable. There was two tackles made the other night by a Bohs player that if were carried out by a Dundalk player they would have received a straight red card. We didn’t even receive a free-kick for either challenge. We get a yellow card for making a complaint and it leads to Harpal getting a red card. Then the same player puts Michael Daly out of the game. It was unbelievable.

We need to look long and hard at this situation at this football club. We need to all understand this agenda that we feel is against us. The reason I think the Bohs game was a watershed was – not because of the performance on the park – but it should be a watershed to unite this whole football club – supporters, players, staff and directors – behind each other. We need to realise that we have no friends in this game and we have to look after each other. I am appealing to our supporters to create a real siege mentality in Dundalk FC for the rest of this season starting on Friday night against Galway. We are under siege at this moment. We need to make sure now that Oriel Park is as hostile as possible to every team that comes here.

I sat down with the board recently. I know that Gerry Matthews has a vision for the infrastructure and youth development at this football club. I have a vision for what we see on the pitch. I am confident that we are all working in the same direction. I am making an appeal to the business community of Dundalk to get behind us. Last Friday night we played against a team with a wage bill three times the size of ours. That is a huge gap. We don’t need to close it this season but we need to start closing it over the next 2-3 seasons. We need to make it sustainable. Whatever increases in budget occur need to be well managed and projected into the future. That’s where the supporters come in. Right now we have one of the best gates in the country and we need to continue with this. I am asking the supporters to please keep coming up to Oriel Park on a match night. Get behind this team. We are trying to play good football and that will continue. However, we need to get a bit nastier between now and the end of the season. It is quite clear to me that in order to win football matches in this country that you sometimes have to be nasty. We need to do this to ensure that we stay in this division and have the opportunity to grow and develop and become the club that I think it can be.

I want to say to Dundalk fans that the next time we go to Dalymount Park we will be a different team. We will never let ourselves be bullied or intimidated the way we were last Friday. This football club will be in the Premier Division next year and within a few years we can be challenging for the title. The personal abuse that I took and the abuse that my players took has only hardened my resolve to be successful in this job. I realise that certain journalists and others will only be too happy to see me fail. But I am relishing this challenge. I have had many of my players coming to me since last Friday coming to me and saying “right Gaffer, we are going to put this right. We are going to be a different team after this and improve”. That’s why I think last Friday’s night was a watershed match. I think it will galvanise everybody at this football club to put things right. We will not resort to cheating or breaking any rules. Our supporters were magnificent last Friday. It was very much appreciated when the fans waited behind last Friday night to show us their support. I know the result hurt but stay supportive of the team and we will make progress.

The squad is paper thin. But Joe Miller, Jimmy Browne and myself are working tirelessly to bring players in to the club. Hopefully we are getting closer to this. Our plans are to have these deals done so that they will happen at the 1st July. Be patient with this regard. Don’t believe everything you read in the papers because as I said a lot of journalists have agendas against me and this club. If you want to know my thoughts on any issue then read these notes in the magazine or on dundalkfc.com because they are the only true communications between myself and the supporters.

Thanks for reading these notes and get behind the team against Galway United on Friday night and in the future. We need your support more than ever.

Sean Connor.

You can read an expanded version of these notes in the Dundalk FC Magazine on sale on Friday night at the Galway game.

[pete]

If he is going to say there is a conspiracy he should at least get a good tag line. Is this his "Ridden Rock Solid" moment?

[SkStu]

hilarious!!

do Dundalk fans agree with this?

[gilberto_eire]

They need to be nastier?... he must have missed the game against us in Terryland as they were quite dirty that night, man sent off aswell iirc

[Rovers Maniac]

Christ does he never get tired of spin and rubbish? It was not the ref that got Dundalk pumped the other night, a large proportion of blame must lie elsewhere, he has to admit that? This we are all against blarney is laughable actually this is quite a desperate press release.

By the way i think i said to Dundalk fans he would be looking for more money soon and what do you know week 10 has just gone and he is already appealing to the business community, he never has enough because he is not a good manager. It seemed that the Dundalk chairman give him a choice a small squad with fair few expensive players who will be full time or and mix and match squad of decent proprtion, Connor took a needless risk and it has clearly backfired with a tiny squad that has injuries and suspended players. Absolute spoofer and after Dundalk move him on he better never come near our club again.

[Mr A]

Nice one. Concentrate on the (admittedly awful) decisions rather than the fact they got beat to feck.

Not a bad tactic, but it doesn't quite work when you come across as a bit of a paranoid mental case.

[Dalymountrower]

He must be looking to get banned again as some form of self -fulfilling prophecy given the inflammatory language. Hopefully the FAI ignore him and Dundalk discipline him as step one on a long steady procedurally correct path to dismissal. It might take Dundalk six months but it will be worth it.

[Patrick Dunne]

His call for hostility towards away teams should be reported to the FAI.

There's enough messing going on inside and around EL grounds without encouraging it in the match programme.

[dcfcsteve]

The most feebly obvious attempt to create a 'them and us' mind-set for a football club. Cringeworthy...:o

As for the "we need to get nasty" bit - some of his club's fans have been years ahead of him on that. If the heat gets turned-up at future Dundalk games and problems ensure, at least we know who to apportion blame to.

[Sunny Jim]

Seems to me he has run out of ideas already and all he can think of is the "everybody hates us" siege mentality idea, but he's no Alex Ferguson, that's for sure.

[Réiteoir]

Awww the poor lad Seanie thinks he's Jose Mourinho.

Not so much The Special One - more The Special Needs One

[pete]

Only seen our game at Oriel & the game on TV last Friday but Dundalk seem to lacking a bit of energy & fight. I am confused with George O'Callaghan playing in what looks like deep midfielder i.e. position of defensive midfielder without the defending...

[ps bohs]

seems like they had already started


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8022112.stm

[Mr A]

It is quite clear to me that in order to win football matches in this country that you sometimes have to be nasty.


I can just see Mental Mickey (if he ever gets playing, but then the IFA hate Dundalk too) going up to an opposition player and saying something like...

"Oh my God, what are you wearing? Totally not your colour and it's almost as if you WANT to look fat! And was your hairdresser on drugs or something? And those shoes.. I don't even know where to begin with the shoes."

Pretty nasty, but will it be enough to get results? Tune in to next week's exciting episode to find out.

[Hairy Bowsie]

I'm a bit worried that no Dundalk fan has commented on this thread yet. I thought they'd be at pains to distance themselves from this lunatic. I know some of them will go along with nonsense but i hope to God the smarter ones call for his head because it's obvious he's lost the plot.

[Weatherman]

He's lost the plot! he does have a point about the paul keegan challanges but this is'nt the right way to go about it!! sounds to me like he is fighting to save his job!! dundalk 2nd bottom in the table! if kenna is getting worried then im sure connor is worried too!!

[Celdrog]

I can just see Mental Mickey (if he ever gets playing, but then the IFA hate Dundalk too)He played for them in the Malone cup against the Drogs. Lasted about 30 minutes before picking up a straight red.:D

[tiktok]

You can read an expanded version of these notes in the Dundalk FC Magazine on sale on Friday night at the Galway game.

That rant was the abridged version?
My Goodness.

[Shiba]

https://www.tiscali.co.uk/tv/images/library/shows/blackadder-goes-forth/lg-promo/lg-promo-blackadder-goes-forth-1.jpg

The spoofer is at it again! He has been listening to too much of those idiotic mudjahadeen chants it would seem.

http://www.dundalkfc.com/news/090505_Connor.asp

I wish to send a message to Dundalk supporters following the events of last Friday night in Dalymount Park.

In any season, there are always what I call “watershed” matches. For me, after 11 games, there have been two “watershed” games. Away to Shelbourne on Easter Monday in the EA Sports Cup was totally unacceptable. I felt that the players responded to the discussions we held following that match. The second “watershed” match, one that I think is much more important for the whole football club, was the game in Dalymount Park last Friday night. That was a watershed game in terms of how angry both the players and the staff were after the game. It’s a professional sport. I know these are strong words – but we felt cheated following the game. My worry is that there is an agenda against either this football club, myself or a combination of both. Why there is an agenda against us – I just don’t know. In the past I have been quite outspoken. I try to speak my mind. I try to be open and frank with journalists. My experience with Bohemians has showed me that this approach leads to making enemies within the journalist profession and the FAI.

Some of the decisions that have gone against us and some of the yellow cards that we have picked up are unexplainable. There was two tackles made the other night by a Bohs player that if were carried out by a Dundalk player they would have received a straight red card. We didn’t even receive a free-kick for either challenge. We get a yellow card for making a complaint and it leads to Harpal getting a red card. Then the same player puts Michael Daly out of the game. It was unbelievable.

We need to look long and hard at this situation at this football club. We need to all understand this agenda that we feel is against us. The reason I think the Bohs game was a watershed was – not because of the performance on the park – but it should be a watershed to unite this whole football club – supporters, players, staff and directors – behind each other. We need to realise that we have no friends in this game and we have to look after each other. I am appealing to our supporters to create a real siege mentality in Dundalk FC for the rest of this season starting on Friday night against Galway. We are under siege at this moment. We need to make sure now that Oriel Park is as hostile as possible to every team that comes here.

I sat down with the board recently. I know that Gerry Matthews has a vision for the infrastructure and youth development at this football club. I have a vision for what we see on the pitch. I am confident that we are all working in the same direction. I am making an appeal to the business community of Dundalk to get behind us. Last Friday night we played against a team with a wage bill three times the size of ours. That is a huge gap. We don’t need to close it this season but we need to start closing it over the next 2-3 seasons. We need to make it sustainable. Whatever increases in budget occur need to be well managed and projected into the future. That’s where the supporters come in. Right now we have one of the best gates in the country and we need to continue with this. I am asking the supporters to please keep coming up to Oriel Park on a match night. Get behind this team. We are trying to play good football and that will continue. However, we need to get a bit nastier between now and the end of the season. It is quite clear to me that in order to win football matches in this country that you sometimes have to be nasty. We need to do this to ensure that we stay in this division and have the opportunity to grow and develop and become the club that I think it can be.

I want to say to Dundalk fans that the next time we go to Dalymount Park we will be a different team. We will never let ourselves be bullied or intimidated the way we were last Friday. This football club will be in the Premier Division next year and within a few years we can be challenging for the title. The personal abuse that I took and the abuse that my players took has only hardened my resolve to be successful in this job. I realise that certain journalists and others will only be too happy to see me fail. But I am relishing this challenge. I have had many of my players coming to me since last Friday coming to me and saying “right Gaffer, we are going to put this right. We are going to be a different team after this and improve”. That’s why I think last Friday’s night was a watershed match. I think it will galvanise everybody at this football club to put things right. We will not resort to cheating or breaking any rules. Our supporters were magnificent last Friday. It was very much appreciated when the fans waited behind last Friday night to show us their support. I know the result hurt but stay supportive of the team and we will make progress.

The squad is paper thin. But Joe Miller, Jimmy Browne and myself are working tirelessly to bring players in to the club. Hopefully we are getting closer to this. Our plans are to have these deals done so that they will happen at the 1st July. Be patient with this regard. Don’t believe everything you read in the papers because as I said a lot of journalists have agendas against me and this club. If you want to know my thoughts on any issue then read these notes in the magazine or on dundalkfc.com because they are the only true communications between myself and the supporters.

Thanks for reading these notes and get behind the team against Galway United on Friday night and in the future. We need your support more than ever.

Sean Connor.

You can read an expanded version of these notes in the Dundalk FC Magazine on sale on Friday night at the Galway game.

This man is an absolute lunatic! As if these lunatic element of this club need anymore encouragement to be hostile. He has visions of Dundalk been another crazy gang but I think he should be in a straight jacket.We as Rovers fans warned Bohs of how bad of manager this gob***** is and the sooner Dundalk realise the better for this club. Jornalist and league against him such bull wasn't he on that side of the fence last year.

If this incites any sort of antisocial behavior.Connor should be banned!

[Shiba]

He played for them in the Malone cup against the Drogs. Lasted about 30 minutes before picking up a straight red.:D

In a friendly against us .Connors was asked by the Ref to take him off before he was sent off crazy tackling. Absolute nutter!

[Red&White Rover]

What a tw*t.

[sonofstan]

Can we go back to the High Court with this and say to the judge 'Look, this is what we were dealing with. Can we have our money back, please?'

[Mr A]

Can we go back to the High Court with this and say to the judge 'Look, this is what we were dealing with. Can we have our money back, please?'

Knowing Bohs, they'll probably give it a shot.

[thischarmingman]

Bit of a Rafa moment for Connor, but if they win their next couple of games I'm sure it'll be forgotten about. Criticising referreeing decisions always smacks of sour grapes- is there any player, supporter or manager in the country who doesn't feel they've been hard done by by certain decisions so far this season? There's no question he's made himself a target but maybe that's his intention- draw all the ire onto himelf, deflecting it from the players. I'm sure he knows the score by this stage- you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Interesting to see how Dundalk do on Friday.


By the way i think i said to Dundalk fans he would be looking for more money soon and what do you know week 10 has just gone and he is already appealing to the business community.

There's plenty of things to slag Connor off about but trying to galvanise the local business community into generating money for the club is a sensible thing to do. Maybe if you'd done the same Cook wouldn't be moaning about his small squad every week.



There's enough messing going on inside and around EL grounds without encouraging it in the match programme.

Yup, it's not that he necessarliy meant it that way- I'm sure he didn't, but he really does leave himself open to criticism given some of the eh... "off-field issues" Dundalk have had this year.


seems like they had already started


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8022112.stm

That newspaper article is from 28th April. In foot.ie terms it's old news. To post it with that comment is at best, misleading.

[Rovers1]

There's plenty of things to slag Connor off about but trying to galvanise the local business community into generating money for the club is a sensible thing to do. Maybe if you'd done the same Cook wouldn't be moaning about his small squad every week.
.

So i take it you did't read The Sligo Champion from Aug '08 to about March '09 ;)

[thischarmingman]

So i take it you did't read The Sligo Champion from Aug '08 to about March '09 ;)

Obviously not. I live in Dublin.

Clearly all that fund-raising from August to Febuary was a success though... (http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/sport/soccer/cook-leaves-sligo-rovers-by-mutual-consent-1621647.html)

[Rovers1]

.

Clearly all that fund-raising from August to Febuary was a success though... (http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/sport/soccer/cook-leaves-sligo-rovers-by-mutual-consent-1621647.html)

Ah sure all Rovers fans know that was a conspiracy;)


You can get The Champion on Fridays in Easons so no excuse from now on buck!!

[eamo1]

He cant talk about teams being dirty.Dundalk were the most "physical" side to play us in Terryland this season so far.I hope the ref is watching closely on Friday night in the reverse fixture.
This is poor stuff from him,it might rally the troops for a game or 2 but if your bad you will lose games consistently,simple as.

[forza rovers]

so do dundalk finally believe that us and bohs,who were telling the truth that he is a spoofer.

[Rovers Maniac]

Bit of a Rafa moment for Connor, but if they win their next couple of games I'm sure it'll be forgotten about. Criticising referreeing decisions always smacks of sour grapes- is there any player, supporter or manager in the country who doesn't feel they've been hard done by by certain decisions so far this season? There's no question he's made himself a target but maybe that's his intention- draw all the ire onto himelf, deflecting it from the players. I'm sure he knows the score by this stage- you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Interesting to see how Dundalk do on Friday.



There's plenty of things to slag Connor off about but trying to galvanise the local business community into generating money for the club is a sensible thing to do. Maybe if you'd done the same Cook wouldn't be moaning about his small squad every week.



Yup, it's not that he necessarliy meant it that way- I'm sure he didn't, but he really does leave himself open to criticism given some of the eh... "off-field issues" Dundalk have had this year.



That newspaper article is from 28th April. In foot.ie terms it's old news. To post it with that comment is at best, misleading.

To be fair i don't hear Cook on every week mouthing about the small squad, its the lads in the studio who mention it. We played Cork last week we had Holmes, Morrison, Butler, Almeida, Parkhouse, Ventre and Doherty out, i think it may have a legitimate reason to mention the injuries because it was detremential to our chances last week or for any team for that matter who 6 of their 7 starters are out.

You have to be lucky with a small squad and if you are not you just have to accept it and do your best. Cook is working with a smaller squad than last season but we are in two more competitions. At the start of the season he was asked to work with 14 players which is impossible.

Connor took a needless gamble in my view of going for a small squad with decent full time players. As with every gamble there is a risk and his gamble has backfired imo. He would have thought if they were doing well in July extra funds would be made available to him to bring in more quality, his but picking up injuries and suspensions which was always going to be possibility means that the gamble has backfired on him. He would have been much better of lowering expectations and not throwing out last year's squad on mass and bringing in the usual mob he brings with him.

Dundalk more than any other town due to its proximity to the North is suffering at the moment, so instead of appealing for more money from the business community ! (which is his usual trick, Bohs seen what he did when he has money) he should thanking them for their support of the club in these tough times. A grade 1 clown i hope he never comes near us again.

[CSFShels]

Jesus, what an embarassment of a man.

[Rory H]

The most interesting part is how Matthews wants to build infrastructre and the youth team, while he openly admits that all he cares about is getting quality on the pitch now and won't do that.

How can he beg for more money and complain of a small squad? With a budget over 20k a week, it must be in the top three in the country. For a promoted side, that is not bad. It was his choice to release nearly all the squad from last year and bring in big names that cost a lot. With 20k, he could have put together a huge squad.

He may be trying to create a spirit, but more likely it is a spoof and he is trying to hide the fact that he has been an expensive failure so far. I say so far because it is very early days...luckily for Dundalk he was only offered one year and he won't waste too much of Matthews' money.

[WoodquayBoy]

Bit of a Rafa moment for Connor,
Not so much a Rafa moment as a Kevin Keegan one!

[holidaysong]

Nobody who attended that match on Friday and is being truly objective can claim that Paul Keegan didn't deserve to get sent off.

However, I agree with most of the comments on here that it is a completely over the top reaction from Connor. Calls for our club to get 'nasty' aren't helpful.

This bit at the end did make me laugh:



You can read an expanded version of these notes in the Dundalk FC Magazine on sale on Friday night at the Galway game.

An expanded version?!? :eek::o

[gufc2000]

Surely a fine will be in order for Connor for speaking out like this

[srfc1928]

Dundalk more than any other town due to its proximity to the North is suffering at the moment, so instead of appealing for more money from the business community ! (which is his usual trick, Bohs seen what he did when he has money) he should thanking them for their support of the club in these tough times. A grade 1 clown i hope he never comes near us again.
Exactly, every business in the border region is suffering at the moment.
He should be happy with what he has, and get on with the job.
However,
The guy is an absolute moron.

[LeixlipRed]

I wish Maxi would set Connor on fire :(

[Red&White Rover]

The most interesting part is how Matthews wants to build infrastructre and the youth team, while he openly admits that all he cares about is getting quality on the pitch now and won't do that.

.
Agreed

That's Connor all over. First team is all that matters to him.

If infrastructure and youth set-ups are what Matthews want then Connor is not the man for him.

Remember how He single-handedly demolished the Youth set-up here and it's only beginning to get back on it's feet now, 4 years on...

[peadar1987]

I wish Maxi would set Connor on fire :(

I was wondering how long it would take for Maxi to get mentioned!

[SMorgan]

.... With a budget over 20k a week, it must be in the top three in the country. For a promoted side, that is not bad. It was his choice to release nearly all the squad from last year and bring in big names that cost a lot. With 20k, he could have put together a huge squad.

....

Where in the name of God do you guys get these figures?

The budget that Connor was given was 12k per week which annually is only 70k more than the annual budget for the previous season. However, he hasn't used his full budget and Dundalk are spending 49% of its income on players wages.

£20k a week.... I wish!!!

[Celdrog]

However, he hasn't used his full budget and Dundalk are spending 49% of its income on players wages.So he hasn't used his full budget. Lets say he has used €11,999 of it.
49% of this is €5879.
Take out employers PRSI. That leaves €5247
16 full time players, is it?
An average of €328 per week per player. No wonder they don't give a toss.
Georgie on €328 per week. Wouldn't keep him in taxis.

Alternatively let's assume each player is on €1000 per week.
That's €1100 per player its costing Craptown.
Annualised thats €923,000.
If that is 49% then Craptown have an income of €1.8M

We won the league with that being pumped in

SMorgan - are you Sean Connor because you are living on a different planet if you think we believe you. Give us your source please.

[Nesta99]

Lest assume more realistically €600pw on average per player, annualised that is just shy of €500,000

[SMorgan]

So he hasn't used his full budget. Lets say he has used €11,999 of it.
49% of this is £5879

My goodness have you got the wrong end of the stick. Dundalk are spending 49%. of the club's income on players wages as per FAI wage cap, so the first part of your maths exercise is bull. Also do me a favour in relation to what Drogheda spent in winning the league!! Drogheda's league title cost 8m over a 3 year period and was bought on the never-never or should I say bought using a combination of players wages and money due to many hard pressed Drogheda businesses. Did you ever listen to what Mr Hoey was telling you?

Also what is it with you guys and Craptown. What age are you guys? Is it meant to be a put-down?

[holidaysong]

And if you're looking for a source, that 49% figure comes from our match day programme.

[Mr A]

Agreed

That's Connor all over. First team is all that matters to him.

If infrastructure and youth set-ups are what Matthews want then Connor is not the man for him.


In his defence here- managers live and die by the results of the first team. If you're waiting on your first team manager to develop the club's structures then you'll be waiting a long time. That stuff is the responsibility of the club, not the manager.

[Dalymountrower]

And if you're looking for a source, that 49% figure comes from our match day programme.

Given that Connors Churchillian propaganda also appears in said organ, could we be forgiven some scepticism on the figure quoted.?
By the way I hope Connor doesn`t doesn`t destroy your club and that the Board have him on a short leash.....doesn`t look like it though.

[Schumi]

So he hasn't used his full budget. Lets say he has used €11,999 of it.
49% of this is €5879.

I assume the 12k per week was the wage budget rather than the overall budget.

[mediahack]

His call for hostility towards away teams should be reported to the FAI.

There's enough messing going on inside and around EL grounds without encouraging it in the match programme.

I think it could be construed as being incitement to hatred and could attract a legal action!

In any event, such comments do nothing to help the game or Dundalk!

[Derry]

Knowing the absolute bias that is shown against teams outside of Dubland, i have to say i concur with most of his points.

[CMcC]

Oh dear !!