Joe Miller leaves Dundalk [Archive]

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Ezeikial

10/09/2009, 11:12 AM

Joe Miller has left Dundalk, after being unable to get certain reassurances from the board about next season.

In the light of the recent voluntary staff wage cuts and the obvious uncertainties for next seasons budget, Miller was eager to get clarification and assurances regarding the clubs plans for next season.

The fact that Miller was instrumental in attracting recent new signings from Scotland, who were subseuqently asked to take pay cuts was obviously difficult for him, and the club were unable to provide him with sufficient guarantees regarding next years squads. It is expected that a number of these signings will be released in the close season.

Dundalk Democrate interview in this weeks edition, which was prior to last nights resignation:

Dundalk head coach Joe Miller admitted that it was time for the board of Dundalk FC to spell out their plans for next year, in order to keep the current squad together.
Miller was understandably downbeat after watching his side dismantled by Derry City on Friday night and admitted that the morale of the players had dropped following the board's decision to implement a pay cut.

"I am disappointed in bringing players over here, because you are trying to sell the club to them and they come over here and then it is not made easy, so in one way I am disappointed in the way it has not worked the way some of them had hoped. It is disappointing."

When asked about his future, Miller said he would like to stay if the board sets out their plans. "They have to get everyone around the table here and discuss what the club wants.

"There is no sense in pulling the wool over peoples' eyes. Everyone should sit down at the table, throw the cards down and say here it is.

"Everyone has to pull together, get a business plan put in place and keep this group together. We have to get people working together, get people banging on doors and get money into the club. The board has to realise this is what you got to do to survive.

"They and the fans may not have thought this group of players could achieve so much. They are playing attractive football at times and we have had some highs and lows, but we could build on this if we keep the group and try and challenge next year."

http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/3418/Miller-expresses-his-disappointment-with.5633430.jp

Irish Independent article today confirms

Miller quits Dundalk

A SEASON that promised so much for Dundalk FC continued to descend into disaster yesterday when assistant manager Joe Miller resigned following a dispute over recent pay-cuts.

The former Celtic player, who was on a rolling week-to-week contract, is understood to be dismayed by developments at Oriel Park, which saw the players -- some of whom had only just joined the club -- agree to a 10-15pc reduction in wages.

Many of the recently-signed players, including star striker Alex Williams, had transferred from Scotland on the recommendation of Miller and some of them are now expected to follow in his footsteps by leaving the club.

"One or two players will probably go back (to Scotland) at the end of the season because of the pay-cuts," confirmed manager Sean Connor.

"Joe was disappointed with the pay-cuts and he needed assurances for next season.

"But, like any other club, we can't make those assurances right now," he continued.

"He was disappointed the players he had brought over had to take pay-cuts and I'm disappointed to see him go because Joe had done very good work."

The resignation of Miller, who was unavailable for comment, is the latest worrying development for the Oriel Park faithful in recent weeks.

The club had to pay out a five-figure settlement to former player Dave Rogers after dismissing him for dropping his shorts.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/miller-quits-dundalk-1882424.html

brianw82

10/09/2009, 11:14 AM

Why was he on a week-to-week contract?

eelmonster

10/09/2009, 11:59 AM

Why was he on a week-to-week contract?

Presumably, in case a (more financially sound) Scottish or English club came looking for him, which I believe may be the case. Pretty shambolic goings on at Oriel, all the same, I'll have my hands over my eyes for the remainder of the season.

red bellied

10/09/2009, 12:16 PM

Should shaft Connor out when the season ends and put Miller in as manager if they had any sense.

Mr A

10/09/2009, 12:55 PM

Should shaft Connor out when the season ends and put Miller in as manager if they had any sense.

If they had any sense they wouldn't have signed players when just a few weeks later they had to cut their pay.

shep

10/09/2009, 1:50 PM

Sad loss for Dundalk...seemed to be doing a great job,but at least the board are not gonna make same mistake next season by the sounds of things.

By far the club and financial security are more important than anyone going into next season

Dillonman

10/09/2009, 8:09 PM

Huge loss to us, Joe ran the team basically, he did all the training and had a big say in the tactics!

sheao

10/09/2009, 8:32 PM

Huge loss to us, Joe ran the team basically, he did all the training and had a big say in the tactics!
It will be interesting to see how Connor will cope on Saturday night .

Ezeikial

10/09/2009, 11:48 PM

It seems that all might not be exactly as it appears!

Apparently news of Joe Millers departure was initially carried on LMFM radio news reports on Wednesday evening, and appeared in the Irish Independent Thursday morning, with quotes attributed to Sean Connor.

It is interesting to note that no statement has been forthcoming so far from either Joe Miller or Dundalk FC.

While there is undoubtedly no smoke without fire, and Friday mornings media reports might give greater clarity, I hear that it is far from certain that Joe Miller will not be in the dugout in Oriel Park on Saturday night.

Dillonman

11/09/2009, 7:43 AM

Nothing is confirmed until the club confirms it or the man himself which hasnt happened yet. I wouldnt be overly amazed to see Joe doing the pre match warm ups on Saturday night the way things are going but I wouldnt put it past our board to have messed yet another thing up and are too ashamed to own up just liek the whole O'Callaghan debacle and "Rogers gate"!

whinnie01

11/09/2009, 2:41 PM

Maybe Joe finally seen what a spoofer Mr Connor really is and is trying for the main job himself for next season. Mr Connor retaliates with a premptive announcement of Mr Miller's departure from the club.

Infadel

11/09/2009, 2:47 PM

Dunny

11/09/2009, 2:48 PM

Mr Connor retaliates with a premptive announcement of Mr Miller's departure from the club.

Get your fact's straight.:rolleyes:

pineapple stu

11/09/2009, 2:50 PM

Dunny, attack the post, not the poster please.

Quadruple1928

13/09/2009, 1:07 AM

Quadruple1928

13/09/2009, 1:14 AM

Should shaft Connor out when the season ends and put Miller in as manager if they had any sense.

From what i know Connor was told by one of his squad that Miller was saying he(Connor) hadn't a clue! Wouldn't be surprised if Miller will be manager next year.

whinnie01

14/09/2009, 1:24 PM

Well was Joe Miller in the dug out saturday night or is he settling back into life in scotland.

Ezeikial

14/09/2009, 1:43 PM

Well was Joe Miller in the dug out saturday night or is he settling back into life in scotland.

No, he was not in the dugout - Joe Miller was in Scotland earlier in the week and returned to meet with the board on Saturday prior to the match. Apparently meeting was inconclusive and a further meeting was scheduled for yesterday or today.

The Irish Indo report of last week was inaccurate (as was my OP) both about resignation and the given reasons of disatisfaction with recent pay cuts. It is still likely that Joe Miller will depart, and a statement from the club and/or Joe is expected by tomorrow.

Ezeikial

18/09/2009, 4:43 PM

Statement from Dundalk FC about Joe Millers departure from the club:
http://dundalkfc.com/news/090918_Miller.asp

Apparently it was mis-reported in Irish Indo last week that Joe Miller had quit as a result of recent paycuts. It seems that his departure actually only took place yesterday. The reference to "review of the relationships and roles within the team management" is understood to be a reference to a breakdown in the working relationship between Joe Miller and Sean Connor - of which there was only ever going to be one outcome.

roversforever

18/09/2009, 8:10 PM

Da Real Rover

19/09/2009, 3:47 PM

How many loyal staff of the club hear did he run out before we all got sense.

Ezeikial

19/09/2009, 5:23 PM

From what i know Connor was told by one of his squad that Miller was saying he(Connor) hadn't a clue! Wouldn't be surprised if Miller will be manager next year.

It seems that there is a smidgen of truth in this. When any manager is being undermined by his assistant, there is only one likely outcome - hence Joe Miller is resting in Scotland.

The general consensus at Dundalk is that Sean Connor will be offered an extension to his rolling contract for next season. Even if he has some flaws, he will have achieved beyond year 1 expectations if Dundalk finish the season in the current 5th place

How many loyal staff of the club hear did he run out before we all got sense.

I dont know about staff turnover at Sligo - but he was clearly able to take in the players to Sligo to get promotion, and replace them the following year to improve the squad to cup semis and finish 5th in the premier.

Any comparisons on "loyal" staff at Sligo and Joe Miller would be somewhat spurious as Joe operated part-time at Dundalk for about 9 months.

whinnie01

19/09/2009, 11:20 PM

Are contract extensions a little early to be looking for just yet, and i wouldn't be to sure at the consensus that a top five finish will be deemed acceptable. With the budget provided to Mr Connor this season a fifth place finish some would say would be the least to expect with possibly pushing on for a europa league place next season.

To review the season which i believe the board will do many of Mr Connors problems will be brought to light, early season signings that brought plenty of riddicule to club, players behaviour towards training and playing, a situation the board had to sort out themselves after the manager either couldn't or wouldn't and rightly or wrongly cost the club a lot of money.

The wage cut, fiasco how blameless is the manager after he claims to organise these games against Celtic and Barcelona X1 and uses the expected funding to bring in new signings yet almost immediatly after the signings the friendly matches fall by the way side, no extra income comes into the club, how did he think the board would re-act to this, though the board will have to hold the hands up and take their share of responsibility.

So add these with the mess made of the A championship team and it may be a bit early to talk of contract extensions, just ask John Gill if he thought he was getting an extension. However although Joe Miller made a significant contribution to the team his attempts to undermine the manager led to the only option available to him and that was to resign.

Ezeikial

20/09/2009, 12:01 AM

Are contract extensions a little early to be looking for just yet....

It's only seven weeks to the last league game of the season. With so many contracts due to expire then across the league, any club not looking at next season at this point are already running late.

...... and i wouldn't be to sure at the consensus that a top five finish will be deemed acceptable. With the budget provided to Mr Connor this season a fifth place finish some would say would be the least to expect with possibly pushing on for a europa league place next season.

The club and the vast majority of Dundalk supporters would find a 5th place above expectations - stated pre-season goal was to consolidate premier status.The player budget is healthy, but lower then all four clubs higher in the table.

I imagine that expectations for next season would be greater then "possibly pushing on for a europa league place", if a similar budget can be maintained.

To review the season which i believe the board will do many of Mr Connors problems will be brought to light, early season signings that brought plenty of riddicule to club, players behaviour towards training and playing, a situation the board had to sort out themselves after the manager either couldn't or wouldn't and rightly or wrongly cost the club a lot of money.

The wage cut, fiasco how blameless is the manager after he claims to organise these games against Celtic and Barcelona X1 and uses the expected funding to bring in new signings yet almost immediatly after the signings the friendly matches fall by the way side, no extra income comes into the club, how did he think the board would re-act to this, though the board will have to hold the hands up and take their share of responsibility.

Connor certainly gambled on the O'Callaghan signing, and must take responsibility for the player indiscipline issues.

Any criticism regarding the wage cuts and friendly games postponements doesn't lie at Sean Connors door.

However although Joe Miller made a significant contribution to the team his attempts to undermine the manager led to the only option available to him and that was to resign.

I think Joe Millers contribution has consistently been over-estimated, effectively being a 3 day a week part-timer. If Joe Miller was trying to undermine the manager, then clearly both of them could not stay. I think it is significant that it was Miller who departed.

roversforever

20/09/2009, 5:44 PM

Have any of the dundalk fans here,apart from ezekial got an opinion on the spoofer?would just be interested to know what ye think...

Ezeikial

20/09/2009, 6:39 PM

Have any of the dundalk fans here,apart from ezekial got an opinion on the spoofer?would just be interested to know what ye think...

This is probably starting to sway somewhat off topic, and maybe a seperate thread is more appropriate, but....

If you checkout orielweb.com you will be able to see for yourself - opinions have swayed with results, with lots of negativity about Sean Connor up to early June (9th place after 15 matches) followed by dramatic reappraisals when there was a big tunraround in performances and results. The general consenus is very positive, and if the board rollover his contract, I think it would meet with broad approval from Dundalk fans.

For what it is worth, I have stated my own opinion here many times - that Sean Connor has many flaws, but he has done a good job to date at Dundalk.

Acornvilla

20/09/2009, 7:58 PM

he seems a good manager but a hard person to work with?

Da Real Rover

20/09/2009, 10:44 PM

I dont know about staff turnover at Sligo - but he was clearly able to take in the players to Sligo to get promotion, and replace them the following year to improve the squad to cup semis and finish 5th in the premier.
Thats absolute rubbish.
It was thanks to Gerry Cassidy that we got the players we did and had sweet fukc all to do with the hunchback.

Dunny

20/09/2009, 10:45 PM

Thats absolute rubbish.
It was thanks to Gerry Cassidy that we got the players we did and had sweet fukc all to do with the hunchback.

I'd have to agree with this. It was Joe who brought in our Scottish lads and he was always the one the players ran to when celebrating a goal. But I honestly can't have any complaints with Sean.

Ezeikial

20/09/2009, 11:25 PM

Thats absolute rubbish.
It was thanks to Gerry Cassidy that we got the players we did and had sweet fukc all to do with the hunchback.

Apologies - I didn't realise that Gerry Cassidy was in charge of player signings. Is it still the same set-up now - does Paul Cook (or Rob McDonald before him) have any role in what players are signed or released?

Da Real Rover

21/09/2009, 12:31 AM

Apologies - I didn't realise that Gerry Cassidy was in charge of player signings. Is it still the same set-up now - does Paul Cook (or Rob McDonald before him) have any role in what players are signed or released?
Gerry Cassidy scouts players for Rovers in England for years.
Makes suggestions to the club and those suggestions are then acted upon by the management.
Thanks to Cassidy Rovers have had a constant stream of talent coming from across the water.
Its really a necessity since we dont have the Dublin players pool to draw from.

Ezeikial

21/09/2009, 8:48 AM

holidaysong

21/09/2009, 2:46 PM

I'm not a huge fan of some of Connor's signings to be honest. How Michael McGinlay is still a Dundalk player is beyond me. It stinks of 'jobs for the lads' to me. Mansaram is another one who would fall into that category. He keeps these guys at the club but lets Michael Synnott go on loan to Shels even though he was one of our better players in the games he played in.. Having said that, I'm happy with a 5th place finish and I think he's done a good job. Signings like Michael Daly and Chris Turner help in cancelling out the more questionable ones..

sligoman

21/09/2009, 2:53 PM

Having said that, I'm happy with a 5th place finishYou do realise there's still 8 games left and Galway are just 3 points behind you?

brianw82

21/09/2009, 2:54 PM

You do realise there's still 8 games left and Galway are just 3 points behind you?

I'm pretty sure what he means is that he'd be happy if they finished the season in the position they're in now.

boneym

21/09/2009, 4:40 PM

You do realise there's still 8 games left and Galway are just 3 points behind you?

6 points after next friday

monutdfc

21/09/2009, 10:03 PM

I'm not a huge fan of some of Connor's signings to be honest. How Michael McGinlay is still a Dundalk player is beyond me. It stinks of 'jobs for the lads' to me.
I remember a TV interview when he was at Bohs and referring to McGinlay he said "he's my mate's....no, my best mate's son"

marinobohs

22/09/2009, 1:39 PM

I remember a TV interview when he was at Bohs and referring to McGinlay he said "he's my mate's....no, my best mate's son"
yep, seanie does have a habit of dragging the same players around with him. Part of his problems at Bohs related to perceived favouritism among the first team and a freezing out of certain other players. notwithstanding that some of them (in his cliche) are good players and I suspect most Dundalk fans would be happy if they finished in the current spot in the League.next season may be a different story however.

SkStu

22/09/2009, 7:18 PM

no, Dundalk will be second next season.

baddebt

25/09/2009, 12:38 PM

I don't Like Sean Connor , never have never will. I was all in favour of having either Alan Matthews or Stephen Henderson as manager this season.
Our team is doing pretty well , I'm happy with the players performance , but not happy with the ill-discipline( I've no doubt in my mind it comes from S.C)
Was sad to here Joe Miller go , I was rather hoping he would take over from next season.....

neutrino

25/09/2009, 12:51 PM

Gerry Cassidy scouts players for Rovers in England for years.
Makes suggestions to the club and those suggestions are then acted upon by the management.
Thanks to Cassidy Rovers have had a constant stream of talent coming from across the water.
Its really a necessity since we dont have the Dublin players pool to draw from.

Most if not all clubs have people scouting about for them. We're lucky to have Cassidy helping us out for many years now. He's recommended players to all managers since he got involved. I take your point that Connor may not have found some players himself, but he still had to manage them and he delivered with promotion and subsequent 5th place. If a manager, say in the EP, signs a cracking player you dont see headlines that it was actually a scout who recommend them, which would nearly always be the case. Now, I dont really have any affiinity to Sean Connor as a person - he's done a couple things in his various jobs that he shouldnt or shouldnt have been allowed to (dismantling a good youth set-up at rovers being one), but in terms of results he got as manager then i think he did a good job.

Derry

25/09/2009, 12:52 PM

no, Dundalk will be second next season.

A bit off topic but where will the Bohs feckers be?

SkStu

25/09/2009, 2:47 PM

somewhere between 3rd and 20th.