Raf gone to Bohs

[Redzer]

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/cretaros-set-for-hoops-as-sligo-close-in-on-amond-1958969.html

SLIGO ROVERS star Raffael Cretaro is to leave the Showgrounds and join Shamrock Rovers, with former Ireland U21 cap Pádraig Amond moving in the opposite direction.

Cretaro, 28, was one of the key strikers in the league last season, scoring 15 league goals for Sligo and he also helped them reach the FAI Cup final, and that form in front of goal -- only Gary Twigg and Jason Byrne scored more goals -- has attracted interest from other clubs.

Bohemians had made an effort to sign the Tubbercurry man but now it seems that Rovers boss Michael O'Neill has won the race to sign Cretaro.

Rovers will have a new-look squad next season as midfielder James Chambers has already signed from Drogheda United, Simon Madden, Darragh Maguire, Shane Robinson and Corey Tracey have been released, while keeper Barry Murphy is expected to officially sign for Bohemians tomorrow.

COMPETING

Sligo, who are set to lose defender Joe Kendrick to Finnish club FC Haka, are planning for next season and are expected to bring in striker Amond from Rovers, while they were also competing to sign Joseph Ndo from Bohemians, though Ndo is expected to either stay at Bohs or move to Sporting Fingal.

Meanwhile, keeper Shane Redmond says that his run of form with the Irish U21 side has helped him get ready for the demands of club football with League Two side Burton Albion.

Dubliner Redmond joined Burton on loan from Nottingham Forest in the summer but he made only his third appearance of the season on Saturday as Albion lost 1-0 to Gillingham in the FA Cup.

"Being able to go away with Ireland has done me good," said Redmond, who won his 15th cap at U21 level in the 4-1 defeat to Armenia in the European Championship qualifiers two weeks ago.

"Thankfully I have kept me place in their team and been the number one. I have played all the games in the qualifiers and it has done me the world of good.

"I have also been playing in the Albion reserve games and that has helped keep my confidence up," he said.

"It has been a tough wait for me. It was good to get back in on Saturday and show everyone what I can do."

[rovers100%]

i think amond would be a decent enough signing for us., was impressed with him a few times i seen him. raf may struggle at shams as big dublin side and full of jackeen ego's but i wish him all the best, just as long as never scores against us :D

[sligofan4ever]

i think amond would be a decent enough signing for us., was impressed with him a few times i seen him. raf may struggle at shams as big dublin side and full of jackeen ego's but i wish him all the best, just as long as never scores against us :D

I wouldn't mind so long as he dosent celebrate it as if he'd never scored a goal before!

[CF1989]

think they'll have to airlift him into the stadium incase his head gets stuck in the door

[Well Red]

Are we likely to get any money for Cretaro or Kendrick or was Cretaro out of contract. Cannot blame the lad for wanting to join Shams and I wish him personally good success but think he will struggle to keep his place every week as he will be a small fish in a much larger pond

[avvenalaf]

Money for Kendrick? Money for Kendrick? We wouldn't get a book of Green Shield Stamps for Kendrick.

Incidentally, discovered recently that Shams fans HATE us calling them Shams. Just thought you might like to know what to call them, in future.

[CF1989]

dont see why people say they dont ave a problem with him wanting to go to shams. top scorer with his hometown club and a cult hero in the showgrounds. why else would he be moving other than money

[srfc1928]

Disappointed, but not as disappointed as I thought I would be.

[CF1989]

theres more to football than just money aswell though. id understand it if it was a player not from sligo. he's a hero here, he's broken out hearts as rovers fans imo

[sligorover]

Its a short career though. I can't hold it against him trying to make a bit more money out of it.

Other than money he possibly feels hes achieved all he can here. At Shams he will be challenging for the league and while I'd love to be proved wrong I can't see us challenging any time soon. Every ambitious footballer wants to win trophies and Rafs been here far too long with so little to show for it.

In a sense he has let us down, but this low doesn't come near to matching the highs he has provided us with over the past eight years or so. Good luck to him.

[bigredtruck]

It shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that he is going, he has being touting himself about to clubs for the past few months, this is the first year that he has made team of the season and this is the way he repays paul cook and the sligo rovers fans, good luck to him, he'll need it. Hope he comes off injured for shams as easy as he did for us in the cup final, sore shoulder my a**e.

[CF1989]

think thats bull tbh what your saying about him not being badly injured.

[sligorover]

When you score the number of goals he has this year for a club fighting relegation 'touting' yourself isn't exactly necessary.

[SligoBrewer]

Lad is just making a living at the end of the day.

Football is a full-time job, people forget that.

Fair enough. Don't gesture towards the crest before you leave. It's just insulting.

0rc_-ip1JEA

Followed by
PNzSeq4pY5s

I've no problem with him leaving, but a little respect would have been nice.

[brianw82]

28 is a pivitol age for a footballer. For the first time, they realise that they have fewer years ahead on the pitch than they do behind. They have to take steps to fulfill their ambitions, or else possibly see them go unfulfilled. He can win the league at Shams next year, no doubt about that.

This thing about him having an ego is daft. People don't like to see him leaving so they have to pick up on something to hate. If shouting at teammates to play better is having an ego, then I wish more of our players did. Most of them needed a good kick up the arse for 2/3s of the season, to be honest.

[Only1Rovers]

Fair enough. Don't gesture towards the crest before you leave. It's just insulting.

0rc_-ip1JEA

Followed by
PNzSeq4pY5s

I've no problem with him leaving, but a little respect would have been nice.

when did he show disrespect?

[gustavo]

Given the source of the article I would hardly take it as being a done deal

[Well Red]

Money for Kendrick? Money for Kendrick? We wouldn't get a book of Green Shield Stamps for Kendrick.

Incidentally, discovered recently that Shams fans HATE us calling them Shams. Just thought you might like to know what to call them, in future.

I fell out of my cot the first time I heard Shams dont like that name that why I love it.

[Well Red]

It shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that he is going, he has being touting himself about to clubs for the past few months, this is the first year that he has made team of the season and this is the way he repays paul cook and the sligo rovers fans, good luck to him, he'll need it. Hope he comes off injured for shams as easy as he did for us in the cup final, sore shoulder my a**e.

Wow and thats your considered opinion. !!:confused::confused:

[red bellied]

According to the Sun today Cretaro hasnt made his mind up, still between Bohs and Shams.

[Fivesilver]

discovered recently that Shams fans HATE us calling them Shams.

You're around at least as long as I am - how on earth did you miss out on that? :p

[avvenalaf]

You're around at least as long as I am - how on earth did you miss out on that? :p

Probably concentrating on getting to them other ways. For instance, isn't there something odd about them calling Bohs Gypos when Bohs have always been in Dalymount and Shams have been wandering around like a Sallins person in the floods.

[Rovers1]

Whoever gives him the most money, Raf will sign for.

[Only1Rovers]

Whoever gives him the most money, Raf will sign for.

Isn't that how many people choose where and who they work for?

[rovers100%]

it amazes me here jow people wont have a bad word said bout ventre and ryan but raf is the worst in the world for bettering himself. fair enough he is a local lad and the people love him but its not that long ago he was pushed outta the club like a bad rash !!! he jumped at the chance to come back, then this season cook changes his role and also his mentality . if ya wanna blame someone for his head its cook to blame so !!!
cook changed him from the blinkhorn role to an out and out striker playing on the defenders shoulder and his sole role was to score goals ! not chase defenders and win headers.
he has the season of his life and gets his head turned. it happens the best of them. for all ye ventre worshippers if ye think that if danny had the season of his life at 28 and got the chance of going for a title he wouldnt take it, well then wake up!!!
easy for most here to say its all about money well for anyone saying that all i can say is have ye mortgages to pay...... we are all disappointed to see him leave but he has been a model servant until now but continue to live in yer bubble and use your selective memory.
be glad for a local lad to go on to a better club and a better life and before people jump down my throat shams are better, huge budget and fine stadium and a real chance of silverware and doing well in europe. i hate to see him leave but im not gonna turn on him now when he has been our best and most commited players for years;)

[Bluebeard]

Was browsing through via New Posts and saw this and mistook it for a thread on the current Liverpool manager being hired by the Shams. Presumably backed by a conglomeration of Bohs fans.

Good player for ye, and a shame he's going to Dublin, but as posters here have said, it's a full time job for him, and the bills have to be paid. Who was he with before ye?

[Redie]

Was browsing through via New Posts and saw this and mistook it for a thread on the current Liverpool manager being hired by the Shams. Presumably backed by a conglomeration of Bohs fans.

Good player for ye, and a shame he's going to Dublin, but as posters here have said, it's a full time job for him, and the bills have to be paid. Who was he with before ye?

If you mean who was Raf with before he joined Rovers - he joined us from his local Sligo Junior Soccer club Real Tubber around about 2002 and has been with us ever since except for one season - 2005/2006ish - when he was with Galway United.

[hodgie]

It shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that he is going, he has being touting himself about to clubs for the past few months, this is the first year that he has made team of the season and this is the way he repays paul cook and the sligo rovers fans, good luck to him, he'll need it. Hope he comes off injured for shams as easy as he did for us in the cup final, sore shoulder my a**e.

Thats bang out of order bout him exagerating injury. Shame on u. He played countless times for us carrying knocks. I'm actually disgusted somebody who thinks they know something about rovers and who has watched raf during his long spell here could say something like that that. That really p****s me off. U shouldn't be allowed in the showgrounds. God i'm angry, sorry if i'm ranting a bit, it's just the begrudgery is horrible

[CarrickFan]

According to the Sun today Cretaro hasnt made his mind up, still between Bohs and Shams.


as to what??..which are the biggest showers on cnuts??:):)

[avvenalaf]

Frankly, Raf was being ridden by Rovers as to wages vis a vis someone like Boco and it's not surprising that he leaves. However, how he will cope without being the big fish in the small pond is debatable and the second point is that if he has similar offers from Bohs and Shams, he should go to Bohs as Pat Fenlon is the better coach, Bohs play the better football and he will not totally alienate Sligo fans - which he will if he goes to LFL.

[red_away]

Sadly I think he will go but we could still see him playing for the BOR next season - I think that rovers will up their offer and unless RAF wants glory he may stay as the 120 mile distance is a bit daunting although he did 70 regularly to galway!

He should go to bohs if he does leave as he might agravate his cup final neck injury looking up at the ball flying past him for shams!

[Redkenrover]

According to the Sun today Cretaro hasnt made his mind up, still between Bohs and Shams.

Heard today he deffo going to Bohs, Crowe heading to Sporting F.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Sadly I think he will go but we could still see him playing for the BOR next season - I think that rovers will up their offer and unless RAF wants glory he may stay as the 120 mile distance is a bit daunting although he did 70 regularly to galway!

He should go to bohs if he does leave as he might agravate his cup final neck injury looking up at the ball flying past him for shams!

If he's going to go I hope he goes to Bohs. I certainly won't give him a good reception if he turns up in a Shams jersey no matter how much service he's given us

[Knappagh Red]

be glad for a local lad to go on to a better club and a better life and before people jump down my throat shams are better, huge budget and fine stadium and a real chance of silverware and doing well in europe

Didn't realise there was a Shamrock appreciation society in Coolaney, do ye go all hooped up to the Mountain Inn to watch them on tv?, yeehaww!

[bigredtruck]

Thats bang out of order bout him exagerating injury. Shame on u. He played countless times for us carrying knocks. I'm actually disgusted somebody who thinks they know something about rovers and who has watched raf during his long spell here could say something like that that. That really p****s me off. U shouldn't be allowed in the showgrounds. God i'm angry, sorry if i'm ranting a bit, it's just the begrudgery is horrible

Ah grow up for god sake, played with knocks , thats what he is payed to do, gavin peers played the final with a cast on his arm, how many times has peers been carried off on a stretcher and came back on, thats the type of player i would concentrate on keeping. If he wants to go good bloody luck to him dean marshall will fill the void no problem. As for begrudgery you couldn't be further from the truth, going to a club where you only get paid 42 weeks of the year, no thanks.

[rovers100%]

@knappaghred whatever ya think dude.......... sure u know it all !!!:rolleyes:

[CF1989]

Not if it's your living it's not.

Football unfortunately is the same as any other job. If another opportunity arises where the pay is better, of course you'd take it no matter how much you love your current club or how much they love you.

In a perfect world we'd all be able to stay where we like and do things we like and not worry about the finances but it doesn't work that way in real life.

Maybe in the world of big bucks where a player is on say 80k and moves to a club to get 95k a week you could ask what difference will that money make to his lifestyle, where is the loyalty? but with Raf he's making a normal wage and an increase in money will make a big difference in his life.

if you were playing for rovers and you were a higihly important player and you knew you could help the club achieve something soon, if you were the top scorer, the main man, the fans favourite, would you leave the club for extra money?

[CF1989]

@knappaghred whatever ya think dude.......... sure u know it all !!!:rolleyes:

lol lol, hehe

[rovers100%]

if rovers offered ya 1000 a week and shams 1250 and ya have a mortgage to pay...... with 1250 ya could easily pay 3000 a month of your mortgage and live on 500 a week. average mortgage 1000 a month so he can be paying his mortgage three times as fast as if he had a normal 500 euro a week job. get a 2 year contract and possibly he can pay 73k off his mortgage !!! i know what i be doing in a recession considering he has 3 good years left. times like these ya gotta think about your future and your family !!!

[CF1989]

if rovers offered ya 1000 a week and shams 1250 and ya have a mortgage to pay...... with 1250 ya could easily pay 3000 a month of your mortgage and live on 500 a week. average mortgage 1000 a month so he can be paying his mortgage three times as fast as if he had a normal 500 euro a week job. get a 2 year contract and possibly he can pay 73k off his mortgage !!! i know what i be doing in a recession considering he has 3 good years left. times like these ya gotta think about your future and your family !!!

how much is his ESB bill?

[rovers100%]

fook all he is too short to reach the light switches :D

[sligoman]

how much is his ESB bill?€0, he made the big switch to Bord Gais...

[MMVIII]

@knappaghred whatever ya think dude.......... sure u know it all !!!:rolleyes:

In fairness, it was funny.

Gutted if he moves. Gave out about his ego and all that before, but the positives far outweigh the negatives by a country mile. He's been lovely to watch and I wish him all the best wherever he goes.

[rovers100%]

whats the story if he goes to bohs, are we not getting amond then ???

[CF1989]

why would the amond deal have anything to do with raff when raffs a free agent?

[rovers100%]

ya but i presume amond is not a free agent so if raf turns them down they may not release amond

[sligorover]

Its not just money though CF, he has a chance to further his career and win titles. Realistically the best we can hope for in the next few years would be third/fourth position.
Seamie Coleman left to further his career and make more money and no one begrudged him that, why hold it against Raf? Obviously I'll be as disappointed as anyone but I can understand his reasoning if he does go.

[CarrickFan]

if rovers offered ya 1000 a week and shams 1250 and ya have a mortgage to pay...... with 1250 ya could easily pay 3000 a month of your mortgage and live on 500 a week. average mortgage 1000 a month so he can be paying his mortgage three times as fast as if he had a normal 500 euro a week job. get a 2 year contract and possibly he can pay 73k off his mortgage !!! i know what i be doing in a recession considering he has 3 good years left. times like these ya gotta think about your future and your family !!!


so now its not winning things or playing in Europe etc thats his motivation but the ability to pay his mortgage?!!..if he actually has one!!...maybe somebody from the club could confirm what is going on with him,Turner and all the players as opposed to this speculation?

[rovers100%]

is raf not building a house in tubber at the minute or am i mistaken

[CF1989]

that is nobodys business but his own like.