Sporting Fingal Gone Belly Up

[dublinred]

:teeth:As predicted this thread has turned into the "ive the biggest knob" thread.The same arguments over and feckin over.
Lazy days and a thread 20 pages+ over its sell by date.
roll on the season

I actually find it amazing that a thread on Fingal can generate more posts than the amount of Fingal fans regulary going to matches.

[SkStu]

Actually, PB I agree with your point in principle although think there should be provision for rare exception(s). Probobly off thread but unfortunately until we introduce a formal promotion/relegation structure between the leagues there will continue to be a disconnect.
RE Dublin I recall - probobly wrongly - the Genesis report (that old chestnut) recommended two decent stadia in Dublin (one Northside one Southside) presumably hosting at most 4 teams (two each). To be honest my own view is that such an approach (geographically siting clubs) really only works in a green site League set up. To be fair the FAI did try and "facilitate" this approach by backing a Shels proposal to buy into Dalymount, unfortunately due to cack handed approach and oppurtunism it ended up leading to the downfall of both clubs.There was also talk of St Pats moving to SDCC stadium tallaght which (had it succeeded) would have had Bohs/Shels playing from a redeveloped Dalymount and Shams/Pats from SDCC Sadium. St Pats opted not to pursue this option and the "restructuring" of Dublin clubs appeared to be abandoned.

definitely for the best that these mooted groundshares didnt happen in my opinion. Would have been detrimental to Pats/Shels i think.

[Spudulika]

It all depends on the clubs, stadia and also the handling of the authorities. We all know that of all the sports in Ireland football has the most gypsy-like attitude when it comes to location. Added to this that clubs are essentially run as businesses (and badly so in the majority of circumstances), they are entitled and enforced to do what they can to survive. Of course a defined area is needed to ensure a community link, though when the final decision is made the owners will always do what suits the bottom line. Shared stadia/facilities is one definite way to go in Irish football, however while the supporters might roll into it and see sense, the clowns directing the circuses that constitute our senior clubs and our governing bodies will always find reasons (usually brown envelopes) as to why they each need their own "home".

[marinobohs]

definitely for the best that these mooted groundshares didnt happen in my opinion. Would have been detrimental to Pats/Shels i think.
Actually SkStu the proposed Shels/Dalymount option would have been infinitely more attractive to Shels than Bohs and, to be fair, Pats to SDCC ground was stifled fairly early (to the best of my knowledge) by opposition among Pats fans.

(Apols for dragging thread off topic :))

[SkStu]

Actually SkStu the proposed Shels/Dalymount option would have been infinitely more attractive to Shels than Bohs and, to be fair, Pats to SDCC ground was stifled fairly early (to the best of my knowledge) by opposition among Pats fans.

(Apols for dragging thread off topic :))

i realise that MB. I deleted a similar comment from my initial post actually. Thats why we decided to "go it alone". It would have been bad for Shels in the long term i think.

[BonnieShels]

And ye would have missed us. It'd get lonely in northside Dublin without us.

[hoopy]

. Thats why we decided to "go it alone".

Let's call a spade a spade, the reason Bohs didn't want Shels in Dalyer was because Ollie Byrne was running them.

[peadar1987]

And ye would have missed us. It'd get lonely in northside Dublin without us.

They'd have Drum Farm Sporting Fingal City to keep them company

[SkStu]

Let's call a spade a spade, the reason Bohs didn't want Shels in Dalyer was because Ollie Byrne was running them.

No it wasnt. It was because we would have given up ownership of 50% of the stadium for e1million. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but thats not an attractive proposition when you have an asset worth alot more than that. Oh well, all history now.

[marinobohs]

Let's call a spade a spade, the reason Bohs didn't want Shels in Dalyer was because Ollie Byrne was running them.

Complete and utter crap. The deal was financially bad for Bohs and that is why the members voted to reject it. the board was mandated to (and subsequently did) offer Shels a long term rental agreement for the use of Dalymount (it was becoming clear even at that stage that Shels had major problems) the offer was rejected out of hand by Ollie Byrne.

[hoopy]

Fair enough. But your Chairman at the time, off the record, said he was afraid Ollie would be running the ground within a couple of years.

[marinobohs]

Fair enough. But your Chairman at the time, off the record, said he was afraid Ollie would be running the ground within a couple of years.

Yes I know, hoops know more about Bohs blah blah blah. As I was present at meetings - including where the tenancy offer was agreed - and spoke to people at both clubs I do know a lot about what occured. At one point Ollie Byrne offered to withdraw from any role in the management of Dalymount (a joint management committee was to be part of the plan) if it made any difference. It didn't, because it was not the issue at all.
The only club bohs members have objected to in Dalymount was a proposal for shams to return (during the building of SDCC Stadium) although I think this was via an information meeting and never went to a formal vote given the strenght of views expressed.

[D.24saint]

is this thread not about fingal!, any news on their budget for the season.

[Spudulika]

Should be passed by now, no doubt some genius will claim they're going to go under or some other such wishful thinking, though sadly the parallel thread to remove gossipmongers, or those wishing to glory in the crapulence of their own blinkered view doesn't seem to be keeping them on track - good to see Bohs and Rovers arguing across the land. :-)

[hoopy]

Players still under contract to have their 52 week contracts honoured, new signings to be on 4(2?) week contracts. Disregard if this is old news.

[Mr_Parker]

Players still under contract to have their 52 week contracts honoured, new signings to be on 4(2?) week contracts. Disregard if this is old news.

4 week contracts? How will that work with the player registration periods?

[hoopy]

42 or 44 week, hence the question mark at the 2! I think things have moved forward for them since this however due to Bucko getting in sponsorship, meaning that Sligo, Rovers and Fingal are basically after all the same new players and Fingal may well be able to offer new signings the full 52 week contracts.

[White Horse]

The Celtic Tiger lives!

Foster pointed to the imminent signing of Greg Bolger by Sporting Fingal as proof of how other club's can outbid Dundalk for players."I wanted to bring Greg here", said Foster. "However his move boils down to finances, pure and simple. We can't compete with Sporting Fingal.
There is a lot being said about their financial demise yet they have offered, and are offering huge contracts to players.
They have ten players signed from last season whose wages exceed my total budget. I would love a demise like that."
http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/dundalksport/Boss-Wayne-is-hard-to.6686965.jp?articlepage=2

[poster]

Fingal and Shams seem to be way ahead of everyone else budget wise.

[redobit]

Are Fingal in the Red or Black at the moment?

(They were down 75K the season they won the cup so I cant see them clearing that debt aswell as breaking even in a average season last year)

[Olander]

The Celtic Tiger lives!

Foster pointed to the imminent signing of Greg Bolger by Sporting Fingal as proof of how other club's can outbid Dundalk for players."I wanted to bring Greg here", said Foster. "However his move boils down to finances, pure and simple. We can't compete with Sporting Fingal.
There is a lot being said about their financial demise yet they have offered, and are offering huge contracts to players.
They have ten players signed from last season whose wages exceed my total budget. I would love a demise like that."
http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/dundalksport/Boss-Wayne-is-hard-to.6686965.jp?articlepage=2
Does Foster ever shut up whinging about his budget? I mean seriously?!

I think I read somewhere that Dundalks playing budget is €7000 a week. FFS!!! that is probably triple what our/UCD/Bray' budget will be. I never heard the managers of those clubs complaining. They just get on with it and dont constantly have to make references to other clubs dealings.

The way Foster goes on you would swear he could only offer players expenses.

[Charlie Darwin]

Could it not be Fingal and Dundalk are offering similar wages but Bolger didn't want to leave Dublin?

[peadar1987]

Does Foster ever shut up whinging about his budget? I mean seriously?!

I think I read somewhere that Dundalks playing budget is €7000 a week. FFS!!! that is probably triple what our/UCD/Bray' budget will be. I never heard the managers of those clubs complaining. They just get on with it and dont constantly have to make references to other clubs dealings.

The way Foster goes on you would swear he could only offer players expenses.

To be fair, Dundalk supporters expect and demand more from the team than Bray, UCD, and Galway fans do.

[The Lep]

[QUOTE=redobit;1440069]Are Fingal in the Red or Black at the moment?

Its white with a bit of green with the away strip being black.

[Spudulika]

The Democrat, much as I used to like it, is famous for a paper of no record (I'd a nasty experience in this respect back in 2000). This is very disingenuous by Ian Foster, and lies as well. First he had his facts wrong, it was only 8 or 9 players from last season left on contract. Everything is just whinge to get sacked and a big pay off.

[D.24saint]

Does Foster ever shut up whinging about his budget? I mean seriously?!

cant stand the man he must be the biggest whinger to be ever called a football manager.

[pineapple stu]

Does Foster ever shut up whinging about his budget? I mean seriously?!
In fairness, while Foster is up there with Fenlon in the irritating whinebag stakes, that doesn't necessarily mean that he never has an interesting point to highlight.

[Dodge]

Not really, the implication is that if Fingal were offering a 'huge wage' and Dundalk were his second choice, then they were offering what he thought was a decent wage.

Ergo, STFU Foster. A manager who has signe d Jason byrne and Mark Quigley this season hasn't a leg to stand on when moaning about wages

If Fingal, have money to spend, good luck to them. If Foster is moaning about their finances based on press reports, then more fool him

[pineapple stu]

If Fingal, have money to spend
That was the (sole) interesting point though. Just seems to have gotten lost a bit in the Foster-bashing.

[Dodge]

But when did they now have money to spend? They always said they were OK, and even saying they ave a reduced budget wouldn't preclude them from having enough to pay for Bolger

It seems Foster was believing all reports, and he should know better than that

[pineapple stu]

In fairness, I tend to take clubs with a ton of salt when they're talking about themselves and how secure they are. This is at least independent confirmation.

[Ezeikial]

Foster spoke specifically about targeting Greg Bolger to local media before Christmas and therefore created an expectation among Dundalk supporters that this signing would happen. It now looks like he may sign for Sporting Fingal, and naturally the same local journalist asks him why. Foster says it as he sees it.

A few observations:
1) He would have been better off saying nowt in the first place
2) For such an articulate man he says too many things that he should not say.
3) His remarks on the reported "demise" of Sporting Fingal are fair comment

[Dodge]

The most annoying thing for me is that he complains about Bolger prefering Fingal to Dundalk based on money, while at the same time trying to lure him to oriel on a better deal than he had at UCD

[Ezeikial]

The most annoying thing for me is that he complains about Bolger prefering Fingal to Dundalk based on money, while at the same time trying to lure him to oriel on a better deal than he had at UCD

You define what he says as a complaint - others might say it is an explanation.

Either way, once he mentioned Bolger as a signing target to local media it was inevitable that he would have to provide some clarity if the signing was not to happen.

[White Horse]

The most annoying thing for me is that he complains about Bolger prefering Fingal to Dundalk based on money, while at the same time trying to lure him to oriel on a better deal than he had at UCD

I didn't see any criticism of Bolger for getting the best deal for himself. Indeed, there is no criticism of Fingal in his statement. I don't see why you are trying to spin his comments in this direction.

The interesting aspect of his comments were that Fingal are offering more expensive contracts than a club that is being run on a sustainable basis.

Where is Fingal getting the cash to pay these contracts?

[Dodge]

Fair enough, I think he's moaning, and I think his backhanded chatter about Fingla is misplaced.

Where they get the cash is completely immaterial to me. As long as they pay their way, then good luck to them

[Dillonman]

I think Foster is referring to the compensation that UCD are entitled to, he said in the Democrat before xmas that the only reason that we didn't go for Kilduff was that UCD are entitled to compensation for him, its the same now with Bolger and Fingal apparently can afford to pay this compensation, something which we definitely cannot afford. So I'd imagine thats what he is "whinging" about.

[Schumi]

The quote only mentions wages though.

[pineapple stu]

However his move boils down to finances, pure and simple. We can't compete with Sporting Fingal.
There is a lot being said about their financial demise yet they have offered, and are offering huge contracts to players.
That seems to make it clear it's about the wage, not the fee. If ye couldn't afford the fee at all, ye'd have known that from the start and surely not shown an interest in him? Also, the fee is irrelevant to Bolger, but Foster indicates that the choice is Bolger's, which would mean that Foster's giving out about Fingal offering a higher wage.

[Dillonman]

That seems to make it clear it's about the wage, not the fee. If ye couldn't afford the fee at all, ye'd have known that from the start and surely not shown an interest in him? Also, the fee is irrelevant to Bolger, but Foster indicates that the choice is Bolger's, which would mean that Foster's giving out about Fingal offering a higher wage.

Well then perhaps its the lure of Europe that is persuading Bolger to sign with Fingal. It was a player that will remain un-named that actually let the word slip after the DFC awards night, that we where after Bolger, with word out, Foster said a few weeks later in the local paper that he was persuing Bolger's signature and now its come down to this. I duno but I'd imagine the compensation payment due to UCD is one reason why we havn't signed Bolger and this has frustrated Foster to come out and say that in the paper.

[pineapple stu]

Well then perhaps its the lure of Europe that is persuading Bolger to sign with Fingal.
It seems not, again from what Foster said -


However, his move boils down to finances, pure and simple
So either it's entirely about the wages or Foster's talking rubbish.

[Dillonman]

It seems not, again from what Foster said -


So either it's entirely about the wages or Foster's talking rubbish.

I did say "perhaps" Stu!

[pineapple stu]

I know. And there doesn't seem to be any perhaps about it. :)

[redobit]

Are Fingal in the Red or Black at the moment?

The Lep;
Its white with a bit of green with the away strip being black.

Good one.
I'll take it that ye have made a loss in each of your last 2 seasons so.

[Louth4sam]

The Democrat, much as I used to like it, is famous for a paper of no record (I'd a nasty experience in this respect back in 2000). This is very disingenuous by Ian Foster, and lies as well. First he had his facts wrong, it was only 8 or 9 players from last season left on contract. Everything is just whinge to get sacked and a big pay off.

I don't know where you got the idea that he is moaning to get sacked, who else would employ him? I think the simple fact is he's a moany git but as long as the performances are ok Dundalk fans will tolerate it. A few bad performances or losses and the shed will be very quick to turn on him

[Spudulika]

I don't know where you got the idea that he is moaning to get sacked, who else would employ him? I think the simple fact is he's a moany git but as long as the performances are ok Dundalk fans will tolerate it. A few bad performances or losses and the shed will be very quick to turn on him

I should have said, I reckon....... as a preface. I think he's a good coach, a clever guy, and decent. He's not a patch on Lilywhite bosses of the past, few are, though I think he was better than the main rival option I heard mentioned time and again by some folks in town. After last year I didn't think he'd last the season, I don't know if he'll be in the club this time next year.

[Lim till i die]

Good one.
I'll take it that ye have made a loss in each of your last 2 seasons so.

A LoI club made a loss?!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T9oeNkDLyhE/SbremtZ0n9I/AAAAAAAAApg/OV-niJbgBBE/s320/Shocked%2520Old%2520Lady%2520Edited.gif

[Dillonman]

I should have said, I reckon....... as a preface. I think he's a good coach, a clever guy, and decent. He's not a patch on Lilywhite bosses of the past, few are, though I think he was better than the main rival option I heard mentioned time and again by some folks in town. After last year I didn't think he'd last the season, I don't know if he'll be in the club this time next year.

Possibly not, he was given a 2 year deal and that runs out this year and we all know how Gerry Matthews goes through staff!

[pineapple stu]

From yesterday's Fingal Independent (http://www.fingal-independent.ie/premium/sport/gaelic-football/sponsor-talks-on-hold-as-fingal-return-to-training-2500755.html) -


SPORTING Fingal's plans to announce a major new sponsor have had to be put on hold indefinitely because of 'restructuring' by the company involved.
Anyone with a subscription able to reveal more?

[The Lep]

Someone is feeding the indo porkies.