Adam Rooney

[zero]

coming on with half an hour to go and the score 1-1. quite an open game and not all one way traffic, but you'd expect the extra quality Celtic have will tell.

[DeLorean]

Was one way traffic after that alright as Rogic scored an injury time winner after Celtic missing a host of chances.

[Stuttgart88]

Nearly got on the end of a knockdown to equalise immediately after Celtic's winner.

[tetsujin1979]

Signed for non league Salford City: Rooney's an Ammie (https://salfordcityfc.co.uk/rooneys-an-ammie/)
He'll never get an international cap now. Didn't know Rory Gaffney was there too, signed in June

[Diggs246]

What an awful move

[Olé Olé]

Dear Lord above. He should have a field day at that level. Any more ginger Irish lads linked?

[seanfhear]

Signed for non league Salford City: Rooney's an Ammie (https://salfordcityfc.co.uk/rooneys-an-ammie/)
He'll never get an international cap now. Didn't know Rory Gaffney was there too, signed in JuneIs that the club owned by Man Utd’s Golden generation ?

[CraftyToePoke]

Is that the club owned by Man Utd’s Golden generation ?

Yep, the class of 92's school project.

[NeverFeltBetter]

That's probably why Salford are able to attract players who should arguably be a level or two higher. I don't think Neville, Scholes and co are involved much in the actual day-to-day.

[samhaydenjr]

Will be earning GBP4k per week: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44894821

[OwlsFan]

Signed for non league Salford City: Rooney's an Ammie (https://salfordcityfc.co.uk/rooneys-an-ammie/)
He'll never get an international cap now. Didn't know Rory Gaffney was there too, signed in June

Bizarre to drop so low from playing for the third biggest club in the SPL.

[tetsujin1979]

Will be earning GBP4k per week: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44894821
I'm guessing that will make him the best paid player in the division?

[seanfhear]

Amazing that Aberdeen cannot compete with those sort of wages . How Scottish football has fallen from its heydays .

[Colbert Report]

Not sure you can blame the guy for taking the money. He's probably done after this contract is up so he's likely just trying to secure his financial future.

[OwlsFan]

According to the Daily Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/07/23/adam-rooneys-tier-dropping-transfer-aberdeen-salford-symbol/ 50% of National League clubs pay more than the bottom half of the SPL.

[Fixer82]

Young family.
Can’t blame him.
Best of luck to him.

[Colbert Report]

According to the Daily Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/07/23/adam-rooneys-tier-dropping-transfer-aberdeen-salford-symbol/ 50% of National League clubs pay more than the bottom half of the SPL.

That is an incredible statistic.

[OwlsFan]

I suppose the Old Firm keep that league afloat, although I have never quite understood why Hearts/Hibs couldn't muster a better opposition. For the Cup Finals they sell out their allocations so the support is there but not harnessed. That said, for the play off games, Sheff Wed has no problem selling 45k tickets but their home attendances are around 24k. Trying to attract the fringe supporter on a regular basis is the issue across the board.

[seanfhear]

I suppose the Old Firm keep that league afloat, although I have never quite understood why Hearts/Hibs couldn't muster a better opposition. For the Cup Finals they sell out their allocations so the support is there but not harnessed. That said, for the play off games, Sheff Wed has no problem selling 45k tickets but their home attendances are around 24k. Trying to attract the fringe supporter on a regular basis is the issue across the board.Perhaps people do not have the money for all that goes with going to a football match .

Football is a working class game and this part of British society has it very hard at the moment .

[irishfan86]

The main issue for the Scottish top flight right now is probably the lack of quality TV money since the collapse of Setanta. The leagues in Poland, Denmark, Norway, etc., have better TV rights deals.

I guess that doesn't really explain that stat about the National League outpaying SPL clubs in many cases -- does the National League have a TV deal? I imagine they get a certain amount from Cup games at least -- even a few cup games on TV could be more than a lower half SPL team might get in a year up in Scotland.

[CraftyToePoke]

I guess that doesn't really explain that stat about the National League outpaying SPL clubs in many cases -- does the National League have a TV deal?

Think they have / had something with BT

[seanfhear]

The main issue for the Scottish top flight right now is probably the lack of quality TV money since the collapse of Setanta. The leagues in Poland, Denmark, Norway, etc., have better TV rights deals.

I guess that doesn't really explain that stat about the National League outpaying SPL clubs in many cases -- does the National League have a TV deal? I imagine they get a certain amount from Cup games at least -- even a few cup games on TV could be more than a lower half SPL team might get in a year up in Scotland.Is it time for a Celtic league ? Scotland , Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland .

[NeverFeltBetter]

Think they have / had something with BT

They do indeed, renewed last March. When I had access to those channels I used to happen upon those games occasionally, think they aired one a week.

[irishfan86]

Is it time for a Celtic league ? Scotland , Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland .

I think this would be a very good idea. A combined league would have the potential to bring in bigger crowds, get better TV deals. More money in the game would inevitably lead to more investment in youth teams -- and it would reduce the need for young Irish players to go to Britain to further their careers.

But I suspect the traditionalists would never have it.

[Stuttgart88]

Is it time for a Celtic league ? Scotland , Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland .Would it be allowed by UEFA though? If UEFA start allowing x-border leagues - no matter how sensible logistically/culturally/economically - it'd set a precedent for larger countries. Once they do that the biggest European clubs will argue for their own x-border league which would de facto become the Champions League, depriving UEFA of their biggest (or second biggest) asset. The big clubs have lobbied for a breakaway league before but UEFA has fended them off, largely by giving them more money and more games I think.

The whole fabric of European football could change because the income from the Champions League would then be spent outside the elite clubs. If Europe's elite clubs ran their own competition it'd be unlikely that there'd be any downstream distribution of income. The rugby 6 Nations don't pay anything to the rest of European rugby and I think little or no money from the two main club competitions in European rugby goes downstream either. Football would hardly think any differently.

I think something must be done to bring peripheral teams and countries closer to the core. My own preference would probably be for the Europa League to be regionalised with regional winners going into a pan-Euroopean last 16 or last 8. NW Europe, Southern Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe. Exact format TBC but you get the gist...

[Olé Olé]

'There are a lot of people saying I went for money. It's got nothing to do with it' http://the42.ie/4147902

Interview with Rooney where he highlights his motives for going to Salford. He mentions he grew up a Manchester United fan and wants to be part of what Salford are doing. I do, however, assume that money was a factor.

In a lot of these retrospective career interviews with Irish players there's a common trend of being signed by one manager before the manager moves on and the player is out of favour. In this piece, it seems to me that Rooney has plenty excuses for his time in England not working out.

[samhaydenjr]

Off the mark for Salford: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45153363 - Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes said he gave Aberdeen "brilliant value" with 88 goals in four and a half years: https://www.bbc.com/sport/scotland/44897694