Willie Boland in talks

[thomas72]

with limerick and trained monday night with the team

[Monkfish]

He acually came over then?

Some player in his day, still better than anything in the 1st Div at the mo.

[joeSoap]

He acually came over then?

Some player in his day, still better than anything in the 1st Div at the mo.

I wouldn't agree. He announced his retirement due to chronic knee trouble about 18 months ago, and had been struggling up to that point. He's now 34, and in over 330 games in England he scored the princely total of 4 goals. I agree with you when you say he was some player in his day, but that day surely has long since passed and I feel that it would be a huge backward step to sign him. Wouldn't mind having someone of his experience on the coaching staff though.

[thomas72]

I wouldn't agree. He announced his retirement due to chronic knee trouble about 18 months ago, and had been struggling up to that point. He's now 34, and in over 330 games in England he scored the princely total of 4 goals. I agree with you when you say he was some player in his day, but that day surely has long since passed and I feel that it would be a huge backward step to sign him. Wouldn't mind having someone of his experience on the coaching staff though.


joe willie boland put some of the young to shame monday night as the lads were out on there feet and willie was still sprinting around the field he is extremely fit all them games in england he was played in centre mid as a holding midfielder he has a fantastic engine. the reason he retired was because he could not play the game full time anymore .E.G doing tough training 6 days a week on his knee.
IMO willie would be exactly what limerick needs excellant experiance in the team who breaks up the play excellant on the ball.

[bluewhitearmy]

joe willie boland put some of the young to shame monday night as the lads were out on there feet and willie was still sprinting around the field he is extremely fit all them games in england he was played in centre mid as a holding midfielder he has a fantastic engine. the reason he retired was because he could not play the game full time anymore .E.G doing tough training 6 days a week on his knee.
IMO willie would be exactly what limerick needs excellant experiance in the team who breaks up the play excellant on the ball.

Saw him training monday he seemed fit. Just what we need a bit of experience.

[Jofspring]

Saw him training monday he seemed fit. Just what we need a bit of experience.

At the right price it's no harm in having another experienced head in such a young squad. Hopefully he signs and we can see Friday what he has to offer. I don't think that Scully is going to sign a player he thinks is past it and not going to offer something.

[Monkfish]

.
IMO willie would be exactly what limerick needs excellant experiance in the team who breaks up the play excellant on the ball.

Spot on. He's the complete opposite of one of Scullys winter signings. Imagine having him and Yellow in the middle! no fcuker would dare go near the middle of the park with the ball....:doctor:

[L37Ultra]

Seen him training last Monday. He is still very fit and in my opinion would be a great signing for the club. We are not exactly blessed with players who will get stuck in, in the middle of the park.

Won't be playing for a least a few weeks anyways, he has been given a week to come back to Limerick with their offer.

[joeSoap]

If he's as fit as ye say, and still wants to play ball then he would be a good signing...big IF though. And even at that, a serious knee injury leaves damage that might easily stand up to training, but not playing. There is a huge difference. I'd just hate for the club to be shelling out big money (I presume it would be a similar offer to that of Steven O'Flynn's) only to be paying someone who is out injured a lot and in meed of constant medical attention.

[Martinho II]

with limerick and trained monday night with the team

I remember collecting a sticker of him in the 1992-93 panini sticker album!:skeleton:

[da bishop]

no doubt boland was a great pro highly regarded by his clubs,fans and fellow players alike during a distinguished career in england,however a 1st div training session is not competitive action,and he has not played in quite a while whilst having a glut of serious injuries the last few years.scully has better options available to him given the possible wages boland would be on.on the other hand are we looking at a limk manager in waiting?boland if signed would give his all ,he loves limk,must,n have many offers given his family live in england but player wise a risk.

[bluewhitearmy]

no doubt boland was a great pro highly regarded by his clubs,fans and fellow players alike during a distinguished career in england,however a 1st div training session is not competitive action,and he has not played in quite a while whilst having a glut of serious injuries the last few years.scully has better options available to him given the possible wages boland would be on.on the other hand are we looking at a limk manager in waiting?boland if signed would give his all ,he loves limk,must,n have many offers given his family live in england but player wise a risk.

What other options ?
Have you ever seen limerick train?

[BigfeetBigsocks]

What other options ?
Have you ever seen limerick train?

Is that not the reason why Scully had a squad already assembled before season.... to have Options in different positions? are you telling us now Scully has not got a decent squad to do that and we now have to buy more players?.....and i have seen Limerick Train departs on the hour every hour from platform 1:-)

[bluewhitearmy]

Is that not the reason why Scully had a squad already assembled before season.... to have Options in different positions? are you telling us now Scully has not got a decent squad to do that and we now have to buy more players?.....and i have seen Limerick Train departs on the hour every hour from platform 1:-)

Its called injuries and managers are always looking to improve the squad or would you prefer we dont go after anyone that may improve the squad because we have a squad already? And please tell me who in our squad in midfield has the experience Willie does would it be Jason, Yellow, Judgey or Kelly?

[BigfeetBigsocks]

I would like the Manager to show some faith in the squad he assembled preseason and if there are not good enough then fine improve...think of what moral the fringe players must be thinking... some one gets injured or suspended WOW i am getting my chance now to show i can play this position then all of a sudden nah we will buy someone to cover and keep him a fringe player....i personally think thats not good man management at this early stage in the season

[Jofspring]

I see where your coming from bigfeet but Scully did say at the start of the season he hadn't ruled out signing anymore players and that if someone was available that he thinks would improve the squad he might look to bring them in, otherwise he is happy with the squad he has assembled.

[LK37oldskool]

While not dismissing Willie abilities i think we all agree that we should be looking for a striker and the money Boland would be on you'd think would pay for a really good striker.

[BigfeetBigsocks]

While not dismissing Willie abilities i think we all agree that we should be looking for a striker and the money Boland would be on you'd think would pay for a really good striker.

And they should be after young keeper Egan would be a good signing..... on the striker front everybody keeps saying we need one and we do but who is available to come to limerick any names? loans? etc

[LK37oldskool]

there were a few unattached at the start of the year that we should have seriously looked at ,not sure who's available now.

[Jofspring]

there were a few unattached at the start of the year that we should have seriously looked at ,not sure who's available now.

Its very hard to know alright, the PFAI list online hasn't been updated since November.

[bluewhitearmy]

And they should be after young keeper Egan would be a good signing..... on the striker front everybody keeps saying we need one and we do but who is available to come to limerick any names? loans? etc

Has agreed to sign when his season is over played in pre season for us.

[Jofspring]

Won't be playing for a least a few weeks anyways, he has been given a week to come back to Limerick with their offer.

Any word on Willie getting back to Limerick about their offer or is the deal gone?

[abbeyvale]

Any word on Willie getting back to Limerick about their offer or is the deal gone?

Any word on this lads, or is it just a no go???? we could really do with someone like him.

[LK37oldskool]

Need his experience now,Waterford have signed George O Callaghan,thats some squad their building.

[bluewhitearmy]

He trained this week and think he is back again next week looking like he will be signing but he wants to be fully fit when he does so he can get straight into it has been training with Hartlepool to get fit.

[bluewhitearmy]

he'll be a great signing for limerick,any news on how steven o flynn is getting on in england?will he making a move back?

Steve has come on 4 times as sub only played like 25 mins.
Haven't a clue if he is planning on coming back or looking for another English club.

[bluewhitearmy]

Ya i reckon he will stick it out and stay for pre-seaon with Northampton.

[bluewhitearmy]

Would have to wait til June anyway for window to open.
Wold love to have him back though.

[LK37oldskool]

Steve's contract up at the end of the season,it will be interesting to see if they extend it.

[Jofspring]

I'd say O Flynn will be back alright but i'd say he'll sign for a premier team.

[thomas72]

willie boland signing with limerick on thursday

limerick really need experiance im midfield someone who can keep and pass the ball great signing

[Xile]

He should be playing on Saturday. :D

[bluewhitearmy]

Super signing delighted wit h this cant wait to see him Saturday :)

[Jofspring]

Willie Boland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Boland) press release in todays Limerick Leader (http://www.limerickleader.ie/sport/Boland39s-signing-will-boost-the.6272131.jp).

[joeSoap]

Major bonus having that kind of experience in the squad. I still have reservations over his knee. It had to be bad for him to retire, and the older you get the harder it is to recover. If it does stand up to it though, great signing.

[osarusan]

From what I've heard, it wasn't so much the 90 minutes he couldn't handle but the full-time training.

Hopefully our part-time training will allow the knee the respite it needs to let him continue playing, as he'd be a fantastic addition to the squad.

[bluewhitearmy]

From what I've heard, it wasn't so much the 90 minutes he couldn't handle but the full-time training.

Hopefully our part-time training will allow the knee the respite it needs to let him continue playing, as he'd be a fantastic addition to the squad.

Ya it was the 5 days a week training he couldn't do he has been training away at Hartlerpool for a while now and training with Limerick. Refused to sign until he was fit enough to play.

Debut supposed to be Sat but whats the story with the planes?

[joeSoap]

Planes should have nothing to do with it....he should easily be able to walk from Hartlepool to Holyhead, swim over, and jog from Dublin to Athlone.....

Seriously, is he still living in Hartlepool and commuting, or whats the story. That scenario would hardly be ideal.

[Lim till i die]

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/StenaLine/Stena_Carisma-01.jpg

[Lim till i die]

Seriously, is he still living in Hartlepool and commuting, or whats the story.

I dunno tbh but would it be much worse than Scully commuting from Naas??

[Fr. Joe]

Welcome home Willie John.

[ped_ped]

Delighted with this signing :)

[joeSoap]

I wouldn't agree. He announced his retirement due to chronic knee trouble about 18 months ago, and had been struggling up to that point. He's now 34, and in over 330 games in England he scored the princely total of 4 goals. I agree with you when you say he was some player in his day, but that day surely has long since passed and I feel that it would be a huge backward step to sign him. Wouldn't mind having someone of his experience on the coaching staff though. Hate to say I told you so lads, but 30 mins in two games, both ending in injury. Theres no enormous step up especially in the tempo and physicality of games in our first division and the coca cola league so why would anyone think he would be able to play over here and not there?I'm open to correction but the club is probably tied in to a hefty contract now til the end of the season now, money it doesn't have, money it could be using to tempt O'Flynn back. Not good!!

[juniorballer]

Looks like you could be right Joe...doesnt look like a sound investment so far anyways

[joeSoap]

I'd love to see him playing with Limerick, don't get me wrong. But I've always felt that if he was fit enough and injury free that he'd be still playing in England, even if only in League 2 or conference where he'd get paid more. He has been over there a hell of a long time. I hope he bounces back from these two setbacks, but I just have a feeling that setback number three will happen shortly after.

[Lim till i die]

Theres no enormous step up especially in the tempo and physicality of games in our first division and the coca cola league so why would anyone think he would be able to play over here and not there?

There's an enormous step up from not kicking a ball for over a year though.

Feel kinda bad for him myself. I dunno what the story was last night but that injury up in Athlone could have happened anyone, was just unfortunate coincidence.

I still think he was worth a shot, he might come good with some intensive physichal/phsio work to loosen him out.

If not then feck it we tried.


I'm open to correction but the club is probably tied in to a hefty contract now til the end of the season now, money it doesn't have,

You are, of course, incorrect.


he'd be still playing in England, even if only in League 2 or conference where he'd get paid more.

AFAIK His reasons for signing with Limerick were largely personal.

Also, League 2 and the conference aint exactly awash with money

[limunlim]

Lads,what's the story with Willie?is he still injured,or will we be seeing him after the break?