Kenny and Rovers part company

[SkStu]

May seem a weird shout but Kenny Cunningham? He hasn't the experience but seems to have a greater knowledge of Irish football than I expected and seems to really know his stuff. I can see him starting here with someone. Shamrock Rovers too big a place to start out to find his feet?

Reminds me of the Gareth Farrelly profile and appointment at Bohs. A resounding YES from me.

[abcd]

Roddy at 66/1 surely a good shout! :o Interesting to see Martin Russell 3rd favourite for job. Id be almost certain they will go for someone outside the league.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd have been delighted with Russell at the beginning of the season. UCD's shocking goals against record under him won't be a problem since Rovers don't bother trying to defend anyway.

[pineapple stu]

UCD's shocking goals against record under him won't be a problem since Rovers don't bother trying to defend anyway.
What, seven more than Rovers this season? Shocking alright! :p

[redobit]

Who are Shams fans blaming for the loss to Shels now.

[Charlie Darwin]

What, seven more than Rovers this season? Shocking alright! :p
Well I meant the past few seasons but basically yeah :p

[Dalymountrower]

If certain rumours turn out to be true, Mathews will have done his prospects no harm tonight.

Are they the same rumours that might give Rovers a cup reprieve and a points deduction for Shels ?. not sure how any of that is to Mathews advantage.
Heary to be appointed Shels manager at the end of the year anyway so Mathews will be looking for a job.

[Spudulika]

Is it true Brian Laws has signed for Rovers? Surprising as I didn't rate him much as a manager (though he would be a tough nut). Good friends with El Rod, wonder will he bring him in to put some lead in the pencil?

[Charlie Darwin]

There is no truth to it whatsoever as far as I can see beyond bookies' speculation. His new book is out, in a completely unrelated coincidence.

[CrowdedHouse]

WTF is Brian Laws anyway, is he somebody famous ?

[Trainee]

Is it true Brian Laws has signed for Rovers? Surprising as I didn't rate him much as a manager (though he would be a tough nut). Good friends with El Rod, wonder will he bring him in to put some lead in the pencil?

Must be True RTE sport said he is Fav and Rovers are holding press conference tomorrow

[pineapple stu]

WTF is Brian Laws anyway, is he somebody famous ?
Previously manager of Burnley and Scunthorpe. Played for Nottingham Forest back when they were good (was in the line up the day of the Hillsborough disaster, and scored an own goal when the game was replayed).

[gormacha]

Laws is a shocking manager. He was despised in his last job at Burnley. He bought some awful players for huge money e.g. Leon Cort for £1.5m. His team selections were baffling. The style of football was awful to watch. He regularly blamed his players in public. And he is the dictionary definition of the opposite of charismatic.

He was reputedly chosen by Burnley on the strength of a Deloitte's report about his time at Sheffield Wednesday, when he got the most points in a season per £ spent on his squad.

[Spudulika]

Met him when he was managing Sheffield Wednesday, I think his best days as a manager are far behind him, but he has a bit of steel and could do a job in Tallaght. I'd like ot go on what CD says, regardless of odds etc.

[Martinho II]

It was telling when Stephen Glass when interviewed after the Shels cup loss didnt know if he would be in charge by next weekend. There was something in todays papers about Brian Laws being shams new mgr so I wouldnt be surprised if he takes charge tmw!

[nigel-harps1954]

Barraclough came to Sligo with his career supposedly in the gutter too remember?

[A face]

Barraclough came to Sligo with his career supposedly in the gutter too remember?

Ahhh, that says nothing. Anyone could have accomplished what Sligo have done since he got the job, simply because it was a ready made league winning team. And for the record i think Sligo play the best football in the league and think they deserved to winning the league on the strength of that.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ahhh, that says nothing. Anyone could have accomplished what Sligo have done since he got the job, simply because it was a ready made league winning team. And for the record i think Sligo play the best football in the league and think they deserved to winning the league on the strength of that.
Sorry, that's ridiculous. Barraclough has proved himself an excellent manager, stepping into the very big shoes of a celebrated manager and exceeding expectations.

One has only to look at Stephen Kenny, a much more experienced manager who inherited a deeper squad full of multiple league winners who faltered from the first whistle. Granted, Barraclough had zero expectation on him coming in but anybody can tell he's done an excellent job with fewer resources than his main rival.

[Sean South]

Laws applied for the Sligo Rovers job before Barraclough got it.

[A face]

Sorry, that's ridiculous. Barraclough has proved himself an excellent manager, stepping into the very big shoes of a celebrated manager and exceeding expectations.

One has only to look at Stephen Kenny, a much more experienced manager who inherited a deeper squad full of multiple league winners who faltered from the first whistle. Granted, Barraclough had zero expectation on him coming in but anybody can tell he's done an excellent job with fewer resources than his main rival.

Ok, i'll agree that not anyone could have done it but my point in the main was that the team was already assembled, it was just to go in a manage it. I suppose its personal opinion theres no harm in people disagreeing with this but i think that the lions share of the work is done when putting a league winning team together. If everything is in place it just means going and doing it.

Point taken about Stephen Kenny though, you're right there.

[Dodge]

Laws applied for the Sligo Rovers job before Barraclough got it.

And Barraclough aplied for the Rovers jobs before Kenny go it.

Thats what out of work/aspiring managers do. Apply for everything. Some terrible managers get jobs while better mangers don't. Generally speaking football boards don't know any more than any one of us, so they're just taking a punt most times

[sligoman]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/irishsun/irishsunsport/irishfootball/4542327/Hoops-lay-down-the-Law.html


Brian Laws as interim director of football at @ShamrockRovers appears to be good move for 6 weeks. Process of finding permanent boss ongoing


Barraclough had zero expectation on him coming inBy who? He was coming here with a lot of people expecting a massive challenge for the title. Fair enough we weren't expecting it to be this easy but if we don't finish champions now, and with us out of the cup, then Baraclough has had a bad season. There was huge expectation on Rovers for the league this season.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sligo fans expected an inexperienced manager to come in and guide them to the title with 3 days' preparation?

[Dodge]

Sligo fans expected an inexperienced manager to come in and guide them to the title with 3 days' preparation?

In fairness the team was ready. he didn't sign anyone pre-season (couldn't).

I'm not saying he hasn't done well but pretty much every Sligo fan I spoke to/know fully expected them to challenge for the title

[Charlie Darwin]

That's crazy. It's one thing to have a team in place, another thing to maintain continuity from the previous management team and hit the ground running. Once again, look at Kenny to see an experienced manager who's won titles screwing it up. Barraclough has exceeded any reasonable expectations.

[sligoman]

Sligo fans expected an inexperienced manager to come in and guide them to the title with 3 days' preparation?Based on the players he had available to him, yes.

He's obviously still done a good job if we win the league because he kept us going all season, I'm not sure if Cook would have been able to.

[Charlie Darwin]

Based on the players he had available to him, yes.

He's obviously still done a good job if we win the league because he kept us going all season, I'm not sure if Cook would have been able to.
So you expected him to be better than Cook?

[Dodge]

That's crazy. It's one thing to have a team in place, another thing to maintain continuity from the previous management team and hit the ground running. Once again, look at Kenny to see an experienced manager who's won titles screwing it up. Barraclough has exceeded any reasonable expectations.

But thats just it. Expectations don't live in a vacuum (apologies for the wankiest sounding line ever...). Towards the start of the season most felt the league was between ROvers and Sligo, with maybe Pats challenging. All 3 had new managers, so why wouldn't Sligo expect to challenge for title?

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd have thought the lack of preparation for the manager would have counted against them. Turns out it was the opposite!

[JC_GUFC]

Barraclough came to Sligo with his career supposedly in the gutter too remember?

I'd hardly say that - he had only managed one club.

Laws' record at Burnley was very poor - he probably sees this as a chance to rebuild that reputation - if it's only a short-term contract and things don't work out he hasn't really lost anything.

[Sean South]

And Barraclough aplied for the Rovers jobs before Kenny go it.

Thats what out of work/aspiring managers do. Apply for everything. Some terrible managers get jobs while better mangers don't. Generally speaking football boards don't know any more than any one of us, so they're just taking a punt most times
Talk about stating the obvious in the latter part of that post, or are you trying to get your post count up?


And no, Barraclough didn't apply for the Shamrock job.

[Dodge]

Believe what you want. its worked out well for Sligo

[OwlsFan]

To be fair to Laws, when he was at Wednesday he had no money whatsover to spend and he held the place together while they fought off receivership. Fans were pretty much divided on his contribution. He came in to Burnley when they were also on a downward slide. He'll bring experience to the job but I have never seen how he would go with a team which is expected to win, like Rovers. He has been fire fighting in his last two jobs. On balance, a former Premiership manager (albeit not successful) can't be all bad. I suspect though he is trying to get back on the managerial ladder and use success at Rovers to relaunch his career. If he brings success, who cares?

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

So you expected him to be better than Cook?

If Cook was there he would have been expected to challenge for the league. Similar expectations were made of whoever took his place.

[nigel-harps1954]

Ahhh, that says nothing. Anyone could have accomplished what Sligo have done since he got the job, simply because it was a ready made league winning team. And for the record i think Sligo play the best football in the league and think they deserved to winning the league on the strength of that.

Limerick had a team that were meant to completely dominate the First Division this season, a team ready made to play good football. They're playing poor enough football and not running away with anything.


I'd hardly say that - he had only managed one club.
.

Steve Staunton.

[Charlie Darwin]

Shows what I know - Laws appointed: http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2985-brian-laws

Strange situation just getting him for a few weeks but I suppose if he steadies the ship it'll be worth it.

[horton]

Did he talk much about where his old school was in the press unveiling like Kenny did?:D

[gormacha]

He came in to Burnley when they were also on a downward slide.

Huh? Burnley had just been promoted the season before, had recently made the semi-final of the Carling Cup (and, had there been an away goals rule, would have made the final at Spurs' expense), made the FA Cup quarters, and were lieing in 14th place in the EPL when Owen Coyle left the Burnley job to go to Bolton. Not only were Burnley doing better than ok, but they were widely lauded as playing fantastic football, and had taken some serious scalps that season, including Man Utds.

Laws took over, and Burnley lost 15 of their remaining 18 EPL games, winning 1. Not only did their form collapse, but Laws publicly humiliated several players, split the squad, and had Burnley playing the dourest football imaginable.

He may well yet do a decent job at Shams. With 800+ games under his belt as a manager he has credibility. But the fact that he managed at EPL level means nothing, as he did the most appalling job imaginable when he was there.

I've never done the maths, but it wouldn't surprise me if he has the lowest winning percentage ever in the EPL, after Paul Jewell.

[pineapple stu]

I've never done the maths, but it wouldn't surprise me if he has the lowest winning percentage ever in the EPL, after Paul Jewell.
Here you go - he comes in tenth (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/the-rundown/least-successful-premier-league-managers-113441372.html) in terms of points per game. Main caveat is that a manager's spells at different clubs are all treated separately (e.g. Mick McCarthy's spell at Wolves would have boosted him a little bit, but is separate from the Sunderland spell which has him so low).

And of course, football began in 1992.

[dong]

Looks like a good call to get him in I'd say.
There's no doubt that a lot of Shams squad were not trying a leg for most of the season and he'll sort that out. With the quality they have that should be enough to get them back to winning ways.

[BonnieShels]

And of course, football began in 1992.

It sure did. And praise Allah for it.

Always wondered how Liverpool were founded in 1892... Always figured it was a typo. Or Scouse code.

[Dave_SRFC]

If Cook was there he would have been expected to challenge for the league. Similar expectations were made of whoever took his place.

Think Cook would have walked Sligo to the title this year...

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Think Cook would have walked Sligo to the title this year...

With the way ye've played I would think he would yeah. Last year we got 73 points from 36 games. We've 53 from 24 now. At that rate we'd have 79/80 from 36 games. It's not an huge increase on last season.

[sullanefc]

Did Brian Laws just refer to his new team firstly as "Shamrock" and then as "Shelbourne" on MNS? Cringe. Not a good start.

[TonyD]

Did Brian Laws just refer to his new team firstly as "Shamrock" and then as "Shelbourne" on MNS? Cringe. Not a good start.

He did indeed :D. That'll go down well. Then reverted to "the Football club" cos he clearly couldn't remember where the hell he's just taken over. I think it's a good appointment......for Sligo, Pats, Bohs etc. :p

[born2bwild]

Surely he researched the club to some degree before the interview? Was there an interview?

[gormacha]

There's no doubt that a lot of Shams squad were not trying a leg for most of the season and he'll sort that out.

Well, he may have skills, but I guarantee you from having followed his fortunes very closely when he was at Burnley, squad motivation is not one of them.

[bullit]

Interview is here : He calls them Shelbourne alright.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/814/337967/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Charlie Darwin]

Did Brian Laws just refer to his new team firstly as "Shamrock" and then as "Shelbourne" on MNS? Cringe. Not a good start.
Brian doesn't get bogged down by insignificant details like the name of the club he's managing. Brian is a big picture man.

That's plausible, right?

[Hairy Bowsie]

More chance of Sean Connor.


There is no truth to it whatsoever as far as I can see beyond bookies' speculation. His new book is out, in a completely unrelated coincidence.

You've clearly no notion of whats going on at your club as your chairman Roche was on to Brian Laws the day after the 4 nil defeat to Bohs, in Dalymount.