Close Season/Pre-Season Rumours [Archive] - Page 14

ATFC-1887

06/12/2012, 9:05 PM

Hes a good lil player but imo way to light for first team football. hes no more than 5'5 and very thin and easily bullied off the ball. if he could toughen up he would be quality. hell be wasted with ye he wont get near yer first team i would imagine

bullit

06/12/2012, 9:10 PM

Local radio station here LMFM saying Rafter is Derry bound.Hope theres no Nandos in Derry!!

LMFM RADIO ‏@LMFMRADIO
(https://twitter.com/LMFMRADIO)Dundalk sign Keith Ward from Bohemians Michael Rafter heads to Derry City.

Aaron

06/12/2012, 9:49 PM

Aye todays Derry News saying same thing regarding Rafter....and no the nearest Nandos to us is Belfast

Dillonman

06/12/2012, 9:58 PM

Aye todays Derry News saying same thing regarding Rafter....and no the nearest Nandos to us is Belfast

He also forgot to mention that your pubs and niteclubs should be all over 21s, otherwise he will never be out of them!!!

Guinney

07/12/2012, 4:59 PM

Snackbox sales in Derry will go through the roof

Sam_Heggy

07/12/2012, 6:15 PM

It's like when your girlfriend dumps you and all of a sudden she's a crap sh*g.

Dundalk fans seemed to be happy enough with Rafter when he stuck 2 past Waterford in the play-off...

bullit

07/12/2012, 6:26 PM

It's like when your girlfriend dumps you and all of a sudden she's a crap sh*g.

Dundalk fans seemed to be happy enough with Rafter when he stuck 2 past Waterford in the play-off...

He fecking owed us that big time for all the rest of the siht he gave us all season.
Have a look at our forum,no tears been shed over there about his departure to Derry i can tell you!!

Aaron

07/12/2012, 6:28 PM

Mark Griffin set to sign for us too apparently

Olander

07/12/2012, 6:30 PM

^ Agree. I can't understand the stick Rafter is getting off Dundalk fans. They had far worse wasters at their club last year than him. Scored a few vitals goals for them. I don't understand why they wouldn't just wish him well at his next club. Similar to what Sheppard did at Galway, he scored vital goals that kept us up, which was what was important at the end of the day.

Rafter seems to have some ability from the games I have seen him in, if he trims some of the timber off in pre-season he could be useful signing for Derry.

bullit

07/12/2012, 6:31 PM

Mark Griffin set to sign for us too apparently
We want our €20k first and MuirheavnamorFC want their €5k too ;)

Ezeikial

07/12/2012, 7:48 PM

Dundalk fans seemed to be happy enough with Rafter when he stuck 2 past Waterford in the play-off...

Dundalk fans were way beyond happy (try delighted, delerious, over-the-moon etc) at that win and Rafters double.

It was crystal clear that the lad has loads of ability and, when in the mood, will put in a decent shift. The problem is that he was constantly overweight - after the mid-season break he was probably about 2 stone over.

To witness a professional athlete waddling around the pitch without any obvious improvement in fitness week after week stuck in the craw of most supporters.

While the club were battling with relegation and financial oblivion Rafters appalling condition did not go down well with supporters.

I wish the lad well, but would be surprised if he finds the discipline required to make a big impact

Edit - check out the photo and in particuar the caption on this Derry Journal piece
http://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/derry-city/michael-set-to-raise-the-rafters-1-4564649

Sam_Heggy

07/12/2012, 9:07 PM

Denis Behan is feckin huge but Im sure Limerick fans would be sorry to see him leave.

bullit

07/12/2012, 9:18 PM

Denis Behan isn't a primordial dwarf.

Edit: most or all of us are just having a laugh btw.Rememeber when laughs were in fashion and slagging a plalyer off was a good thing? :D

adamd164

07/12/2012, 9:30 PM

Behan only scored 7 or 8 goals in an incredibly poor first division for Limerick last year. Poor striker.

bluewhitearmy

07/12/2012, 9:39 PM

Behan only scored 7 or 8 goals in an incredibly poor first division for Limerick last year. Poor striker.

Do you know anything about what else he added to the team? How many times did you see him play last season?

Acornvilla

07/12/2012, 9:50 PM

He single handedly beat us up in Longford anyway, still fat thou.

blue til i die

07/12/2012, 9:58 PM

I liked Rafter when he was with us, showed a few good touches alright, but his weight was always his problem and hence why himself and us 'parted company' when he wouldn't get into shape. No doubt there's talent there or he wouldn't have got a move abroad, could easily be a prolific strike if he bothered.

Charlie Darwin

07/12/2012, 10:04 PM

I read he's going to Derry as they have a track record of getting players to good English clubs. Either he's unaware that he's fat, he's planning to get in shape or he's just built like a wrestler.

White Horse

07/12/2012, 11:59 PM

I read he's going to Derry as they have a track record of getting players to good English clubs. Either he's unaware that he's fat, he's planning to get in shape or he's just built like a wrestler.

If he got his conditioning right, it wouldn't matter what club he was with.

Dillonman

08/12/2012, 9:16 AM

It's like when your girlfriend dumps you and all of a sudden she's a crap sh*g.

Dundalk fans seemed to be happy enough with Rafter when he stuck 2 past Waterford in the play-off...

Its nothing of the sort. The chap has bags of ability but just wont perform week in week out. Walks around half the game, wont pass and tries ridiculous shots from everywhere. He also went off on the summer break and came back about 5 stone overweight and was still played week in week out ahead of a few promising youths such as Bob Mckenna. His off the field antics are alot to be desired as well.

Flexy

08/12/2012, 10:07 AM

Its nothing of the sort. The chap has bags of ability but just wont perform week in week out. Walks around half the game, wont pass and tries ridiculous shots from everywhere. He also went off on the summer break and came back about 5 stone overweight and was still played week in week out ahead of a few promising youths such as Bob Mckenna. His off the field antics are alot to be desired as well.
Derry have made a few signings abit disappointed with the Rafter signing and possibly Griffin. Is signing two players from a team who finished next to bottom really showing ambition for next season? I have my doubts. We have resigned Madden ( Great Signing ) Kavanagh, and Houston as well so decent enough players but not sure about the two dundalk players. We are losing Farren, McLaughlin, Murphy and possibly McDaid so is the squad any better than last year not so sure. Dont know why we didnt try and keep Conor Murphy ( whose gone to Pats ) hes a decent player and played well for us last year. Its upto the coaching staff to get the best out of Rafter and Griffin if he signs to make us a force next season

oriel

08/12/2012, 10:27 AM

Not a bad move for Rafter, but def a gamble by Derry. He finished the season very strong for us, excellent running in the first leg of the play off when we were down to 10 men for 70 mins, and his two goals to win the second leg. However for a young lad in his early 20's, I think possibly 21, he should be in far better physical condition, and was in very poor form/condition for months previously.

Good luck to him, hope it works out in Derry, and we thank him sincerely for his huge contribution in the play off.

Guinney

08/12/2012, 1:11 PM

We have resigned Madden ( Great Signing )

Awh sure Sean McCaffrey said Simon Madden was not good enough for Dundalk last season. The best right back in the league IMO

adamd164

08/12/2012, 1:20 PM

Do you know anything about what else he added to the team? How many times did you see him play last season?
He spent 7 years with us, I saw enough of him in that time to know what he's like. He works hard at times, puts a shift in, but he's a poor footballer.

bluewhitearmy

08/12/2012, 1:31 PM

He spent 7 years with us, I saw enough of him in that time to know what he's like. He works hard at times, puts a shift in, but he's a poor footballer.

So in short no you dont know what he has been like with us.

Pablo Escobar

08/12/2012, 4:41 PM

Do you know anything about what else he added to the team? How many times did you see him play last season?

Most City fans are completely oblivious to what he added to our side when he was here. If you focus on stats, yes, he's terribly unproductive. However, it doesn't tell the whole story. An above average player that I was sad to see leave us.

bluewhitearmy

08/12/2012, 5:26 PM

Most City fans are completely oblivious to what he added to our side when he was here. If you focus on stats, yes, he's terribly unproductive. However, it doesn't tell the whole story. An above average player that I was sad to see leave us.

Exactly how i feel he does an awful lot of good work that makes goals for others or starts moves that end in goals. Even when he is not playing well but just throwing himself around he takes a lot of the defenders attention just over the size of him.

El-Pietro

09/12/2012, 8:11 AM

Most City fans are completely oblivious to what he added to our side when he was here. If you focus on stats, yes, he's terribly unproductive. However, it doesn't tell the whole story. An above average player that I was sad to see leave us.
I'd agree with this, but a lot of his team mates were frustrated with him on many occasions! I can't count the amount of times at small grounds that I've heard Danny shouting ffs Denis in that very distinct accent of his!

My dad has a particular bee in his bonnet regarding poor Denis (and linesmen for some reason) and would slaughter him incessantly (unfairly in my opinion). A game above in Galway a few years back, probably 2009, he' was quite close to the pitch, when Denis misplayed a pass or something similar, Danny shouted at Denis to cop on, Denis replied telling him where to go, before turning to Mr. Pietro and said "and you can f*** off too!"

Partizan

09/12/2012, 5:20 PM

Seanie Maguire (ex Waterford and 2012 joint top FD scorer) seen on Sky Sports at Upton Park this afternoon on the West Ham bench during the Hammers 2-3 defeat to Liverpool.

Good luck Seanie.

Iorfa2MaccaJim

09/12/2012, 5:41 PM

Seanie Maguire (ex Waterford and 2012 joint top FD scorer) seen on Sky Sports at Upton Park this afternoon on the West Ham bench during the Hammers 2-3 defeat to Liverpool.

Good luck Seanie.

I didn't see the game today, but that great to hear that Seani was on Sky. The very best of luck to Seani.

Martinho II

09/12/2012, 6:00 PM

I didnt think Seanie Maguire transfer had gone through allready. I am amazed that he was on the West Ham bench already if that was the case!

bluewhitearmy

09/12/2012, 8:22 PM

I didnt think Seanie Maguire transfer had gone through allready. I am amazed that he was on the West Ham bench already if that was the case!

He wasn't on the bench as in a sub he was sitting just behind the bench.

GCdfc

10/12/2012, 7:05 AM

A bit disappointed to see Rafter leave. He has the ability and with the right management he will shine.

White Horse

10/12/2012, 9:47 AM

A bit disappointed to see Rafter leave. He has the ability and with the right management he will shine.

I would have prefered he stayed. The lad has ability. I hope he does well for himself.

whistleblower

10/12/2012, 9:11 PM

Any news on new manager for Limerick FC?

bullit

10/12/2012, 9:19 PM

Any news on new manager for Limerick FC?

Think i heard on Twitter that it was in one of the Limerick newspapers over the weekend that the job will go to either Johnny McDonald or Phil Browne.

nigel-harps1954

10/12/2012, 11:20 PM

So, that means it'll probably go to neither of them.

Fivesilver

11/12/2012, 9:01 AM

A bit disappointed to see Rafter leave. He has the ability and with the right management he will shine.

Yep - I was hoping we might get him. We've done alright with strikers who hadn't been performing their best over the last few seasons - Cretaro, Amond, Doyle.

Ezeikial

11/12/2012, 1:43 PM

Yep - I was hoping we might get him. We've done alright with strikers who hadn't been performing their best over the last few seasons - Cretaro, Amond, Doyle.

He should be available for 2014 without any bother at all