(Very early) Transfer gossip/squad retention

[Roo69]

Shane O'Neill has signed back with Bray from what ive heard.

[cestlavie]

David Elebert (ex Shamrock Rovers), Francis McCaffery (ex Dundalk), Shane OConnor (Porterdown) and Lee Toland (ex finn harps) all on trial with Derry. Any Rovers, Harps or Dundalk fans got views on these guys?

Toland done nothing at Harps last year, was abit part player. He is young, left footed was at Newcastle as a youngster (as he kept telling everybody) Maybe in the future he will do a job but based on last year he wasnt that impressive. Surprised he is training with Derry to be honest (even if he is a mucker) , maybe Hutton really doesnt know that much after all. Heard he was training with the reserves or ulster senior league team. Probably end up begging Harps to take him back in few weeks time unless he gets few quid extra from some junior team more than most senior teams can afford to pay.

[adamd164]

Leon McSweeney won't be joining Derry anyway, he's gone to Northampton til the end of the English season.

[oriel]

Keith Ward expected to re-sign for Dundalk today.

Making it just the 8 MF's to pick from for 2014.

[desaintsno.12]

Keith Ward expected to re-sign for Dundalk today.

Making it just the 8 MF's to pick from for 2014.

ourselves and yourselves seem to be stockpiling midfielders

[Pablo Escobar]

Cork City have signed Mark O'Sullivan from Avondale.

[pateen]

Cork City have signed Mark O'Sullivan from Avondale.

Where does he play Pabs?

[Pablo Escobar]

Where does he play Pabs?

Centre mid/right side AFAIK. I haven't seen him play, but apparently he has been playing below his level.

[Nailor]

David Elebert (ex Shamrock Rovers), Francis McCaffery (ex Dundalk), Shane OConnor (Porterdown) and Lee Toland (ex finn harps) all on trial with Derry. Any Rovers, Harps or Dundalk fans got views on these guys?

David Elebert is a very good player, but a tad injury prone, Clever Trevor never gave him enough of a run in the team last year, but I thought he was decent.

If yous sign him and can keep him fit, he'll be a good signing.

[Southsider]

Centre mid/right side AFAIK. I haven't seen him play, but apparently he has been playing below his level.

Played a few games as a CM but 95% as a Striker. Without doubt the best Amateur player in the country the last few years. If he gets in the team which I reckon he might he'll score goals.

[Pablo Escobar]

Played a few games as a CM but 95% as a Striker. Without doubt the best Amateur player in the country the last few years. If he gets in the team which I reckon he might he'll score goals.

We have a good bit of fire power up front. My hope would be that he is signing as a right winger and back-up midfielder / back-up striker.

[Dodge]

David Elebert is a very good player, but a tad injury prone, Clever Trevor never gave him enough of a run in the team last year, but I thought he was decent.

If yous sign him and can keep him fit, he'll be a good signing.

He looked like Rovers worst player any time I saw him play.

Which is saying something

[bluewhitearmy]

Played a few games as a CM but 95% as a Striker. Without doubt the best Amateur player in the country the last few years. If he gets in the team which I reckon he might he'll score goals.

You have seen em all?

[oriel]

ourselves and yourselves seem to be stockpiling midfielders

I think 8 MF's is a little excessive for LOI terms, mind you if this means the likes of Meenan, Mountney, Ward and possibly Shields or Higgins do not get a start, it obviously means we have vastly improved in this area if we start with Horgan, O'Donneel, Towell & Higgins or Shields.

Second half in the key game v Pats last season demonstrated the weak area Dundalk had, and our MF was shown up.

[marinobohs]

You have seen em all?

presumably for Southsider 'the country' equates to Cork :D

[redobit]

David Elebert is a very good player, but a tad injury prone, Clever Trevor never gave him enough of a run in the team last year, but I thought he was decent.

If yous sign him and can keep him fit, he'll be a good signing.

Ye think. He was poor anytime I seen him for Shamrock. A TV game he was so bad his own fans were booing him everytime he got the ball. (Shams showing their class)

[Charlie Darwin]

Never heard Elebert being booed by Rovers fans, sorry.

[placid casual]

quackser fortune would have made his fortune on this site, with the amount of horse$hit produced..

[Southsider]

You have seen em all?

Very clever my friend. I suppose you have never involved yourself in any discussion about maybe who's the best player in the world messi or Ronaldo. Yes that's right your haven't seen every player in the world so you couldn't claim to have an opinion.

[razor]

You have seen em all?
It's a fair enough comment.
Avondale have been by far the best Intermediate team in the country over the last few years and he's been their stand out player.

[Southsider]

presumably for Southsider 'the country' equates to Cork :D

Us culchies usually know the best players there always on our doorstep 😉

[nigel-harps1954]

Harps had former Schalke 04 player Graham Fisher playing against Westport United today in Galway. Played for Dundalk the other day. Canadian fella.

[Longfordian]

Corie Treacy and Daniel Purdy who were with us last year are apparently playing with Shamrock Rovers B this year. They seem to be signing a few established LOI players for their B team if reports are to be believed. Not quite sure why. Purdy has talent and could be worth a gamble for the future but Treacy won't be good enough to play in their first team from what I saw of him.

[SwanVsDalton]

Derry have signed (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26019766) former Oldham centre-half Cliff Byrne.

[Aaron]

Hoping to tie up Tim Clancy this week. Also after Aaron Barry (Sheff Utd defender) and Lecsinel Jean-Francois (Former Sheff Utd defender) and also 1 other player

[White Horse]

Derry have signed (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26019766) former Oldham centre-half Cliff Byrne.

Good player.

Is he properly over that back injury that kept him out for over a year? Awful run of injuries.

[SkStu]

Corie Treacy and Daniel Purdy who were with us last year are apparently playing with Shamrock Rovers B this year. They seem to be signing a few established LOI players for their B team if reports are to be believed. Not quite sure why. Purdy has talent and could be worth a gamble for the future but Treacy won't be good enough to play in their first team from what I saw of him.

Because they're arrogant fools who won't be happy unless they win both leagues and/or go bust again but this time two teams.

Boccer Bayly FFS.

[Charlie Darwin]

Because they're arrogant fools who won't be happy unless they win both leagues and/or go bust again but this time two teams.

Boccer Bayly FFS.
Ah here. Nothing about Rovers the past few years has even suggested we're heading down the bust road again. That is completely and utterly unfair and can only be based on caricature. You're better than that, Stu.

[SkStu]

There's nothing to suggest from the last few months that Rovers have really learnt any lessons from their past if they are signing established or journeyman premier league players for their first division B Team, a team that cannot be promoted. It really does smack of Rovers arrogance. I know it'll likely be shouted down as Bohs bias, jealousy, whatever but this policy is worthy of debate/discussion. If nothing else, it's not taking full advantage of the benefits of a second team as a development team.

If I'm off the mark, I'm sorry and I'm sure I'll be set straight.

[Charlie Darwin]

Remind me which established players have signed for Shamrock Rovers B, Stu? None? OK, thanks.

[Dodge]

It shows how funny the Bayly signing is that some think its for the B team.

It isn't...

[Dalymountrower]

It shows how funny the Bayly signing is that some think its for the B team.

It isn't...

The Rovers fans I know told Roche and Co that the signing of Boccer was the last straw but were told he had been signed for the B team to protect the err young starlets that are going to form part of the glittering firmament that will be their First Division team. Presumably that on the basis of his alleged novel use of a tennis racquet and motorbike helmet (allegedly) rather than his playing experience?

[Dodge]

All I know is that about 20 lads are doing pre-season with Rovers and Bayly's one of them. He might well play more in the first than the prem but he's been told he's a first team squad member

Or at least that was the plan until your mates approached the chairman :)

[sadloserkid]

Treacy won't be good enough to play in their first team from what I saw of him.

One less than glorious stint with Rovers' first team already under his belt hasn't he?

[Longfordian]

Sean Russell has signed for Town from UCD tonight according to himself on Twitter.

[SkStu]

Remind me which established players have signed for Shamrock Rovers B, Stu? None? OK, thanks.

Not much of a rebuttal. We'll see more at the end of the season, I suppose.

[Roo69]

Corie Treacy and Daniel Purdy who were with us last year are apparently playing with Shamrock Rovers B this year. They seem to be signing a few established LOI players for their B team if reports are to be believed. Not quite sure why. Purdy has talent and could be worth a gamble for the future but Treacy won't be good enough to play in their first team from what I saw of him.

As far as i know Treacy signed for local LSL Bray side Shamrock Boys and has been playing with them the last 4/5 weeks.

Was Purdy your left winger against us in the play off?

[Longfordian]

Yeah he scored our two goals in the second leg. It was Willie Tyrell who said in an interview the other day that Treacy was with Rovers B, maybe he was training with them earlier in the off season or something.

[ATFC-1887]

Emeka Onwubike training with Athlone. Was with us back in 2009 and was absolute quality every time he played. He fell out with Brendan Place and was released then. Went to Celta Vigo B then went to the lower leagues in England for a couple of years. Scored in our 5-1 win over Drogheda Town last sunday.

[outspoken]

Emeka Onwubike training with Athlone. Was with us back in 2009 and was absolute quality every time he played. He fell out with Brendan Place and was released then. Went to Celta Vigo B then went to the lower leagues in England for a couple of years. Scored in our 5-1 win over Drogheda Town last sunday.

Brendan place 🙈

[ATFC-1887]

Top man haha

[Dodge]

This is the Rovers B team that played last night;

Starting XI
Michael Kelly
Liam Traynor
Sean Heaney
Michael Kelly
Corie Treacy
Ryan Doolin
Ryan Coombes
Gabriel Mancine
Kevin Knight
Chris Lyons
Emera Onnubiko

Bench:
Muhanned Bukhatwa
Conor Dunne
Thomas Tiernan
Jack Watson
Cian Kavanagh
Ross Kearney
Azeez Yusuff

[GitYerKorna]

Maybe he's cousins with the manager :cool:

[OldNassau]

Emeka Onwubike training with Athlone. Was with us back in 2009 and was absolute quality every time he played. He fell out with Brendan Place and was released then. Went to Celta Vigo B then went to the lower leagues in England for a couple of years. Scored in our 5-1 win over Drogheda Town last sunday.
A step backward here for Athlone. Emeka was an average player, got a few goals early on then he dried up. Never tracked back and will struggle against more accomplished full backs in the premier division.

[ATFC-1887]

In his time with us he was not average. He was by far our best player. Not saying he will do anything in the premier, because i dont know. He played with Rovers B last night anyways so will prob sign for them

[Acornvilla]

I seen him play probably only once maybe twice at most but he looked a hell of a player (for 1st division level.) If he has a good attitude and works hard he should do a job for them.

[outspoken]

Whats the general consensus on that rovers b team? Could it be strong enough to challenge?

[Dodge]

Whats the general consensus on that rovers b team? Could it be strong enough to challenge?

I'd imagine only a handful have seen the Rovers 19s and they seem to make the bulk of the squad. Very hard for most to say

[Charlie Darwin]

The U19s are nowhere near good enough to challenge for anything in men's football. They might beat the senior team though. With a couple of good older players and a decent coach, they could do something like Mervue did and play well above themselves, but it's very unlikely.

[CrowdedHouse]

Well let's hope Rovers B are equally good or bad against everyone or there will be some whingeing going on - still that could be a bit of craic too