Stephen Kenny extends contract to 2018

[Ezeikial]

Stephen Kenny signing an extension to his contract means that Dundalk are likely to remain the benchmark team for the next 3 seasons

Typical of Kenny, in the dundalkfc.com interview he praises everyone else for the success achieved to date



http://www.dundalkfc.com/kenny-extends-contract-2/

[bluewhitearmy]

Still bitter to this day that we turned Kenny down for Stuart Taylor and we were in a better position at the time than Dundalk for him to take over too.

[Charlie Darwin]

Still bitter to this day that we turned Kenny down for Stuart Taylor and we were in a better position at the time than Dundalk for him to take over too.
At least your fans still found a way to get cheer his team on.

[wonder88]

His record is very good. Shamrock R made a bit mistake in sacking him(in my opinion) also.

[disgruntled]

Good bit of business by Dundalk.
He has brought great success to the club.

[Mr A]

Stephen Kenny signing an extension to his contract means that Dundalk are likely to remain the benchmark team for the next 3 seasons

http://www.dundalkfc.com/kenny-extends-contract-2/

Yep, not like the wheels ever came off at a club while Kenny was in charge :)

[disgruntled]

What happens when the money runs out ?

[White Horse]

What happens when the money runs out ?

The money comes from gate receipts, merchandise, and local sponsorship. If you saw the hundreds of kids attending the Easter camp and the number of Dundalk jackets and shirts on people of all ages when walking around town, you'd realise that this is not a club whose finances are built on sand. The club is embedded in the community and has become the key component of self identity in the town and region.

The challenge will still be there when our period of success comes to an end. However, given the diversity of the revenue streams and the enduring support for the club in the town, it will not be like falling off a cliff.

[Nesta99]

Everyone locally wants a slice of the pie currently when times are good but it is when in the doldrums that such support is especially needed. I dont think it will happen but I disagree with the not falling off a cliff as a championship winning side gets more expensive year on year eating in to the spoils of success so a few years on the fringes and that financial burden bites. Shamrock Rovers is an example from the info in another thread where a legacy of winning back to back titles and group stages of European competition is now a hole on the balance sheet. Dont mean to be negative but realistically football runs in cycles as we know and one day we could very well be having last ditch fundraising unless the lads currently over the club really are breaking the LoI mold. I do like the '3 times is a charm' Fyffes billboards round town!

[El-Pietro]

Everyone locally wants a slice of the pie currently when times are good but it is when in the doldrums that such support is especially needed. I dont think it will happen but I disagree with the not falling off a cliff as a championship winning side gets more expensive year on year eating in to the spoils of success so a few years on the fringes and that financial burden bites. Shamrock Rovers is an example from the info in another thread where a legacy of winning back to back titles and group stages of European competition is now a hole on the balance sheet. Dont mean to be negative but realistically football runs in cycles as we know and one day we could very well be having last ditch fundraising unless the lads currently over the club really are breaking the LoI mold. I do like the '3 times is a charm' Fyffes billboards round town!
I thought they said 3rd times a charm and they were talking about how City are going to lift the title this year.

[Ezeikial]

What happens when the money runs out ?

It's worth noting that there was hardly huge amounts of money available when Kenny first arrived.

He built a team on a modest budget that finished 2nd in his first season. Of course many of his signings since then (like Finn, Rogers, Horgan, McEleney) have hardly been from the bargain basement, and the wage bill has expanded significantly on the back of the success achieved. The financial returns from being successful (especially Champions League qualification) have pushed the club into successive profits.

This glory period will end (and money will get tighter as a result)- but I doubt that will happen in the immediate future

[mcgonigle]

What happens when the money runs out ?

It won't, we're spending 1k every week on the euromillions

[total hoofball]

Title wins for Shels, Drogheda, Bohs, Sligo in recent years were swiftly followed by near winding up orders, examinerships and the proverbial begging bowls. When the wheels fall of title winning sides recent history tells us if happens very quickly and spectacularly.

Dundalk are no different, they are now paying the best wages in the league to keep this title winning side together, it doesn't take much to kick off a severe decline. The club shown how vulnerable they can be as recently as 2012 when they got things wrong on the field.

[Ezeikial]

Title wins for Shels, Drogheda, Bohs, Sligo in recent years were swiftly followed by near winding up orders, examinerships and the proverbial begging bowls.

I am not sure about the inclusion of Sligo in that list, but Shels, Drogheda and Bohs were all clearly spending well beyond their means.

This is not the case with the current Dundalk club.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

I'm a Shamrock Rovers fan but I really hope that everyone is wrong about Dundalk overspending and having financial problems when they stop wining as despite some of their fans being really annoying on social media I have a bit of a soft spot for Dundalk for a few reasons but even if I didn't I wouldn't want any club, even Bohs, to have money trouble in the league. We've enough problems in the LOI without wishing any on other teams and what does it tell potential fans if a team can go from world beaters to buckets outside the ground within a few years?

[patrickccfc]

I am not sure about the inclusion of Sligo in that list

Never mind that, he completely forgot about us :cool:

[placid casual]

as long as Fyffes continue to subsidise the wages of Dundalk, the longer they can attract the best players in ireland, and the longer their success will continue.
I dont see Kenny taking a job overseas anytime soon so he will want to secure his LOI legacy with dundalk

[Nesta99]

as long as Fyffes continue to subsidise the wages of Dundalk,

Crude way of defining sponsorship! Is Pepper only lending money to Rovers or are they subsidising players wages too? Mind you if Dundalk players are on the Fyffes payroll rather than Dundalk's great stuff.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't know the insides of Fyffes sponsorship of Dundalk, but I have heard from Dundalk people that they were paying or subsidising Towell's wage (but you know how much nonsense fans spout in this league, especially when they're trying to prove their team has the tiniest budget). I do know Fyffes have taken an active role in promoting their sponsorship of Dundalk, whereas Pepper is pretty much just the logo on the jersey.

[Dodge]

Pepper now has a far bigger say in Rovers than any other sponsor has in the league

[White Horse]

I don't buy into the idea that Fyffes are paying player's wages. From my knowledge of the people working in Fyffes, they are very pragmatic business people who view Dundalk FC as a good marketing vehicle.

I don't expect them to be paying over the odds for sponsorship.

[placid casual]

My point is, as long as there is financial backing, that does not rely on gate receipts and marketing goods sold, the better players can be attracted and success can follow.
Reading between the lines of a few Dundalk poster's about this subject,on this thread alone, suggests a tiny bit of naivety about how they think their club won't fall into the trap of the bohs/ shels examples mentioned.

[White Horse]

Dundalk fans don't really know how dependent the budget is on sponsorship. Personally, I doubt there is any dependence.

Sponsorship was vital when the team was starting to look as if it could be successful. After finishing second in 2013, financing was required to hold on to players like Towell, Hoban, etc who caught the eye that year. In addition, we bought Daryl Horgan at the end of that season. That is where financing from sponsors may have been critical.

However, once success arrived, income went through the roof. Ticket prices were increased by 30%, season tickets rose well above 1,000, and average attendances shot up above 3,000. This is not including European money, which is considerable.

The Bohs/Shels example are not comparable, as their running costs were funded by debt even in the midst of their success.

At the moment, the impasse over the Oriel Park lease ensures that expenditure is well behind income streams. The challenge will come when/(if) that impasse ends and the club starts to invest in Oriel Park and also pay a considerable wage bill. If that coincides with the end of the cycle of success, there could be problems.

I take your point about complacency. Every LOI club is just a few months (if that) away from financial problems.

[Titan]

Success on the pitch should equal success off it.

Success off the pitch does not necessarily equal success on it.

If Dundalk become also rans (or worse) over the next 3 years or so then the attendances will drop. If the attendances drop so will the sponsorship and merchandise sales.

If Dundalk (or any club) were to rely solely on winning leagues to survive then they wouldnt last very long.

The key to survival is attendances. If Dundalk can keep the public interested then the rest (merchandise sales and sponsorship etc) will follow.

If they cant then theyre buggered.

[oriel]

as long as Fyffes continue to subsidise the wages of Dundalk, the longer they can attract the best players in ireland, and the longer their success will continue.
I dont see Kenny taking a job overseas anytime soon so he will want to secure his LOI legacy with dundalk

Just on the point re Fyffes, they are an excellent sponsor and work very closely with the club on a lot of things. I think the only time they got involved in any player direct support was to partly assist in Towell's wages during winter 2013 and 2014, as he was probably the only one on a 52 week deal.

I think they did increase their overall sponsorship package last year, so they appear to be very happy with the arrangement.

On attendances, this is a key part of any clubs success and if Dundalk can manage to maintain their average over 3k they will have a good chance of extending the current sucessfull period. The ground and its limited facilities will remain one of the biggest challenges.

[Nesta99]

My point is, as long as there is financial backing, that does not rely on gate receipts and marketing goods sold, the better players can be attracted and success can follow.
Reading between the lines of a few Dundalk poster's about this subject,on this thread alone, suggests a tiny bit of naivety about how they think their club won't fall into the trap of the bohs/ shels examples mentioned.

It is splitting hairs I know but Fyffes may have increased sponsorship by enough to cover a 52 week contract. Towell wasnt an 'employee' of Fyffes therefore not paid for by Fyffes. That is not to say that money received by Fyffes wasnt directed to or for the purpose of keeping hold of a team assest like Towell. It has happened before that a supporter provided the means for the club to hold on to a player under Foster ( McKinley or McGinley?) then Foster left him sitting in the stand.

I would never say never that Dundalk FC could be keeping the wolves from the door again at some time. When a club is riding the crest of a wave income from attendances, sponsorship etc goes up but fundraisers like the Lotto, draws, dinner dances etc are let slide and that is the difference for when the dip in fortunes occur. Ironically it is also a lost opportunity to maximise these fundraisers when there is goodwill toward the club - make hay when the sun shines as they say. Would also lessen the financial burden of ground improvement when they happen and lessen the impact on the playing side of things.

[Nesta99]

Pepper now has a far bigger say in Rovers than any other sponsor has in the league

Saying something considering Des Kelly and Mr Kelleher sponsorships.

[TonyD]

Saying something considering Des Kelly and Mr Kelleher sponsorships.

Kelleher is the owner, not a sponsor. Big difference.

[Nesta99]

:) I was fishing a bit really, but i'm sure like our own current owners he'd have some company advertisement board or program ad in Richmond, even as a tax break. But I wasnt being serious. I did in the past initially assume that Clune was part of Kelleher's construction group due to Chicago connections with both.

[marinobohs]

Saying something considering Des Kelly and Mr Kelleher sponsorships.

who does Des Kelly sponsor ? :confused: