The 'Kenny Shiels is quite the interesting character' thread.

[Ezeikial]

Think Stephen Kenny would be mad to leave dundalk. He has a job for life there and has proven successful. I feel if he went anywhere else he would die on his ar$e, to be honest.
I heard talk of him for the Ireland job- I think the championship/lower division dog$hit players we currently have wearing the green shirt would laugh his methods out the door- it would say as much about them as him, in my view.

I can assure one and all that Rovers fans do not pine for the one that got away in Kenny, but the last proper manager we had (MON) and how he's continued his success with norn iron.

The quality of wumming on this site is fickle.

[TonyD]

I think Kenny Sheils is walking a plank at Derry. The chairman calling him out on recruitment recently was bizarre and I think some of the statements he has made of late have been in a self justifying and defensive nature. I will be surprised if he is still there next season........st pats ?

Huh ? What thought process led you there ? Can't see why we would be interested in Kenny Shields.

[Nesta99]

Think Stephen Kenny would be mad to leave dundalk. He has a job for life there and has proven successful. I feel if he went anywhere else he would die on his ar$e, to be honest.
I heard talk of him for the Ireland job- I think the championship/lower division dog$hit players we currently have wearing the green shirt would laugh his methods out the door- it would say as much about them as him, in my view.

I can assure one and all that Rovers fans do not pine for the one that got away in Kenny, but the last proper manager we had (MON) and how he's continued his success with norn iron.

Wasnt that one of the issues with Kenny's time at Rovers? Not intending to be smart, its a genuine question! I just recall the talk on here and other fora at the time that the core of MO'Ns players being resistant to changes SK wanted to make, system used, general tactics, match prep, longer training and 2 sessions on Saturdays added and so on. Now every time this is mentioned the reply has been a sort of deflection in commenting on poor player recruitment (which is a valid issue) rather than answering the actual question raised. The way SK is and the level of detail he delves in to for preparing his teams, the expectation he has for players to buy in to his ways, it was always going to take considerable time. Maybe he was changing too much too quickly for reigning champions, he was on a hiding to nothing with being in the shadow if the previous manager, If he wanted his own players he was moving on club legends, if club legends were not doing what he wanted he was dropping them which wasnt popular added to not getting results with those players that are not being fully committed to the new ways. The bord seemed to back player power than the manager and no doubt the board were keeping fans favourites sweet and by extendion those fans. This all had longer term ramifications in the firing and hiring of the next 3 or 4 managers - Croly got a very long time after Kenny was fired quickly, they also should not have let Fenlon have the time he got. The club seems committed to Bradley as they dont want to be a high managerial turnover club

I really dont care about SK's time in Tallaght, and I have no desire to try and get Rovers fans to say what could have been ie admitting to a jealusy of sorts as much as regretting his early removal. I really am just interested on know how much of the difficulty the team was going through was down to mismanagement, and how much was down to certain cliques withing the playing squad not allowing change or allow Kenny the chance to coach his way. I will mention it again in hope for clarification - was SK locked out of the dressingroom by players? He lost the dressingroom maybe but hard to lose if you never had it in the first place?

No matter what the issues were they benefitted Dundalk - we wouldnt have been able to afford his wages only that as he was still being paid (off) by Rovers he was willing to considder a lower offer from Dundalk, basically the balance that took his wages to the level before sacking (after he'd agreed a reduced payoff so as to release him to take the Dundalk job. In his first year at Dundalk rovers pay(off) subsidised Dundalk's terms.

[sbgawa]

Kenny was unsuccessful at rovers like at other clubs he left, he has done well for dundalk , might or might no t be successful in the future. The reason he was fired at rovers was the same as at dunfirmiline the club didn't think he was the right man just like some of the other clubs he left. I don't know about the lock out, I think it's an urban legend. I'd say the players and Kenny were both responsible, rarely one side right or wrong.

[sbgawa]

Huh ? What thought process led you there ? Can't see why we would be interested in Kenny Shields.

He is a bit of an enigma. I think he is a decent manager he just comes across very poorly sometimes.

[marinobohs]

Of course winning trophies is preferable, if you read what I said all I said was when it comes to players being developed at clubs I prefer to see the kid who's supported the club and been in the youth team for years come good than the journey man go from 3rd choice at a similar level club to a world beater.

It's not the "current nirvana" for some it's just something that every club that wants to progress and be sustainable needs think Busby babes, 60's Celtic, 70's Ajax, class of 92, Barcelona's circa 2011 teams and it's where Irish clubs have failed in the past so yes fans who can see their club trying to do something exciting that other clubs haven't tried in Ireland before get some pleasure from it.

It also differs hugely from the schoolboy factories in that players are being developed for the first team and not explicitly to be sold on. They are though like any other player in that if a "too good to turn down" offer comes in they'll be sold. The sale of Bazunu is no different to that of Burke, both were bought in to play for the first team not to make a quick buck.

Yes he is a better manager but that's not what was said, it was about youth development and you've confused that with management in general and development of non youth players.

Shams hoovering up of any decent schoolboy players is similar to Bray of a few years back - all of the players they “developed” were outstanding at other schoolboy clubs before going to shams.
A “too good to refuse offer’ can be anything - especially as the performance indicator appears to be players sold (Burke and Bazunu the ones regularly quoted).
Outbidding other schoolboy clubs is neither new or innovative but does cover up a lack of progress at senior level.

[sbgawa]

Lol you have us sussed.
It was never a penalty btw :)

[Nesta99]

Kenny was unsuccessful at rovers like at other clubs he left, he has done well for dundalk , might or might no t be successful in the future. The reason he was fired at rovers was the same as at dunfirmiline the club didn't think he was the right man just like some of the other clubs he left. I don't know about the lock out, I think it's an urban legend. I'd say the players and Kenny were both responsible, rarely one side right or wrong.

Left eventually after becoming the coach they didnt think was right but not really like what happened at rovers;
Longford, promoted for the first time ever, got to a cup final and qualified for Europe. There 3 years but headgunted by
Bohs-Fai Cup final and steared them away from relegartion yr 1. Yr 2 League title and runners up yr3. Sacked while in 3rd place 3 months in to year 4.
2004 took Derry from relegartion fodder to title runners up. Beat Gothenburg, Gretna, and drew 1 leg with PSG. Legue runner up on GD and Cup winners, 2 league cups
2006 took Dunfermline to a SFA Cup Final and from 10 points adrift to witin a result of safety. Scottish Challange cup success after relegation but was eventually sacked.
Promotion at first time of asking back with Derry.
Rovers.....
Dundalk, 4 leagues 1double, 2 EA Sports Cups, Grouple stages of Europa League.

So Rovers is the only disaster. Ye cant really say he was the wrong man in the jobs even at Dunfermline. His second year didnt go well but not a total disaster and he could have turned it around. He say himself that he was young and made mistakes in Scotland

[Nesta99]

Shams hoovering up of any decent schoolboy players is similar to Bray of a few years back - all of the players they “developed” were outstanding at other schoolboy clubs before going to shams.
A “too good to refuse offer’ can be anything - especially as the performance indicator appears to be players sold (Burke and Bazunu the ones regularly quoted).
Outbidding other schoolboy clubs is neither new or innovative but does cover up a lack of progress at senior level.

Usually involves kitchen sinks be thrown at the player. Rovers have a few to offer now with farming out youths abroad ;p

[sbgawa]

That's one version of history and not entirely inaccurate. But he was fired from dunfirmiline because they lost faith same at rovers and I'd say elsewhere but nobody is saying (Well no one sensible) that has not a good manager just success is transitory, illusive and entirely unpredictable. He's a success at dundalk he may move and be a disaster in his next job...or a success. Who knows.

[sbgawa]

Usually involves kitchen sinks be thrown at the player. Rovers have a few to offer now with farming out youths abroad ;p

Lol another one at it. Schoolboy clubs farm kids out. Rovers sell one professional player to Manchester city and the player gets a decent contract to match unlike the 150quid a week at Stevenage and the likes that Kevin's and joeys are happy with. Credit where it's due boys rovers have invested more than any other club in their academy, have a bit of perspective.

I can acknowledge Kenny is a good msnager and bohs serve good craft beer. Everything about rovers isnt negative.

[oriel]

Stephen Kenny could win the league for Dundalk in 2019 and 2020 to make it 6 titles in his 8 years at DFC and Rovers fans will still never admit it would be a case of 'what could have been' so this is a pointless discussion to continue. Pat Fenlon won multiple LOI titles but he also didn't win anything at Rovers, I wouldn't be looking at the managers in these cases, I'd be looking at the club.

It's obvious Rovers fans don't have much time for Kenny, and that's fine, but I think it's wrong not to acknowledge his achievements at other clubs and currently. I'll balance this by saying I always think Caulfield could play better football at Cork, and that's just my opinion, but this guy is no mug, he's won 1 league and 2 cups, so he has to be considered a decent manager especially where he took Cork from (mid table) and where he came from (non league).

[Ezeikial]

Credit where it's due boys rovers have invested more than any other club in their academy, have a bit of perspective.

I can acknowledge Kenny is a good msnager and bohs serve good craft beer. Everything about rovers isnt negative.

Rovers do deserve credit for the extent of the academy investment. The sale of Bazunu is a good start on a possible return on that investment, but the jury is still out.

[sbgawa]

I genuinely don't see your issue if he had stayed on at dunfirmiline instead of being fired maybe they would have won a load of stuff, if he'd stayed at rovers instead of being fired maybe rovers would have won loads , no one will ever know. If he'd stayed at Derry maybe they would be top of the league. One thing has no 'relation to the other. Because Kenny has won 4 in 5 some people think he is infallible.

He is an excellent manager on a remarkable run.....Why are u so worried about the club's he was fired from?

[sbgawa]

Actually maybe better then focussing on the club's he was fired from the point that success at dunfirmiline or rovers would not neccessarily have come with multiple league titles if he hadnt been fired is better illustrated by saying how come he didn't win multiple league titles at the other clubs , Derry etc? Again ....for the sensitive dundalk supporters that doesn't mean I don't think he is not az very good manager it is just that nobody guarantees success.
Btw I personally don't have anything against him or Fenlon or crolly, I'm sure everyone of them tried there best which is asll u can ask

[sbgawa]

Rovers do deserve credit for the extent of the academy investment. The sale of Bazunu is a good start on a possible return on that investment, but the jury is still out.

Agreed ez. the jury is still out, the older membership who elect the board are behind the investment but some of the younger fans would rather see all the money go into the first team. As an older fan myself I can see the value in trying to invest in kids but for some people even a few years without a trophy seems like a lifetime

[Calcio Jack]

Agreed ez. the jury is still out, the older membership who elect the board are behind the investment but some of the younger fans would rather see all the money go into the first team. As an older fan myself I can see the value in trying to invest in kids but for some people even a few years without a trophy seems like a lifetime

Disagree- lots of older Members are underwhelmed not by the investment in the youth set up, but by the balls ups made by the Board since 2011, then they had everything in place and managed to blow it - the current strategy will most likely work , just a pity they screwed up the golden opportunity they had in 2011 and set us back for a few years , but as ever the natural state will return as it always has over the last 100 years

[sbgawa]

If the majority of members were unhappy the entire board wouldn't have been re-elected a couple of weeks ago. But your right natural order will be restored sooner rather than later I hope :)

[Calcio Jack]

If the majority of members were unhappy the entire board wouldn't have been re-elected a couple of weeks ago. But your right natural order will be restored sooner rather than later I hope :)

Note the use of the word lots not majority- plus many of those not in agreement with the board are amongst the approx 100 Members who have cancelled their membership over the last few years.

[Kingswood Rover]

How many members are there now?

[Nesta99]

I dont think people want to get Rovers fans to acknowledge Kenny's achievements one way or another or do the what might have been stuff. Its just the way things happened in general seemed odd. It was a very quick dismissal by any standards and contrasts dramatically with the length of time others got with similar records at the point Kenny was sacked. Player power is the general consensus for pulling the trigger quickly. The Bohs defeat was the final straw but the Bradley has lost 3 derbys this season, has made poor calls like on the keeper situation and hasnt significantly progressed on last season. There was something messy going on at the time between players and management and the board sided with the players obviously. Rovers have pretty much stagnated since. Now Kenny may have continued to have had a poor time but usually managers in LoI get a season unless in freefall to relegation. The ability of a manager like Stephen Kenny would have most clubs give a chance to turn things around but he wasnt. When you consider that there were reports in the media at the time of lockouts, players not training, refusing to commit to the strength and consitioning, dietry programmes, additional training sessions etc. The attitude seemed to be we've just won back to back titles doing it this way and we are not changing. O'Donnell has alluded to certain players at the time thinking they were complete footballers and knew it all so didnt graft it. It no coincidence I think that O'Donnell was practically Kenny's first signing. I dont mean any of this as criticism or anything, its trying to tease out why a manager of top pedigree didnt even get a season and it often takes that long for a team ethos to change. It was a bit of a rebuild that was happening and needed but that was obstructed imo. Rovers have been under par ever since. When you ten see what was achieved after at Dundalk with the calibre of team put together months later that nearly won the league at first attempt and kicked on spectacularly. If there had been years or other jobs in between there is no questions to be considered on what happened. Between sacking in September and the new job January the basis of a team was built that has pretty much dominated since and it has to be considered that the same template was being worked from at both clubs.

[sbgawa]

I've no idea why he was sacked at rovers or dunfirmiline or anywhere else. The idea that there is a template is ridiculous. Brian clough won a league 2 European cups and two league cups in 3 or 4 years at forest and won nothing much for the next 13 or 14 years. Liverpool won the league pretty much at will through the late 70s and eightys and haven't won a league in heading for 30 years , rovers won six cups in a row and haven't won one in 30 years Managers / clubs have hot spots it doesn't make them geniuses it's just what happens before things change again. I reckon as I said earlier that the truth of his sacking at rovers was fault on both sides, maybe he learned from it and took a different approach at dundalk. He is heading for 20 years in management so I'd say it's all part of a learn ijng process

[Nesta99]

What I meant by template is that there was such a short amount of time between being at the 2 clubs similar transfer targets could have been in mind. The need to have players that would have done what was required of them with Graham Byrne etc. Having an idea of player that will compliment each other as a team rather than a bunch of galacticos for example. I know that football is cyclical and what works for a manager at one club may not be replicated at another. But in this instance it wouldnt be surprising that plans that were in progress at Rovers when the job came to an abrupt premature end that those same plans, give or take, were subsequently implemented in Dundalk a few short mmonths later. If there was a lesson learned that has been taken in to the Dundalk job it is possibly how fussy Kenny is on the character of a player as much as their ability.

[sbgawa]

Nah couldn't accept that virtual full team under contract and the people he did bring in were poor.

I don't know why it's so important to you to portray his failure at rovers or dunfirmiline as aberrations which if they hadn't happened would have led to dunfirmiline winning tyhe spl and rovers winning six in a row all managers fail at some point. He's on a good run at dundalk enjoy it while it lasts. If he wins nothing for a year or so at dfc you'll have people calling for his head (If he even stays that long) at the moment he is the messiah but so was Brian clough or any manager who has a successful spell

[Nesta99]

I think he was harshly treated both those times but eah to their own. Dunfurnline didnt kick on after and neither did Rovers. In general I dont like a player power play that forces the hand of a board. Bruce at Villa is a current example of a manaer being pushed after only 2 losses in 10 or so and after being in a play-off - delusions of granduer by fans on this occasion.

[sbgawa]

Maybe your right and he was harshly treated and maybe every other club should have kept him on as well and achieved greatness or maybe he is mortal and has found a place that works for him for now.
I'm inclined to think he is a good manager on a roll rather than the messiah who will deliver automatic success year after year if only the board / club will refrain from sacking him or allowing him leave without making him an offer he can't refuse

[marinobohs]

Lol you have us sussed.
It was never a penalty btw :)

still narked by the Drogheda debacle or all of Bradser's 'cup finals' :cool:

[marinobohs]

Lol another one at it. Schoolboy clubs farm kids out. Rovers sell one professional player to Manchester city and the player gets a decent contract to match unlike the 150quid a week at Stevenage and the likes that Kevin's and joeys are happy with. Credit where it's due boys rovers have invested more than any other club in their academy, have a bit of perspective.

I can acknowledge Kenny is a good msnager and bohs serve good craft beer. Everything about rovers isnt negative.

very true, Rovers left Dublin city ;)

[sbgawa]

still narked by the Drogheda debacle or all of Bradser's 'cup finals' :cool:


After 30+ years waiting if I let losing a cup match upset me I'd be permanently depressed.

[Nesta99]

Maybe your right and he was harshly treated and maybe every other club should have kept him on as well and achieved greatness or maybe he is mortal and has found a place that works for him for now.
I'm inclined to think he is a good manager on a roll rather than the messiah who will deliver automatic success year after year if only the board / club will refrain from sacking him or allowing him leave without making him an offer he can't refuse

Now you are just talking out of your aras!!

[placid casual]

still narked by the Drogheda debacle or all of Bradser's 'cup finals' :cool:

Those were all marked null and void when the bozo defender lumped your man in the air with a minute to go, thus guaranteeing Rovers the best part of €400k and a nice trip to Europe next year.
Still, enjoy the Rab C Nesbitt cup and all that it brings you. Quite apt really, when you think of it. Och aye the noo!

[marinobohs]

Those were all marked null and void when the bozo defender lumped your man in the air with a minute to go, thus guaranteeing Rovers the best part of €400k and a nice trip to Europe next year.
Still, enjoy the Rab C Nesbitt cup and all that it brings you. Quite apt really, when you think of it. Och aye the noo!

400k ? Might cover your recent losses so, or will you have to sell the other half of your 'members owned club' ;)

[vinnie]

We could all take lessons from Bohs on how to sell three halves of things in fairness

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Shams hoovering up of any decent schoolboy players is similar to Bray of a few years back - all of the players they “developed” were outstanding at other schoolboy clubs before going to shams.
A “too good to refuse offer’ can be anything - especially as the performance indicator appears to be players sold (Burke and Bazunu the ones regularly quoted).
Outbidding other schoolboy clubs is neither new or innovative but does cover up a lack of progress at senior level.

First off Bazunu has been at the club pretty much since he started playing football so wasn't "outstanding at other schoolboy clubs" before he joined Rovers, also he started as a midfielder and moved in goals while at Rovers so you're talking out your arse there.

Secondly the fact players were at other clubs before Rovers doesn't mean Rovers didn't develop them. Development doesn't work as a onece off event its a continuous process. You could take all the best schoolboy players and put them in a team and not develop them and they'd do great for a few years then be surpassed by others, that's not what Rovers are doing.

Thirdly a too good to refuse offer by definition has to have players sold as the performance indicators as that's literally the definition of the term, if they weren't sold the offer wouldn't have been too good to refuse now would it.

Finally out bidding nothing new or innovative but having a clear pathway to professional football with full-time coaches, top class facilities and allowing education and professional football at youth level, yes that is something that's new in Ireland and everyone associated with the league with a bit of sense will say as such.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

What I meant by template is that there was such a short amount of time between being at the 2 clubs similar transfer targets could have been in mind. The need to have players that would have done what was required of them with Graham Byrne etc. Having an idea of player that will compliment each other as a team rather than a bunch of galacticos for example. I know that football is cyclical and what works for a manager at one club may not be replicated at another. But in this instance it wouldnt be surprising that plans that were in progress at Rovers when the job came to an abrupt premature end that those same plans, give or take, were subsequently implemented in Dundalk a few short mmonths later. If there was a lesson learned that has been taken in to the Dundalk job it is possibly how fussy Kenny is on the character of a player as much as their ability.

I really don't buy that, if he had similar plans for rovers with regards to S&C why wasn't Byrne or someone similar hired then? It's not like he came in mid season and didn't get to set up his squad and staff how he wanted he had plenty of time to do that.
At the end of the day during Kenny's reign at Rovers recruitment was nothing short of a disgrace and the football was awful to watch (only time I've ever thought about giving a game a miss it was that bad) the blame for both of these things ultimately belongs at the feet of the manager and Kenny paid the price for that.

[PartySaint]

First off Bazunu has been at the club pretty much since he started playing football so wasn't "outstanding at other schoolboy clubs" before he joined Rovers, also he started as a midfielder and moved in goals while at Rovers so you're talking out your arse there.

.

Bazuna went to Rovers from Leicester Celtic

A Rathfarnham man like yourself should have known that ;-)

[Charlie Darwin]

Bazuna went to Rovers from Leicester Celtic

A Rathfarnham man like yourself should have known that ;-)
Guess who he joined Leicester Celtic from.

[PartySaint]

Guess who he joined Leicester Celtic from.

His under 8s Rovers team that split up

[marinobohs]

We could all take lessons from Bohs on how to sell three halves of things in fairness

Or pay off at 4% like shams (to be fair)

[marinobohs]

First off Bazunu has been at the club pretty much since he started playing football so wasn't "outstanding at other schoolboy clubs" before he joined Rovers, also he started as a midfielder and moved in goals while at Rovers so you're talking out your arse there.

Secondly the fact players were at other clubs before Rovers doesn't mean Rovers didn't develop them. Development doesn't work as a onece off event its a continuous process. You could take all the best schoolboy players and put them in a team and not develop them and they'd do great for a few years then be surpassed by others, that's not what Rovers are doing.

Thirdly a too good to refuse offer by definition has to have players sold as the performance indicators as that's literally the definition of the term, if they weren't sold the offer wouldn't have been too good to refuse now would it.

Finally out bidding nothing new or innovative but having a clear pathway to professional football with full-time coaches, top class facilities and allowing education and professional football at youth level, yes that is something that's new in Ireland and everyone associated with the league with a bit of sense will say as such.

Funny, according to his previous manager he played in goal - but like most keepers always wanted to play out field (often for last 10 minutes of matches). check your facts before calling out others (or just carry on talking out your arse).

For years / decades clubs (Home Farm, UCD etc. ) provided pathways for young players to develop to LOI and beyond, the difference was they don't talk through their ass about 'projects'. only the self grandiose hoops think sticking a title on it makes it new or innovative. Every club seeks to develop its own players irrespective of age or resale value. What else would they do ? surely even you can get that ?

[Nesta99]

What's new is the level of investment and the change of business model where the 1st team are funded by other club projects rather than the spoils of 1st team success driving/financing the rest of the clubs activities. Scholarships are not new; its the changes made by Ruud Dokkter with the additional national underage leagues thats easing the path for LoI clubs to properly and fully be involved in player development from early age that makes such projects viable, so timing is uncannily spot on by Rovers.

What Rovers are doing is laudable and sensible too but everything is rosier and sparkles brighter when its done by Rovers no matter what others do or have done before. A reinvented Rovers wheel would be much better than than those that ever went before dont you know!!!;)

[sbgawa]

Funny, according to his previous manager he played in goal - but like most keepers always wanted to play out field (often for last 10 minutes of matches). check your facts before calling out others (or just carry on talking out your arse).

For years / decades clubs (Home Farm, UCD etc. ) provided pathways for young players to develop to LOI and beyond, the difference was they don't talk through their ass about 'projects'. only the self grandiose hoops think sticking a title on it makes it new or innovative. Every club seeks to develop its own players irrespective of age or resale value. What else would they do ? surely even you can get that ?

Jeez you ha e it bad. Rovers have done a lot more than stick a name on it, you should pop over to roadstone to see the facilities and visit ashfield college while your at it.
St Kevin's have tied in to you boys at the point of a gun when the other teams wouldn't allow them play on their own, now st kevins/ bohs with alternating kits is your set up......and you are having a pop at us???
And the best st Kevin's kids are leaving to come to rovers anyway........

[Nesta99]

Jeez you ha e it bad. Rovers have done a lot more than stick a name on it, you should pop over to roadstone to see the facilities and visit ashfield college while your at it.
St Kevin's have tied in to you boys at the point of a gun when the other teams wouldn't allow them play on their own, now st kevins/ bohs with alternating kits is your set up......and you are having a pop at us???
And the best st Kevin's kids are leaving to come to rovers anyway........

Really? Thats sums up the possessive nature of people in Irish football in so many ways. St Kevins should be happy and willing to have progression to the elite level of football in this country for the benefit of their players. If individuals were making personal income at the likes of St Kevins from player sales you'd understand their protectionism. Other than that jersey colour etc shouldnt be such a big deal!

[sbgawa]

200% right but Kevin's business model is to throw 15 year old kids over to England on 150 euros a week knowing 90% of them will fail, but what the hell they sent x number of kids to England. 5 or 10k and they are happy and the English clubs are happy to pay 50k for 10 players and keep the 1 good guy. They fought tooth and nail to be allowed enter there own teams in the underage leagues , fair play to the fai in the end for making the right call.
Fully expect Kevin's to enter a team in the first division ditch bohs and for the cost of running 1 senior team of all amateurs to have their own gig.

[DCWA]

All well and good pointing at players who have come and gone, but the underage structure at Derry is about 90% Donegal players. And not even just Inishowen, but as far as Letterkenny, Ramelton and Ballybofey. I've seen and heard of players getting texts from people within Donegal Schoolboys, having a link with Derry City, who have been told not to sign for Finn Harps and go to Derry instead. They don't want to have to deal with international clearance for young players twice a year. I think that's the big issue.

No problem there, and btw that is a great compliment to Kenny Shiels.

One of his reiterated statements of intent when he arrived at Derry was that the club should be seeking to recruit the best young players from all of Derry, Tyrone, and Donegal, and indeed further afield so good to hear that is working in areas.

We are the primary club (i.e biggest) in close proximity to all of those areas and it should be one of the clubs top priorities to become the desired "go-to" destination for young players from Donegal, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and across Ulster. We are proven as a better route to high level professional football than any other club in the north and should be selling ourselves across the province accordingly.

Recruiting heavily from Donegal is not where the problem lies, it is being able to match that level of recruitment in our own city.

[marinobohs]

Jeez you ha e it bad. Rovers have done a lot more than stick a name on it, you should pop over to roadstone to see the facilities and visit ashfield college while your at it.
St Kevin's have tied in to you boys at the point of a gun when the other teams wouldn't allow them play on their own, now st kevins/ bohs with alternating kits is your set up......and you are having a pop at us???
And the best st Kevin's kids are leaving to come to rovers anyway........

As opposed to sticking a new name on Tallaght Town you mean ? Oh, and thanks for disproving the 'hoovering up other clubs players' in your last sentence. Ashfield College ? if only UCD had ever thought of providing scholarships... oh wait. but.....but shams is different :rolleyes:
for the record I wasn't having a go at shams, any development for underage players is to be welcomed I was laughing at the way they think its something new - not unlike trailing around 'advising' clubs on a members owned model after they 'discovered' the concept .Hopefully this experiment lasts longer than that one did.

[Philosophizer]

Fully expect Kevin's to enter a team in the first division ditch bohs and for the cost of running 1 senior team of all amateurs to have their own gig.

Didn't Kevin's try this at the very beginning of the national underage leagues but they didnt have a hope because there was already too many Dublin clubs?

[sbgawa]

I don't think they actually formally applied , could be wrong they had hoped to be let continue at under 15s they don't have much interest beyond that. Joeys taking over bray is a real sickener for them as they see joeys , cherry orchard and rovers as their underage rivals. I would expect they will try to get into the first division as the shotgun marriage to bohs adds nothing for them.
Kevin's are a powerhouse in the schoolboy world but have zero interest in any kid older then 16

[Longfordian]

They were told they wouldn’t be accepted if they did apply and that forced them to start talking seriously to Bohs.

[sbgawa]

Fair enough , I wonder how cabinteely got accepted??
Possibly a timing thing, I guess they got under the wire when the FAI were desperate for teams for the first division.