New Players for Next Year

[LFC Blue]

4-0 tonight up north. Pre season ticking away nicely

[Jofspring]

Gone a little quiet again with regards new signings. There doesn't seem to be anyone new with the team that travelled to Ballinamallard anyway.

[bluewhitearmy]

Gone a little quiet again with regards new signings. There doesn't seem to be anyone new with the team that travelled to Ballinamallard anyway.

There wasn't any new heads above.Mike Aherne say anything recently think I seen someone mention he had said something about lads from England?

[thomas72]

I see paddy mcourt is looking for a league of Ireland club for next season I wonder would limerick be tempted.
Personally I think we are well covered in that position but stranger things.

[Jofspring]

I see paddy mcourt is looking for a league of Ireland club for next season I wonder would limerick be tempted.
Personally I think we are well covered in that position but stranger things.

Ya it would be great to get a player in of that calibre but it's certainly not a position we are stuck in. Couple of more defenders.

[LK37oldskool]

We have an Australian on the bench tonight. Ex Blackpool, left side midfield.

[Jofspring]

Andrew Cuneen just said on twitter that David O'Connor isn't playing tonight due to a broken hand. We definitely need those new defenders in now.

[thomas72]

Andrew Cuneen just said on twitter that David O'Connor isn't playing tonight due to a broken hand. We definitely need those new defenders in now.

Sounds like Freddie kept us in the game first half our defence is horrendous we cannot start the season with that defence we will ship and awful lot of goals but with 3 weeks to go whoever comes in will have no pre season and will probably have to go 3 or 4 weeks of training to be considered.

[LK37oldskool]

Tracy also has an injury and probably won't be available for start of the season.

[EL_Limerick]

Is Gardikiotis signed or a trialist? How did he look?

[gael353]

Center back, left back and defensive mid needed urgently. Tosi is just gold

[Lim till i die]

Gardikiotis won't be seen around anymore.

Same problems as last year (and the year before that and the year before that.) Fellas knocking around the squad that aren't good enough. On the pitch Whitehead probably not good enough but in fairness to him it's hard to tell with Paul o Conor wheezing around at two miles an hour in front of him. Left back needed and has been needed since before Martin Russell came to the club. That's no disrespect to Shane but he's never going to play a full season for you anyway.

Plus points:

That's twice I've seen Ian Turner this year and twice he hasn't upset me.

Ogbene took his goal well, won no fewer than six free kicks and is a star.

Rodrigo Tosi is easily the best player in the league, if not the world.

[thomas72]

Haven't seen Tosi yet what are his qualities

[Lim till i die]

Best technique I think iv ever seen on a Limerick player, he's a target man more than anything because he can't really move.

But his touch is perfect, if he wants the ball to stick it'll stick, if he wants to lay it off first time the lay off is perfect exactly where player would want it.

Great vision aswell he's looking around before he receives the ball and if he has decided to pass it's a first touch pass to where he wants it.

Strength and use of his body is ridiculous. He was holding up a ball for about four and a half hours last night and the drogs defender hadn't a clue how to get it off him.

I'm telling you. If we kept him fit and don't isolate him he is a serious, serious asset to have.

[LK37oldskool]

Sounds like Tosi and Ogbene worth the price of admission on their own.

[harpin]

Gardikiotis won't be seen around anymore.

Same problems as last year (and the year before that and the year before that.) Fellas knocking around the squad that aren't good enough. On the pitch Whitehead probably not good enough but in fairness to him it's hard to tell with Paul o Conor wheezing around at two miles an hour in front of him. Left back needed and has been needed since before Martin Russell came to the club. That's no disrespect to Shane but he's never going to play a full season for you anyway.

Plus points:

That's twice I've seen Ian Turner this year and twice he hasn't upset me.

Ogbene took his goal well, won no fewer than six free kicks and is a star.

Rodrigo Tosi is easily the best player in the league, if not the world.

Who played left back last night?

[Jofspring]

Who played left back last night?

Shaun Kelly.

[harpin]

Turner right back?

Surely that's bordering on negligence

[LFC Blue]

Two shrewd defensive signings coupled with the attacking threat we currently possess and Europe can be the target. Limerick need to go for it now. The Ogbenes won't hang around if our only ambition is to avoid relegation.

[bluewhitearmy]

Honestly I know it was just a friendly but Tosi first half was one of the best 45mins I have ever seen from a striker at this level. I think he lost the ball once and that was an attempted 30 yard outside of the left foot pass to Ogbene that was only inches away.If he can put on a few displays like he did lastnight in proper games people will fall in love with him. I reckon we are a good quality centre back and left back away from a very good season.We need to make the most of the opportunity there now though don't think any team outside the top 3 is anything special this season and we won't have Tosi and Ogbene for long maybe not any longer than this season so this has to be the one to make a push.I know the club are trying but I am praying they get the CB and LB in soon especially now that Dave O Connor could be out for 5-6 weeks on top of Tracy being out.

[Charlie Darwin]

I love this thread. The constant back and forth between "we're screwed", "we're relegated" and "we're going to do well", "we can target the top four". I eagerly await your relegation battle and summer transfer window. Never stop.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Well, in fairness, you can see where the swing tends to occur: when the club actually signs people.

For me the squad is still too thin, especially at the back, to be talking Europe. Barring a massing injury crisis, looks like a mid-table team.

[bluewhitearmy]

Martin telling Mike Aherne that they are hoping to have two maybe three players in next week. If they include a good quality CB and LB then it's probably the best we have been squad wise in all my years. When all fit could have a match day squad of

Hall
Kelly
New cb
Williams
New lb
O'Conor
Duggan
Lynch
Clarke
Tosi
Ogbene

Bench :
Clarke
Tracy
O'Connor
Hery
Turner/Kenny
Mulhall
O'Flynn

That would have some decent back up players not even in the squad.

[thomas72]

Martin telling Mike Aherne that they are hoping to have two maybe three players in next week. If they include a good quality CB and LB then it's probably the best we have been squad wise in all my years. When all fit could have a match day squad of

Hall
Kelly
New cb
Williams
New lb
O'Conor
Duggan
Lynch
Clarke
Tosi
Ogbene

Bench :
Clarke
Tracy
O'Connor
Hery
Turner/Kenny
Mulhall
O'Flynn

That would have some decent back up players not even in the squad.

I was listening myself very encouraging indeed 2 maybe 3 players in that area (defence) next week if they are of quality everything looking very positive

[bluewhitearmy]

Ideally if it's 3 I'd like a CB a LB and a CM even as back up cos I think Paul O Conor would be just fine as another back up CB if needed.

[Lim till i die]

I love this thread. The constant back and forth between "we're screwed", "we're relegated" and "we're going to do well", "we can target the top four". I eagerly await your relegation battle and summer transfer window. Never stop.

These distraught 3.30 am posts from fans of other, less exciting, clubs are going to get more and more frequent once the season starts and RODRIGO TOSI is averaging eight assists a game.

[thomas72]

So come on surely someone has heard of some rumours on who theses guys are we are looking to bring in?

[LFC Blue]

Mick Ahearn says two will definitely arrive today or tomorrow from a "premiership" club! I presume he means the English premier league. Academy players or something to that effect he stated.

[Jofspring]

Mick Ahearn says two will definitely arrive today or tomorrow from a "premiership" club! I presume he means the English premier league. Academy players or something to that effect he stated.

Could be an interesting one. Might pick up a gem there or a load of rubbish.

[osarusan]

Is Paudie gone?

Whitehead and Williams at centreback and Tracy at fullback and we will be conceding plenty.

[Jofspring]

Is Paudie gone?

Whitehead and Williams at centreback and Tracy at fullback and we will be conceding plenty.

Was supposedly offered a deal in October but turned it down looking for a deal in England if rumours are true.

[bluewhitearmy]

Left back and centre back better be arriving soon. Why we had a right back on trial I'll never know.

[thomas72]

Left back and centre back better be arriving soon. Why we had a right back on trial I'll never know.

That's martin

[LK37oldskool]

Most of what I read about the Austrian trialist has him as a midfielder. Couldn't find any report of him playing in a defensive position.

[gael353]

Martins replacement will be tied down to a new contract soon at his club. Russell hasn't a clue. Turner has to start RIGHT WING v sligo. We have to get crosses into Tozi. Why did they retain him. Clueless, spineless, im waiting for his son to come back

[bluewhitearmy]

Let's not get madly worked up over a friendly tbf. Think it's a bit unfair to Shaun Kelly and Ian Turner that they have barely played in their actual positions during pre season Shaun looks so uncomfortable at left back and the lad that was on trial played his entire time on the pitch at right back didn't look anywhere near Shauns level tbh.

Switched to 3 at the back for a bit in second half its my second time see us try it and the second time the lads looked like they had never trained a day in their life at it were all over the shop for a few mins.Whoever the lad was throwing stick at Martin over it would wanna give his head a shake though it's pre season ffs it's exactly the time to do this kinda thing.

Need to get good delivery into the box for Tosi to make an impact scoring wise just hasn't happened yet in pre season.Will still be excited about the season ahead if we get the LB and CB and they are good standard but they have to come this week too late to be signing em with no friendlies at all left.

[gael353]

True its only a friendly. But i just saw the goals. Three at the back for a russell team is suicide. Hope by not winning any friendlys hes tricking us into lowering our expectations

[NeverFeltBetter]

I'd agree that its better to try these things now and see they don't work.

Russell's never been renowned for his defences, that's not going to suddenly change. I'm hoping he and others haven't been blinded by the ease Limerick were scoring at times last year. We won't be putting three past the opposition in the last 20 minutes this season.

[osarusan]

We conceded 26 goals in 28 games last season against, in the main, shockingly poor teams.

Without improvement (and at the moment, the defence is probably even worse) we will get massacred.

[bluewhitearmy]

True its only a friendly. But i just saw the goals. Three at the back for a russell team is suicide. Hope by not winning any friendlys hes tricking us into lowering our expectations

We've won 3 of the 5 friendlies we played.

[bluewhitearmy]

Pat confirmed there is a new investor in an interview with Live 95 too its been shared on the Blue Army Facebook page.

[thomas72]

We conceded 26 goals in 28 games last season against, in the main, shockingly poor teams.

Without improvement (and at the moment, the defence is probably even worse) we will get massacred.

100% fact.
Will wait and see what we have coming in this week I just hope there quality defender's

[Jofspring]

Quality defenders and one player (Robbie) to take responsibility for organising them. Saw the two goals last night and lack of organisation looked like a big factor.

[gael353]

We've won 3 of the 5 friendlies we played.
Ahhh the army, ballamanard reserves dont count. Who was the third

[Jofspring]

Ahhh the army, ballamanard reserves dont count. Who was the third

Why don't they count?

Limerick 2-1 Defence Forces
Ballinamallard 0-4 Limerick
Cobh 0-2 Limerick
Drogheda 1-1 Limerick
Galway 2-1 Limerick

[Lim till i die]

What you'd be hoping for at the start of preseason would have been defenders good enough to just ignore Russell and do a job among themselves.

What we got was Tony whitehead and some lad Russell saw play five years ago.

Martin Russell has.not been signing our players since before xmas. As frustrating as it will be for the fans (not to mention pathetic considering they could have let him go in November) if a couple of good quality defenders don't appear you can take it the board have decided to give him enough rope....

[bluewhitearmy]

First half when we had out a somewhat proper 11 we were the better team tbh we could be very very good going forward if we can get Tosi involved nearer to goal but him Lee J and Ogbene are forming a good link already it seems. Problems only really came when we tried the 3 at the back and made the changes. Hery is overweight but looks like there is actually a good player in there if we can get him fit and if he is anyway interested then Joe will. Really hope we get the 2 positions filled before the Waterford game so we can see what it would be like with Kelly at right back and Turner on the wing. Stephen Kenny has been quite good so far in pre season was very good lastnight.

[thomas72]

https://www.live95fm.ie/on-air/shows/limerick-today/limerick-today-podcasts/february-2017/limerick-today-what-s-in-store-for-limerick-fc/

Interview with POS this morning looking for 3 more players says if we get them it will take a good team to finish ahead of us :)

[bluewhitearmy]

https://www.live95fm.ie/on-air/shows/limerick-today/limerick-today-podcasts/february-2017/limerick-today-what-s-in-store-for-limerick-fc/

Interview with POS this morning looking for 3 more players says if we get them it will take a good team to finish ahead of us :)

We get something like this every year so I'm sure people will be wary of it but great news that a new investor is on board and we are actually only 2 players away from being decent now.

[CraftyToePoke]

There does look to be more substance to it this time though, and I don't mind waiting a year or three for the league title so long as we are solid and improving ;) anyhow. Nice steady build with a death grip on it once we get there rather than a boom bust job.

Paudie O'Connor is surely better served trying to be part of this.