Transfer Rumours 201X Season

[sbgawa]

No chance of rovers making Duffy highest paid player in league but every chance that like Gannon and a few others his agent will negotiate a better deal with dundaslk following the rovers link.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

This project craic might actual work out for Rovers.

If St Kevins, Belvedere and others are accused of being "child traffickers" for sending 16 year olds across the water, whats the difference here with Rovers or other LoI clubs doing the same?


More at
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/liverpool/liverpool-send-their-goalkeeping-coach-to-watch-young-shamrock-rovers-netminder-37068382.html

The difference is glaringly obvious, LOI clubs are developing players for their first team but like first team players if they're made a decent offer they'll sell.

[Buller]

This project craic might actual work out for Rovers.

If St Kevins, Belvedere and others are accused of being "child traffickers" for sending 16 year olds across the water, whats the difference here with Rovers or other LoI clubs doing the same?


Yeah good point. I suppose the difference is LoI clubs will try to hold onto them longer to get use out of them in their first teams. Aaron Bolger and Brandon Kavanagh for example can now complete their Leaving Cert before going overseas while playing and training professionally. Rather than being shipped off abroad at 15/16 and left with no education when released at 18. The very best players (like Banuzu) will always be taken overseas at that age regardless of whether theyre at a LoI club or Junior. The majority is in all the other players which we can hold for longer, complete their educations, and then command a bigger transfer fee to reinvest in grassroots further.

[White Horse]

Yeah good point. I suppose the difference is LoI clubs will try to hold onto them longer to get use out of them in their first teams. Aaron Bolger and Brandon Kavanagh for example can now complete their Leaving Cert before going overseas while playing and training professionally. Rather than being shipped off abroad at 15/16 and left with no education when released at 18. The very best players (like Banuzu) will always be taken overseas at that age regardless of whether theyre at a LoI club or Junior. The majority is in all the other players which we can hold for longer, complete their educations, and then command a bigger transfer fee to reinvest in grassroots further.

Yes. The big difference is the age at which they are likely to go to England. A couple of years of additional education will make it more likely that they will be better able to cope. In addition, I expect the numbers going over to consistently reduce. It will ultimately be only the very very best, and those players always have better choices. Some may decide to add third level education before embarking on a career in England.

[sbgawa]

The slave traders in Kevin's and belvo are happy to take 5k and send a kid over on 150 a week at 16 that's not the priority for rovers (or any loi club).
In fairness the parents are as much at fault as the club. With the failure rate in England and the resultant problems for 95 percent of the kids who go over at 16 it's crazy that people see english academies as options.

[SwanVsDalton]

Shiels after another of his ex-players.
Aaron Splaine at Dunfermline.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/derry-city-keen-snap-up-12814940

Sounds like our MGMT have decided it's Time To Get Splaine.

[Nesta99]

The difference is glaringly obvious, LOI clubs are developing players for their first team but like first team players if they're made a decent offer they'll sell.

LoI clubs are developing players and thats it, if they are in demand abroad they will go, generate financial return and clubs will roll out the 'not standing in their way' speil. I dont think we should be under the illusion that now there is a proper pathway being put in place for underage LoI that this is some benevolant project (for any LoI club). An averaged out return on revenues invested on player development over a period of time will be expected. Not hugely different from the current set up where the elite will have a go in England and the best of the rest end up at senior clubs here eventually.

[micls]

It is hugely different though, when you look at it on a personal level rather than overall. After 10 years you might be looking at the same numbers overall, but when you look at the individuals, we should have far less kids going abroad too young, without a leaving cert, not making it leading to issues with self confidence and potentially mental health issues. They now have a viable alternative path that offers the chance to develop as a player and go abroad later if they're good enough.

It's an absolutely enormous difference for our young players, regardless of what the final numbers look like.

[Treaty Gooner]

We look at football too much in isolation, if there were any other professions applying the same principles to development there would be outrage.
eg. we have 6 or whatever medical schools in the country but anyone who wants to become a really good doctor should go to the UK at 16 to do so?

Is that over simplifying it? Serious question for once...

[sbgawa]

We look at football too much in isolation, if there were any other professions applying the same principles to development there would be outrage.
eg. we have 6 or whatever medical schools in the country but anyone who wants to become a really good doctor should go to the UK at 16 to do so?

Is that over simplifying it? Serious question for once...


No you are right , Shane Robinson the Academy Director at Rovers was quoted earlier this year making that exact point to the Press.
He said if your 16 year old kid was offered to go away to England to become an Apprentice Electrician you wouldn't consider it if there was an alternative here.

Parents and kids in the past were less educated about what happens in the UK.
all you would hear is that x player is gone over to Liverpool etc when in reality they were gone to Liverpool academy where the would compete with 30 or 40 others for maybe 1 or 2 proper contracts.

There is probably a very good goalkeeper in the Liverpool Academy right now and yet if Liverpool sign Bazuna he is probably for the chop. its a ruthless business

[pineapple stu]

There is probably a very good goalkeeper in the Liverpool Academy right now and yet if Liverpool sign Bazuna he is probably for the chop. its a ruthless business
I think it was in When Saturday Comes recently that I read that top academies recognise they only have 2 or 3 genuine prospects, and the rest of the squad is essentially padding. Maybe they'll make it at a lower league club, but the academy doesn't care so long as little Messi has a half-competent goalkeeper on his team. Cos otherwise there'd be no games.

[TonyD]

No you are right , Shane Robinson the Academy Director at Rovers was quoted earlier this year making that exact point to the Press.
He said if your 16 year old kid was offered to go away to England to become an Apprentice Electrician you wouldn't consider it if there was an alternative here

While I appreciate the sentiment, the truth is that football isn't just any other industry. The difference is, no parent gets stars in their eyes at the thought of their son going to the UK to become an electrician or a plumber. I think parents should employ their critical faculties more in those situations, but human nature being what it is, it's not surprising that people (both parents and kids) get seduced.

[Nesta99]

It is hugely different though, when you look at it on a personal level rather than overall. After 10 years you might be looking at the same numbers overall, but when you look at the individuals, we should have far less kids going abroad too young, without a leaving cert, not making it leading to issues with self confidence and potentially mental health issues. They now have a viable alternative path that offers the chance to develop as a player and go abroad later if they're good enough.

It's an absolutely enormous difference for our young players, regardless of what the final numbers look like.

Oh there are certainly benefits to the newly developing pathway, it will help players and help improve the league overall. I still stick by the point that in reality what will be formost in clubs' minds will be the potential revenue that the new underage setup might generate. Im sure they will talk up the merits of player retention in the game, education, maturity of player when moving abroad etc. But a young player that catches the eye of scouts from English clubs at 16, like Bazunu, will still likely go as an elite youth. Parents will still have heads truned by an Academy in Liverpool or Manchester. It is best of the rest that will benefit, the late developers, the kids with parents that think their kid is Lionel Messi mark 2 by keeping them grounded. Im sure the youth coaches might be invested in a players welfare but further up in the boardroom it will still be about return on investment if players move or they benefit the first team as there is a tendancy for players that graduate from youths to senior to be payed less than signings in (to around 23yrs is the general guestimate before the gap in pay closes) so a cheaper option and hence finance driven again. There may be a better and broader support system for LoI youth player in due course than schoolboy clubs but we shouldnt look down our noses at the schoolboy clubs like St Kevins et al as LoI clubs would be doing the same exploiting young players by selling them off to generate funds if they could up until now and the new system may just be a modified version of that thinking.

[sbgawa]

your almost as much of a cynic as me Nesta :) and for sure for all LOI clubs money has to be a part of all considerations (except you boys obv :) )
The major thing that will make a difference is that if the likes of Bazuna played for a Schoolboy club he would be off to England already for 10k or even less he is still here because he has been with rovers for years and the English clubs would have to pay proper compensation for him.
Hence if they bring him or others over it will be on proper contracts not just to throw them in to the Academy to sink or swim.
Its easy to sign up 3 or 4 kids for 5k each pay then 150 quid a week and dump them in a couple of years.
Its a lot more of a commitment to shell out a six figure sum and sign a proper contract.

Plus a LOI club being offered peanuts for a player in their first team or on the fringes are more inclined to turn it down as they have to sign a replacement.

If Rovers raise the bar for what young Irish players should command in transfer fees it will benefit all clubs

[Mr A]

The danger is, if kids think a club is likely to dig in and not let them move if it doesn't suit the club, they may not join in first place. Young lads want the cross channel moves, and having players move previously helps attract them in to clubs, which weakens clubs hands a bit, especially if the club next to you isn't as steadfast. But generally I think things are going in right direction with youth development here. More young players playing better opposition and with better coaches will help the game here and raise standards. It's expensive though, running underage 4 teams for clubs with very limited resources is a real challenge.

[Treaty Gooner]

Isn’t it heavily subsidized by the FAI? The underage I mean? How much does an u15 LOI team cost to run approximately? Say 24 matches give or take, that’s 12 buses for away trips, possibly paying for pre/post match food, Physio, maybe paying coaches, rental for training pitches if needed, gear. Maybe 25k?

[Mr A]

Even if it's 20k per team- 80k for a D1 one team, and a good few premier ones is serious money.

[Charlie Darwin]

The danger is, if kids think a club is likely to dig in and not let them move if it doesn't suit the club, they may not join in first place. Young lads want the cross channel moves, and having players move previously helps attract them in to clubs, which weakens clubs hands a bit, especially if the club next to you isn't as steadfast. But generally I think things are going in right direction with youth development here. More young players playing better opposition and with better coaches will help the game here and raise standards. It's expensive though, running underage 4 teams for clubs with very limited resources is a real challenge.
Well that's the risk you take, and ultimately you can only go on your track record. For instance, I doubt young lads in Derry are put off signing for Derry City because the club will demand a transfer fee rather than letting them go to Crawley Town for free.

[pineapple stu]

Isn’t it heavily subsidized by the FAI? The underage I mean? How much does an u15 LOI team cost to run approximately? Say 24 matches give or take, that’s 12 buses for away trips, possibly paying for pre/post match food, Physio, maybe paying coaches, rental for training pitches if needed, gear. Maybe 25k?
I think clubs get an FAI travel grant of about a grand for their underage teams. Not per team,l (19s/17s/15s) but overall.

20-25k is a reasonable estimate of the costs per team. Would vary by club obviously

And the 13s to come

[Longfordian]

Bray will “reluctantly listen to offers” for all of their players. Not sure there’ll be a flood of offers coming in.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

There was an article a year or so ago saying rovers were doing all the right stuff,getting proper coaches, good facilities, good general organisation, proper contracts, help with education and all that but there was no point them doing that if all the other clubs don't follow suit and just take over from the schoolboy clubs in sending players across in droves for nothing cause all that will happen is English clubs will just allow rovers to keep their players and go somewhere else instead knowing that if the players do turn out to be any good theyll still be available for cheap in a few years since the overall price of players from the league wontt change at all, but if all the other clubs followed suit the domino effect would mean players across the league would be worth more

[sbgawa]

The better players at schoolboy level are starting to gravitate to rovers because of facilities and pathway. A 16 17 and 18 year old on the pitch against Derry.

[athloneman]

They could do what Athlone do and charge every kid 20 quid a week.

[Nesta99]

There was an article a year or so ago saying rovers were doing all the right stuff,getting proper coaches, good facilities, good general organisation, proper contracts, help with education and all that but there was no point them doing that if all the other clubs don't follow suit and just take over from the schoolboy clubs in sending players across in droves for nothing cause all that will happen is English clubs will just allow rovers to keep their players and go somewhere else instead knowing that if the players do turn out to be any good theyll still be available for cheap in a few years since the overall price of players from the league wontt change at all, but if all the other clubs followed suit the domino effect would mean players across the league would be worth more

That's a fair observation, and sits with how I think things may not be that hugely different.

[White Horse]

Dundalk are closing in on the capture of Dylan Watts. SunSport has learned that the league leaders are now in pole position for Watts, a free agent following his release by Leicester City who impressed on loan with Bohemians.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/2802634/dundalk-closing-in-on-free-agent-and-former-bohemians-loan-star-dylan-watts-after-his-release-by-leicester/

Given O'Donnell being out for the season, this would be a very good signing. Dundalk are overly reliant on Chris Shields at the moment. An injury to him would not be easily covered.

[El-Pietro]

Bringing in Watts in addition to Kelly and McEleney is interesting. Dundalk are really only heavily reliant on one players form and fitness. Hoban would still be a key loss if anything happened to him for any lengthy period. The rest of the squad is largely replaceable at this point you'd imagine. Obviously theres a difference between losing 1 player and 3 or 4 players but that would be incredibly unfortunate.

I think winning the league this year is going to be extremely important for Cork City in order to prevent Dundalk getting in to the CL for another season as much as anything. If current trends continue I can't see us being able to compete for the title next season.

[sbgawa]

Bringing in Watts in addition to Kelly and McEleney is interesting. Dundalk are really only heavily reliant on one players form and fitness. Hoban would still be a key loss if anything happened to him for any lengthy period. The rest of the squad is largely replaceable at this point you'd imagine. Obviously theres a difference between losing 1 player and 3 or 4 players but that would be incredibly unfortunate.

I think winning the league this year is going to be extremely important for Cork City in order to prevent Dundalk getting in to the CL for another season as much as anything. If current trends continue I can't see us being able to compete for the title next season.

Couldn't agree more with you El P if Dundalk win the league this year it could be a long time before anyone gets to challenge.
On the other hand if they don't win it Kenny could be on his way as the yanks don't do sentiment,
Given the likely domination to come i'll have to start cheering for you boys this season , might wait until Saturday though :)

[Ezeikial]

Bringing in Watts in addition to Kelly and McEleney is interesting. Dundalk are really only heavily reliant on one players form and fitness. Hoban would still be a key loss if anything happened to him for any lengthy period. The rest of the squad is largely replaceable at this point you'd imagine. Obviously theres a difference between losing 1 player and 3 or 4 players but that would be incredibly unfortunate.



There is little doubt that Patrick Hoban is a very important player for Dundalk although Michael Duffy is probably ahead of him currently in the POTY stakes. The signing of Georgie Kelly fills an important gap in the squad as the back-up was inadequate in that position. Stephen Kenny has always tended to replace some of his attacking players in the last quarter, but has been reluctant to sub out Hoban because of these poor options - this should allow him more options.

Dundalk are also heavily reliant on Chris Shields currently - and I would be concerned if any of Hoban, Shields, Duffy or Rogers were out for any length of time

[El-Pietro]

There is little doubt that Patrick Hoban is a very important player for Dundalk although Michael Duffy is probably ahead of him currently in the POTY stakes. The signing of Georgie Kelly fills an important gap in the squad as the back-up was inadequate in that position. Stephen Kenny has always tended to replace some of his attacking players in the last quarter, but has been reluctant to sub out Hoban because of these poor options - this should allow him more options.

Dundalk are also heavily reliant on Chris Shields currently - and I would be concerned if any of Hoban, Shields, Duffy or Rogers were out for any length of time
I don't doubt those are key players I just think the gapp to their replacements is smaller. I don't think I've ever seen Kelly so will wait to reserve judgement on him. It can be difficult to step up to the Premier Division though so hes no guarantee to bang goals in right away.

[Ezeikial]

Oh there are certainly benefits to the newly developing pathway, it will help players and help improve the league overall. I still stick by the point that in reality what will be formost in clubs' minds will be the potential revenue that the new underage setup might generate. Im sure they will talk up the merits of player retention in the game, education, maturity of player when moving abroad etc. But a young player that catches the eye of scouts from English clubs at 16, like Bazunu, will still likely go as an elite youth. Parents will still have heads truned by an Academy in Liverpool or Manchester. It is best of the rest that will benefit, the late developers, the kids with parents that think their kid is Lionel Messi mark 2 by keeping them grounded. Im sure the youth coaches might be invested in a players welfare but further up in the boardroom it will still be about return on investment if players move or they benefit the first team as there is a tendancy for players that graduate from youths to senior to be payed less than signings in (to around 23yrs is the general guestimate before the gap in pay closes) so a cheaper option and hence finance driven again. There may be a better and broader support system for LoI youth player in due course than schoolboy clubs but we shouldnt look down our noses at the schoolboy clubs like St Kevins et al as LoI clubs would be doing the same exploiting young players by selling them off to generate funds if they could up until now and the new system may just be a modified version of that thinking.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose



St Patrick's Athletic FC‏
Verified account @stpatsfc (https://twitter.com/stpatsfc)

ACADEMY TRANSFERS: We’re delighted to announce that 3 Saints Academy players have joined UK clubs. Kian Leavy has joined @ReadingFC (https://twitter.com/ReadingFC), Zak Delaney has signed for @WBA (https://twitter.com/WBA) & Conor Power has moved to @AberdeenFC (https://twitter.com/AberdeenFC). Thanks to their schoolboy clubs also. Good luck boys


https://twitter.com/stpatsfc/status/1014191962986033152



Shamrock Rovers F.C. announce that Luke Turner from our Under 17 team has joined Scottish side Aberdeen F.C.
https://shamrockrovers.ie/2018/07/03/luke-turner-signs-for-aberdeen/

[micls]

There is little doubt that Patrick Hoban is a very important player for Dundalk although Michael Duffy is probably ahead of him currently in the POTY stakes. The signing of Georgie Kelly fills an important gap in the squad as the back-up was inadequate in that position. Stephen Kenny has always tended to replace some of his attacking players in the last quarter, but has been reluctant to sub out Hoban because of these poor options - this should allow him more options.

Dundalk are also heavily reliant on Chris Shields currently - and I would be concerned if any of Hoban, Shields, Duffy or Rogers were out for any length of time

While Duffy is probably the best performer, I'd think Hoban is the most important. Without Duffy, you still have fantastic options, even if you only win games by 2 rather than 3/4. Hoban is a different story i think, depending on how quickly Kelly adapts.

[sbgawa]

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose


https://twitter.com/stpatsfc/status/1014191962986033152


https://shamrockrovers.ie/2018/07/03/luke-turner-signs-for-aberdeen/


Some will always choose to go that will never change.
Personally think they are mad but there you go , at least only 1 from Rovers and we aren't announcing we are "delighted"

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Not sure if it was in here already

http://www.the42.ie/seamus-keogh-sligo-southampton-transfer-premier-league-ireland-football-4094773-Jun2018/

[TonyD]

Couldn't agree more with you El P if Dundalk win the league this year it could be a long time before anyone gets to challenge.
On the other hand if they don't win it Kenny could be on his way as the yanks don't do sentiment,
Given the likely domination to come i'll have to start cheering for you boys this season , might wait until Saturday though :)

Would have thought that's highly unlikely, whether Dundalk win the title or not. It's kinda scary now they way they are hovering up players. Ominous for everyone else. The predictions when Rovers made the Europa League Groups a few years ago about how they were going to dominate the league may well be coming true for Dundalk. Brilliant if you're a Dundalk fan, less so if you support anyone else. Cork will probably continue to challenge them, but everyone else looks in danger of being cut adrift. Hopefully it won't last. One of my favourite things about the league here is that the trophies tended to be pretty well shared out, until now.

[oriel]

Financial muscle in all levels of football will generally ensure that club will get the best players / be most successfull (most of the time) and in Dundalk's case it was driven by the earned euro money. This obviously attracted interest and the Chicago led consortium who bought the club, and they would have inherited some of that but also they now responsible for all the bills. And the future profits of course.

I said it before on here and it's always worth reminding. Hard work and not just on the pitch is required for success, but so too is that bit of fortune, had Dundalk not drawn FH in 2016, who were by far the weakest of the seeded teams, (and who we only beat on away goals) there would have been long odds on Dundalk making the EL group stages.

Granted BATE had to be taken care of (excellent performance and result in Tallaght) but often forgotten is the away 0-1 defeat a week before, when they battered us, how we got away with a 0-1 defeat was amazing, hard damn work, well organised but there you go, these are the fine margins you have and it all started with drawing FH. Anyone else and we could have been eliminated that July instead of early December and the difference of over 5 million, possibly more.

[micls]

The euro money definitely kick-started it, and that's probably the case in a fair few countries. But I think we could have competed with the euro money alone, the additional outside investment is what will make the big difference. Being able to sign a handful of top quality players in a summer window is something no one else can generally compete with (Waterford probably the closest). Generally, you've most of your wage budget spent at the start of the season. That can be the difference in winning a league. Exciting times for Dundalk fans. Scary for the rest of us!

[White Horse]

Bradley, echoing the words of Cork City boss John Caulfield earlier this week, acknowledged that no other club can live with the table-toppers' financial might. “No, it doesn’t look like it," he said. "I read John was saying something similar.

"I’ve said it a lot of times, we can’t compete financially and it’s a market we don’t want to be competing in, letting players walk out and then buy them back, it doesn’t make sense, no matter what way you put it.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/stephen-bradley-warns-league-ireland-12853443

Stephen Bradley is the latest manager to offer commentary on Dundalk's transfer activity. While acknowledging that McEleney is a "top player", he thinks Dundalk shouldn't have resigned him as Irish clubs will now look foolish to their English betters. English clubs would never buy back a player who left on a free.

[micls]

I think it's to be expected. Journalists are asking the question, because it's one of the most important developments in our league at the moment. They're going to want the opinions of other managers on it.

In fairness, losing a player on a free to have to pay to buy him back 6 months later when he fails to make an impact is bound to draw comment.

[ArFella]

Bradley, echoing the words of Cork City boss John Caulfield earlier this week, acknowledged that no other club can live with the table-toppers' financial might. “No, it doesn’t look like it," he said. "I read John was saying something similar.

"I’ve said it a lot of times, we can’t compete financially and it’s a market we don’t want to be competing in, letting players walk out and then buy them back, it doesn’t make sense, no matter what way you put it.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/stephen-bradley-warns-league-ireland-12853443

Stephen Bradley is the latest manager to offer commentary on Dundalk's transfer activity. While acknowledging that McEleney is a "top player", he thinks Dundalk shouldn't have resigned him as Irish clubs will now look foolish to their English betters. English clubs would never buy back a player who left on a free.

Paul Pogba... But don't let that stop you from talking out you're a**e Stephen, nothing else has.

[micls]

Paul Pogba... But don't let that stop you from talking out you're a**e Stephen, nothing else has.

I'm pretty sure that's White Horse's comment, not Bradleys

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Paul Pogba... But don't let that stop you from talking out you're a**e Stephen, nothing else has.

I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and say since it was early you were just still half asleep and not just thick.

Also slight difference between buying back a player who you let go as a teenager and went to become the best player for the best team in the 4th best league in Europe a few years later and buying back a player 6 months after you let them go well in their 20s after they barely played in league 1

[White Horse]

In fairness, losing a player on a free to have to pay to buy him back 6 months later when he fails to make an impact is bound to draw comment.

It is, and there are plenty of commentators in the media. It is surprising that managers are being very quick to offer their opinions on the transfer activity of another club.

McEleney was offered a long tern deal on several occasions by Dundalk and chose not to sign it. He then made a "bad decision" and left for Oldham.

The decision Dundalk faced was whether to try to resign McEleney when he became available. What went before it is irrelevant to that decision.

The big issue at the heart of this is the prevalence of short term contracts in the Irish game. Like most things in life, these contracts present advantages and disadvantages to clubs. The disadvantages are acutely apparent when marquee players leave for nothing. However, commentators rarely talk about the advantages. Clubs do not end up paying players for years when they decide they want to move them on.

[micls]

Quick to offer opinions? They're being asked a timely question and answering. Is it a big deal? Should they be saying no comment or something? It is what it is, dundalk have more money than others, they will dominate the transfer market as a result. Not surprising that managers will answer with that too.

I agree on the length of contracts.

[dundalkfc10]

Rovers want to make Duffy highest paid player in the league according to some! Cant compete though!

[Straightstory]

Some will always choose to go that will never change.
Personally think they are mad but there you go , at least only 1 from Rovers and we aren't announcing we are "delighted"
'Delighted' is such a bizarre comment.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Some will always choose to go that will never change.
Personally think they are mad but there you go , at least only 1 from Rovers and we aren't announcing we are "delighted"

At least numbers are lower already, you'd have to imagine most of that Rovers 17s team would be gone if they weren't at rovers or maybe another loi club.


It is, and there are plenty of commentators in the media. It is surprising that managers are being very quick to offer their opinions on the transfer activity of another club.

They're being asked a question what do you expect them to say? "sorry some Dundalk fans dont understand how interviews work so I can't answer that."


Rovers want to make Duffy highest paid player in the league according to some! Cant compete though!

Ah yeah faceless rumours are obviously true and the manager is obvious lying.

[White Horse]

They're being asked a question what do you expect them to say? "sorry some Dundalk fans dont understand how interviews work so I can't answer that."

I completely understand that these two managers feel compelled to provide an full and direct answer to every question put to them by journalists.

It is an admirable quality that they consistently demonstrate.

[ArFella]

I'm pretty sure that's White Horse's comment, not Bradleys


I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and say since it was early you were just still half asleep and not just thick.

Also slight difference between buying back a player who you let go as a teenager and went to become the best player for the best team in the 4th best league in Europe a few years later and buying back a player 6 months after you let them go well in their 20s after they barely played in league 1

Apologies, yes thought that was a direct quote from Bradley...

I don't think there is much of a difference in principle between the 2 deals though, albeit the money and timeline are vastly different, Man Utd & Dundalk both reluctantly let the player go as they were at the end of their contract and when they had the chance to resign the player that they realistically wanted to stay in the first place they both did so.

I am personally delighted we have McEleney back, while it looks on the outside that we've essentially spent €50k or whatever for him to have a 6-month holiday in Oldham the truth is we never wanted him to leave and now have him back on a 3.5 year contract for a very reasonable price considering the level he was playing at last season. Just look at Pat Hoban, anyone in the league would jump at the chance to sign him for €50k right now, but if we'd paid that kind of money for him before the season people would be laughing again.

[sullanefc]

I completely understand that these two managers feel compelled to provide an full and direct answer to every question put to them by journalists.

It is an admirable quality that they consistently demonstrate.
Like kenny did when asked if he signed Sheppard. :D

[White Horse]

Like kenny did when asked if he signed Sheppard. :D

He would have been better off saying nothing. I said so at the time.

Dundalk fans are trying to claim that it was a good thing as we avoided signing a crocked player on big money. However, I don't buy that. Firstly, Sheppard is still a quality player even if his illness means he may not be same player he was. Secondly, some players may be reluctant to discuss a transfer to Dundalk in case it leaks and causes them difficulties with their current club.

I think Kenny has learnt his lesson, if his reaction to the leaked move for Kelly is anything to go by.