New owners at dundalk

[oriel]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/dundalk-fc-back-in-local-hands-after-peak6-agree-deal-to-sell-club-to-andy-connolly-and-statsports-41039595.html

This is fantastic news for Dundalk, almost like winning a big trophy, probably bigger, seeing the end of P6 and the fans preferred choice taking control.

Time will tell, but this should be seen as a massive positive step to re-build the club and from the inside.

[Martinho II]

Great news for Dundalk fans hopefully Oriel will be redeveloped for the better.

[oriel]

Takeover now officially confirmed by Dundalk.

[Nesta99]

Dan McDonnell on Twitter: the Local Consortium of Andy Connolly, Stat Sports and others have completed a deal to buy Dundalk.

Pleased for Nesta and the legend that is Rubot on Twitter Dundalk’s future has been resolved.

Thanks, it is a relief on so many levels, it would have been hard to overlook aspects of one of the other bids. P6 had alienated people to such an extent that even with endless millions of € it would have been messy. It's always going to be maddening that all that money was spent and neither Dundalk FC or even Peak6 benefited, although they can bury loses. One positive was guaranteeing all player and staff, football and non-football related being paid in full during the pandemic for however long it lasted, in that regard its a shame too, that it went sour due to a few individuals and their ego. There is a lot of rebuilding to do and hopefully that starts with opening contract talks with players. It will be interesting to see what happens with team coaching/management and Sporting Director.


Great news for Dundalk fans hopefully Oriel will be redeveloped for the better.

https://i.gifer.com/6rA.gif

That sort of talk is too de ja vu just yet. I will be ok with Budget readjustment, rebuilding the relationship between club and supporters, a team for next season (get lucky with European qualification may give some wriggle room there) and backroom staff. Everything else can wait a tad longer!!


https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/1110/1259144-local-consortium-set-to-take-back-control-of-dundalk/

[pineapple stu]

This really signals the end of Dundalk as a force here, doesn't it?

Even if Peak6 covered the losses from this year (which would be substantial, given they barely broke even last year with EL group stage qualification), you're still looking at a 2022 with (almost certainly) no Euro income and no Euro reserves. That's going to slash a couple of mill off the playing budget surely?

It seems possibly the only good thing Peak6 did for the club was to give out one-year contracts at the start of this season. Maybe they had a feeling this was the last throw of the dice?

[Nesta99]

A few of the players let go and it wouldnt be miles off substantially cutting the playing budget. The €250k supposedly left in the bank is tokenism and buttons to P6 so much so Im surprised they did it. I dont think you can write off the experience of the new former owner and Statsports to extent of not being a force. The end of this era from 2013 is done and dusted. Id probably be even more optimistic if it wasnt for the potential of Derry financially. Now would be fine to introduce stricter FFP controls on LoI, connected to financial performance of the club with restrictions on owners covering losses!!!

[Calcio Jack]

A few of the players let go and it wouldnt be miles off substantially cutting the playing budget. The €250k supposedly left in the bank is tokenism and buttons to P6 so much so Im surprised they did it. I dont think you can write off the experience of the new former owner and Statsports to extent of not being a force. The end of this era from 2013 is done and dusted. Id probably be even more optimistic if it wasnt for the potential of Derry financially. Now would be fine to introduce stricter FFP controls on LoI, connected to financial performance of the club with restrictions on owners covering losses!!!

Is it an oversimplification to take the view that the new owners are almost in the same position as they were when they last took over - with exception that they don’t have Kenny ( who turned out to be an inspired choice) in place as manager ? Or is that too bleak a view ?

[Nesta99]

Its hard to say tbh, the club is off the back of a very different cycle. There are similarities when coming in as new owners, with issues to sort on players and staff. But it feels more positive this time when before it was a bit of an unknown. Keeping expectations in check certainly short term and probably longer but tapping in to and keeping that positivity - there could be one of the bigger crowds in seen in oriel for a couple of years *cough* v Derry as a show of support and solidarity with the owners, season tickets sales will bounce back and probably grow a bit. I dont think anyone will seriously be expecting a repeat of recent years of being dominant but if there is obvious progress on and off the field (not too hard that bit) then being an also ran for a while wont cut too deep. Find another astute manager who can build a team if they cant buy one and who knows. Not surprisingly the managerial rumour mill is in full flow though I think are more wishlist. Nah not bleak, relief! It could be worse and tbh it has been in the past - this at face value was a fairly easy transfer of ownership.

It should be easier to build local sponsorship this time for example but do we lose a main sponsor, was say a 3 year deal paid up front and were stuck for now - stuff that we dont know and maybe cant know as fans either. Volunteerism will improve and some very key people in previous success may return. All will be a lot more experienced in the nuts and bolts of running a competitive senior club than in 2012/13. An active supporters club is now there and was a huge miss, if we can keep complacency like that at bay then were already ahead.

[Buller]

A few of the players let go and it wouldnt be miles off substantially cutting the playing budget. The €250k supposedly left in the bank is tokenism and buttons to P6 so much so Im surprised they did it. I dont think you can write off the experience of the new former owner and Statsports to extent of not being a force. The end of this era from 2013 is done and dusted. Id probably be even more optimistic if it wasnt for the potential of Derry financially. Now would be fine to introduce stricter FFP controls on LoI, connected to financial performance of the club with restrictions on owners covering losses!!!

Have the €850,000 earnings from this years' Euro run been spent already? They're normally paid at the end, so May 2022. Payment could have been forwarded with secured bank loan?

[Nesta99]

No details, bar speculation, that I know. My guess is that getting the club for zip + €250k that this deal included the 850k somehow but thats just as i dont think P6 are that philanthropic in their ways. But i'd be very happy to be proven wrong and not have had to pay additional funds to a company that wanted out after reckless mismanagement of cash reserves. Might be harsh as I didnt have to face it, but did we pay a big price for club staff being on full pay rather than utilising government assistance. I really hope P6 did the right thing on this and not just go fook it drain the bank account on this and then were off. There were certainly people considering there could be a vindictive side to things when everyone wasnt doing loads of backslapping and shouting great job.

[Martinho II]

When Peak 6 first took over did a lot of Dundalk fans boycott the club until new ownership take over?

[oriel]

This really signals the end of Dundalk as a force here, doesn't it?

Even if Peak6 covered the losses from this year (which would be substantial, given they barely broke even last year with EL group stage qualification), you're still looking at a 2022 with (almost certainly) no Euro income and no Euro reserves. That's going to slash a couple of mill off the playing budget surely?

It seems possibly the only good thing Peak6 did for the club was to give out one-year contracts at the start of this season. Maybe they had a feeling this was the last throw of the dice?

Would hardly think so, P6 purely wasted money, for starters around 15k a week on 4 rubbish players in Abibi, Sonni, Han and Zahibo, that alone could be spent on 5 quality replacements, plus interesting to look back since Perth finally saw sense, the only p6 era signings he was picking were Stanton and Jurkovskis.

Monies remaining will be 250k left from P6 and 850k due from 2021 Euro season, then whatever budget Statsports / Andy C have.

However no euro income earned from 2022 will of course be a significant loss in income, actually come to think of it the first season since 2014 with no european football, a run of 8 consecutive summers and two group stages, damn right that will make a dent.

There is talk already of replacing the pitch and back to grass, how I would love that, would be a start, then gradually do up the kip of a ground after, if that took a few seasons of mid table, so be it, would be more beneficial in the longer term.

[pineapple stu]

Well I think the point is that 15k probably won't be available to spend on anyone next season. That'll be a big issue, especially when it comes to replacing the three guys gone to Derry

Time will tell I guess

[ToberonaTornado]

Its hard to say tbh, the club is off the back of a very different cycle. There are similarities when coming in as new owners, with issues to sort on players and staff. But it feels more positive this time when before it was a bit of an unknown. Keeping expectations in check certainly short term and probably longer but tapping in to and keeping that positivity - there could be one of the bigger crowds in seen in oriel for a couple of years *cough* v Derry as a show of support and solidarity with the owners, season tickets sales will bounce back and probably grow a bit. I dont think anyone will seriously be expecting a repeat of recent years of being dominant but if there is obvious progress on and off the field (not too hard that bit) then being an also ran for a while wont cut too deep. Find another astute manager who can build a team if they cant buy one and who knows. Not surprisingly the managerial rumour mill is in full flow though I think are more wishlist. Nah not bleak, relief! It could be worse and tbh it has been in the past - this at face value was a fairly easy transfer of ownership.

It should be easier to build local sponsorship this time for example but do we lose a main sponsor, was say a 3 year deal paid up front and were stuck for now - stuff that we dont know and maybe cant know as fans either. Volunteerism will improve and some very key people in previous success may return. All will be a lot more experienced in the nuts and bolts of running a competitive senior club than in 2012/13. An active supporters club is now there and was a huge miss, if we can keep complacency like that at bay then were already ahead.

Excellent post Nesta.

So delighted to see this deal with StatSports and the Connollys is finally over the line and P6 are totally gone from the scene here in Dundalk.

There's a LOT of "stuff" that needs fixing now at the club and hopefully that can be achieved in the coming weeks and months.(maybe even years:( )

To every Dundalk fan on this forum and to everybody else who supported us during the P6 SHI* show times - i thank yous all and i love yous forever xxxxxx

The club is back in the right hands now.

[ToberonaTornado]

Would hardly think so, P6 purely wasted money, for starters around 15k a week on 4 rubbish players in Abibi, Sonni, Han and Zahibo, that alone could be spent on 5 quality replacements, plus interesting to look back since Perth finally saw sense, the only p6 era signings he was picking were Stanton and Jurkovskis.

Monies remaining will be 250k left from P6 and 850k due from 2021 Euro season, then whatever budget Statsports / Andy C have.

However no euro income earned from 2022 will of course be a significant loss in income, actually come to think of it the first season since 2014 with no european football, a run of 8 consecutive summers and two group stages, damn right that will make a dent.

There is talk already of replacing the pitch and back to grass, how I would love that, would be a start, then gradually do up the kip of a ground after, if that took a few seasons of mid table, so be it, would be more beneficial in the longer term.

Although i'm no fan on the artificial pitch it does have many advantages. Any decision to replace it for grass should be mulled over for a while. The pitch we have was very,very poorly maintained this last 12/18 months.

[ToberonaTornado]

Former DFC COO,Martin Connolly and former Dundalk coach and legend John Gill audio interviews on local radio below article.Decent interviews.

https://www.lmfm.ie/news/sport/new-era-for-dundalk-as-americans-depart-and-local-owners-assume-control/

[DCSIL]

Now would be fine to introduce stricter FFP controls on LoI, connected to financial performance of the club with restrictions on owners covering losses!!!

;) If anything the FAI should be looking into how clubs budgets are formed, maybe those connected to one club covert funding another club in the league and giving an unfair advantage. Can't think who that would involve though..

Going to be an interesting Winter, at the moment you've got maybe 2 i would say challenging again for the League the rest we'll see.

[oriel]

Well I think the point is that 15k probably won't be available to spend on anyone next season. That'll be a big issue, especially when it comes to replacing the three guys gone to Derry

Time will tell I guess

Thats a fair point, but so is the absolute wasting of money by P6, for example the wages spent on Zahibo could have funded Richie Towell if he has chosen to come back, but who in their right mind would have joined mid season such was the circus on show, but just making a comparison in player for player.

There is no doubt a re-build will be required, but as long as the club get much better value for money, that reported 15k wasted on the 4 players mentioned won't be missed.

[oriel]

Although i'm no fan on the artificial pitch it does have many advantages. Any decision to replace it for grass should be mulled over for a while. The pitch we have was very,very poorly maintained this last 12/18 months.

Most players will prefer to play on grass, its just a pity there is no other section of the ground to re-install it, its far too expensive also to replace every few years.

A lot forget a cool 1 million from the EL monies went on a new pitch in 2017 and paying off the planning fees to the LCC for the YDC, which is an asset, but just shows how quickly the money can do, prob add in another 500k for upgrading the YDC, that's more of it gone. Then came the madness of P6 and wages on unheard of players.

I still think they should look at going back to grass.

[pineapple stu]

Thats a fair point, but so is the absolute wasting of money by P6, for example the wages spent on Zahibo could have funded Richie Towell if he has chosen to come back, but who in their right mind would have joined mid season such was the circus on show, but just making a comparison in player for player.

There is no doubt a re-build will be required, but as long as the club get much better value for money, that reported 15k wasted on the 4 players mentioned won't be missed.
Oh P6 wasted money spectacularly alright. Did any of their foreign signings amount to much? It does seem like literally every single one was actively crap. Blind luck would do better than that, you'd have thought.

But if you take all them and the three guys gone to Derry off the wage bill and replace them with local amateurs (as in, literally amateurs with no pay), surely the team is weaker? I don't know how much of a money pot the new guys have, but I doubt it's EL group stage sized.

[Kiki Balboa]

Oh P6 wasted money spectacularly alright. Did any of their foreign signings amount to much?

Ravis and Stanton are good players, Ben Amar can be something too.

The money dished out was awful (Zahibo in particular was never going to work), but you cant also expect every transfer to be a hit. The bigger problem for me was the organization around the team. Bringing in half fit players, who have been out of contract for a while and not giving them any pre-season (plus bringing foreign lads to Dundalk during Covid isnt a lot of peoples dreams). Then expect them to be hits straight away, and replace veterans? Of course it would fail. It was crazy and a testament to how the club was run. Big contracts on possibly (big question) talented players and giving them no real way of making a success out of it.

An example is Ben Amar, who is young, and hasnt played for a few months before coming to Dundalk. He looked heavy, had no preseason and then thrown in half-way during the season against lads that were playing at the peak of their seasons. Not even signing him for next year. He has had no chance at Dundalk. What is worse is Dundalk wouldnt even know if there is player there or not.

[ToberonaTornado]

]Most players will prefer to play on grass[/U], its just a pity there is no other section of the ground to re-install it, its far too expensive also to replace every few years.

A lot forget a cool 1 million from the EL monies went on a new pitch in 2017 and paying off the planning fees to the LCC for the YDC, which is an asset, but just shows how quickly the money can do, prob add in another 500k for upgrading the YDC, that's more of it gone. Then came the madness of P6 and wages on unheard of players.

I still think they should look at going back to grass..

There's very few decent grass pitches in the league anyway.The lads that are taking over know that.I think ripping-up the pitch at op will be symbolic only and could be an expensive mistake from the club.

[pineapple stu]

The bigger problem for me was the organization around the team. Bringing in half fit players, who have been out of contract for a while and not giving them any pre-season (plus bringing foreign lads to Dundalk during Covid isnt a lot of peoples dreams). Then expect them to be hits straight away, and replace veterans? Of course it would fail. It was crazy and a testament to how the club was run. Big contracts on possibly (big question) talented players and giving them no real way of making a success out of it.

An example is Ben Amar, who is young, and hasnt played for a few months before coming to Dundalk. He looked heavy, had no preseason and then thrown in half-way during the season against lads that were playing at the peak of their seasons. Not even signing him for next year. He has had no chance at Dundalk. What is worse is Dundalk wouldnt even know if there is player there or not.
That's an interesting analysis. Dundalk are one of the few LoI clubs with a Director of Football afaik (at least, a full-time one) and one of the main roles of that job is to vet the proposed signings. Otherwise, you have a manager saying to the Board (who might be business people rather than football experts) that they want to spend x on this player and to offer him a contract of y per week, and the Board have no real way of seeing if that's reasonable.

I know some of those signings were agreed before Magilton came on board, and I'm not sure if Magilton is entirely happy at Dundalk, but something's gone badly wrong there it seems.

Though that something is almost certainly linked with Peak6, so if they're gone, that should help.

[ToberonaTornado]

Oh P6 wasted money spectacularly alright. Did any of their foreign signings amount to much? It does seem like literally every single one was actively crap. Blind luck would do better than that, you'd have thought.

But if you take all them and the three guys gone to Derry off the wage bill and replace them with local amateurs (as in, literally amateurs with no pay), surely the team is weaker? I don't know how much of a money pot the new guys have, but I doubt it's EL group stage sized.

Never look past the 2 USA guys that we signed and who were sent to Athlone "on loan". Athlone swiftly sent them back to Dundalk they were so bad. That was the ineptitude we were dealing with here.

[Kiki Balboa]

That's an interesting analysis. Dundalk are one of the few LoI clubs with a Director of Football afaik (at least, a full-time one) and one of the main roles of that job is to vet the proposed signings. Otherwise, you have a manager saying to the Board (who might be business people rather than football experts) that they want to spend x on this player and to offer him a contract of y per week, and the Board have no real way of seeing if that's reasonable.

I know some of those signings were agreed before Magilton came on board, and I'm not sure if Magilton is entirely happy at Dundalk, but something's gone badly wrong there it seems.

Though that something is almost certainly linked with Peak6, so if they're gone, that should help.

Peak6 had no clue about football, never mind LOI football. Bluffers and agents took advantage of them. Magilton is one of those bluffers, a total spoofer, and was there to bleed rich people dry. (...there was other issues, but on the football side, this was a huge problem).

It is summed up by wanting Dave Rogers to take the job in front of Perth, but was over ruled. Thank God Peak6 overruled him or we would have been relegated. Im not a big Perth fan, but with the names mentioned at the time, it was the right choice.

I might be a little angry when typing this, but I swear Magilton should have been fired on the spot for that suggestion. No joke. In the list of errors of Peak6, Magilton is close to the top.

[ToberonaTornado]

KIKI Balboa is almost crying and now i'm in tears myself.

https://www.dundalkfc.com/colm-returns-to-oriel/

Colm Murphy has returned to the club.

Anybody who knows anything about Dundalk and LOI will understand how big this is. this is HUGE!!

[Mr A]

As a league we are quick to beat ourselves up and to consider everyone everywhere to be better at stuff than we are.

But running an LOI club is hellishly difficult and it's hard to beat safe hands who have done it before with success.

[DCWA]

That'll be a big issue, especially when it comes to replacing the three guys gone to Derry



Five. Don’t forget Sloggett and Cleary.

[EatYerGreens]

There is talk already of replacing the pitch and back to grass, how I would love that, would be a start, then gradually do up the kip of a ground after, if that took a few seasons of mid table, so be it, would be more beneficial in the longer term.

I would say this is the most sensible approach for Dundalk to take over the next five or so years.

Derry's owner said earlier this year that he wants to win the league within the next 3 seasons (i.e. by 2023/4). Presumably he also intends for them to dominate, and not just win it once off. It would be madness for any club to think they can enter into an arms race for the top players with a billionaire. It makes more sense instead to focus on improving things off the pitch and then come back into play much stronger when the steam goes out of Derry again. All empires eventually fall, and Derry would be no different.

[ToberonaTornado]

LOL

:confused: When the steam goes out of Derry?
You're smoking stuff i wish i was smoking. Talking BS eyg

[Nesta99]

KIKI Balboa is almost crying and now i'm in tears myself.

https://www.dundalkfc.com/colm-returns-to-oriel/

Colm Murphy has returned to the club.

Anybody who knows anything about Dundalk and LOI will understand how big this is. this is HUGE!!


Key people returning!! For some context, Colm has been front and centre at Oriel Park for about 20 years and a driving force for an awful lot of what was good and improved at the club over the years. From being editor of the excellent match program (with plenty of other great contributors) Was one of the leads in the DFC Trust that dealt with Gerry Matthews during that previous purchase of the club - Gerry did plenty for the club himself but did not make that an easy process back in 2012/13. Then as club secretary was tireless in his time and efforts for the club and in a voluntary capacity, tbh I dont know how he balanced things with the day job. When he walked away from the club about midway during P6 ownership it was a very bad sign and wouldnt have been an easy decision. If things were trawled back over it would be no surprise if this was when things started to slide and was the beginning of the end of P6 ownership. There are undoubtedly other key people that left the club also and it lost its way, but Colm Murphy leaving, for me, was when it really got to the things are really getting bad point. For Colm to return within days of P6 leaving is a really big indication of getting back on track in terms of club administration. Whenever there is an Volume II of the History of Dundalk FC I really feel that Colm's involvement in the club will show how important a role he has and will now continue to play!! No pressure lol. Thing is he would probably hate any thanks for the many thankless and important roles undertaken!

[Nesta99]

;) If anything the FAI should be looking into how clubs budgets are formed, maybe those connected to one club covert funding another club in the league and giving an unfair advantage. Can't think who that would involve though..

Going to be an interesting Winter, at the moment you've got maybe 2 i would say challenging again for the League the rest we'll see.

Shush!! Drogheda wont want it public knowledge how we gave them digouts!!:o

[Martinho II]

Colm Murphy Im pretty sure that I bought one of his books on history of Dundalk! Great to see him back with Dundalk.

[Nesta99]

Colm Murphy Im pretty sure that I bought one of his books on history of Dundalk! Great to see him back with Dundalk.

Jim Murphy was the writer of the book, sadly passed not so long ago. Colm, no relation i think, has stories to tell no doubt!

[pateen]

Was there any mention of how much Peak6 invested in the club, if anything that is?

[Nesta99]

Well they covered any losses made, but of course they chose to offer large wages to some players that created a big chunk of the financial shortfall. As owners of the club they owned any cash reserves to spend as they pleased - it was their money. though there is some splitting hairs maybe. They kept things fully funded during the pandemic. But did they dig deep in to their own pockets rather than just the money the club had and earned? Maybe not a whole lot and certainly not on really tangible stuff like spectator facilities. Player facilities its a mixed bag with stuff done prior to their involvement and then added to, mainly in the YDC.

[David BOHie]

What's the contract situation with Dundalk? Were most on one year deals last year so pretty much nobody is signed up at this stage?

Presumably Dundalk will have a reduced budget this year so I'd be trying to sway a few of the lads back to Dublin if I could.

[oriel]

Need to get the manager situation sorted first for 2022, word is the new consortium will be making plans clear as soon as the Derry game is out of the way, which completes the 2021 season and for those apart from Andy Boyle and 2 other juniors not out of contract.

Will be a reduced budget, but should still be competitive, P6 simply threw ridiculous money at risky players like Zahibo, meant to have been one of the highest paid LOI of all time, don't even start me on the rest, there are at least 5 others who need to go, others who they would want to keep will also move (Patching is one I would think) but for those who 'need to go' thankfully for once the one year deals are an advantage, and they will be gone after the Derry game.

Would imagine the new group have identified who they want to stay and to get in, but wages will absolutely be coming down from the unstainable levels of 2021. Maybe no harm and will get better value than 6th place finish from 2021.

[EatYerGreens]

So that's Arkaga at Cork and Peak6 at Dundalk, neither of which have worked out well.

The next time a venture capital company comes sniffing around Irish football and the fans of whichever club they alight on get giddy with excitement, let's all remind them of how it always turns out.

[TonyD]

.

There's very few decent grass pitches in the league anyway.The lads that are taking over know that.I think ripping-up the pitch at op will be symbolic only and could be an expensive mistake from the club.

The worst grass pitch in the league ( I dunno, Harps ?) would ten times better than Oriel. If I had my way I’d ban them all. Watched Pats v Derry there a few weeks ago and the pitch was horrendous.

[oriel]

The worst grass pitch in the league ( I dunno, Harps ?) would ten times better than Oriel. If I had my way I’d ban them all. Watched Pats v Derry there a few weeks ago and the pitch was horrendous.

Not a fan of the pitches either and hopefully ours will be replaced for 2023 season, but have to say always surprises me so little said about Brandywell, it was in a shocking state last August when I watched a game, its def equally as bad, possibly worse at times, depending on maintenance.

[D24Saint]

Not a fan of the pitches either and hopefully ours will be replaced for 2023 season, but have to say always surprises me so little said about Brandywell, it was in a shocking state last August when I watched a game, its def equally as bad, possibly worse at times, depending on maintenance.

With grass or a newer generation of artificial pitch ? I like the idea of the artificial pitches are it allows more freedom of use for a stadium i.e. community work , training etc. I think unfortunately the examples in Ireland haven't been the best, id imagine in the USA or elsewhere there has to be a higher grade available.

[oriel]

With grass or a newer generation of artificial pitch ? I like the idea of the artificial pitches are it allows more freedom of use for a stadium i.e. community work , training etc. I think unfortunately the examples in Ireland haven't been the best, id imagine in the USA or elsewhere there has to be a higher grade available.

Rumour is StatSports want to put in a grass pitch and start using their links in UK for the loan market, not attractive under current pitch.

Would be great if the current pitch could be used in another area, but the training pitch behind oriel is not owned by the club, they could come to an arrangement though with the owner and install it, as its prone to flooding from Oct- Nov each year onwards.