Transfers 2019 season

[pineapple stu]

Conor Sammon and Dave McMillan released by Hearts and St Johnstone respectively.

Wonder will either return home now?

McMillan was unlucky with injuries after joining St Johnstone, but it's still disappointing that he didn't make more of an impact in the SPL. It seems that more LoI players going abroad are misses rather than hits lately. Maguire's done alright but no better (a difficult second season with just three goals), and Curtis has a couple of caps and a double-figure goal tally, but the likes of Andy Boyle, Pat Hoban, Kevin O'Connor, Graham Burke and McMillan have all unfortunately not made an impact, while others like Forrester, Towell and Horgan have earned a decent career but never really lived up to their perceived potential, and Sadlier and O'Malley are bit-part players in the third tier in England.

Probably fair to say that any Ireland team for the foreseeable future with 8 LoI players in the squad (like we had at Euro 2016) is going to be a fairly poor team. And that in an era when we're getting used to some fairly poor international teams too.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Conor Sammon and Dave McMillan released by Hearts and St Johnstone respectively.

Wonder will either return home now?

McMillan was unlucky with injuries after joining St Johnstone, but it's still disappointing that he didn't make more of an impact in the SPL. It seems that more LoI players going abroad are misses rather than hits lately. Maguire's done alright but no better (a difficult second season with just three goals), and Curtis has a couple of caps and a double-figure goal tally, but the likes of Andy Boyle, Pat Hoban, Kevin O'Connor, Graham Burke and McMillan have all unfortunately not made an impact, while others like Forrester, Towell and Horgan have earned a decent career but never really lived up to their perceived potential, and Sadlier and O'Malley are bit-part players in the third tier in England.

Probably fair to say that any Ireland team for the foreseeable future with 8 LoI players in the squad (like we had at Euro 2016) is going to be a fairly poor team. And that in an era when we're getting used to some fairly poor international teams too.

People tend to look back on those 8 with a bit of a rose tinted view in fairness, other than McClean and arguably Meyler and Long they didn't really make big instant impacts in the UK, Hoolahan being the most obvious example. It's hard and only getting harder for LOI players to go over and make instant impacts because our league is getting more technical but the lower leagues in England are still very scrappy so unless a player is snapped up by a top championship of Premier league team in general they have to change their game to impress and if they don't they fall down the leagues even further which just multiplies the effects.

Players need to stop going to bloody Preston though, route one stuff battling at the foot of the table just does not suit the better players in the league that will be the ones looking for moves.

[pineapple stu]

Well, Coleman obviously made a big impact, and Ward went straight into a Wolves team which soon gained promotion to the Premiership. Even Stephen Quinn was playing in the Premiership a year after leaving Pat's.

But yeah, Hoolahan and Forde took time to get going, for sure, so things don't have to happen immediately. So I don't fully disagree with what your saying, but I suppose the problem is the current situation is still a step back. ANd I think that's showing in the transfer fees being paid for LoI players these days - they're way lower than what they were ten years ago, and I think that's in part because the players aren't making any impact, so there's just less interest. Less transfer fees coming into the league is an issue all of itself really.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Well, Coleman obviously made a big impact, and Ward went straight into a Wolves team which soon gained promotion to the Premiership. Even Stephen Quinn was playing in the Premiership a year after leaving Pat's.

But yeah, Hoolahan and Forde took time to get going, for sure, so things don't have to happen immediately. So I don't fully disagree with what your saying, but I suppose the problem is the current situation is still a step back. ANd I think that's showing in the transfer fees being paid for LoI players these days - they're way lower than what they were ten years ago, and I think that's in part because the players aren't making any impact, so there's just less interest. Less transfer fees coming into the league is an issue all of itself really.

Yeah looking at their statistics I had got some timings slightly off, thought Coleman was at Everton longer before being loaned out for example.

It's a step back but it's symptomatic of the wealth gap appearing in global football and its not unique to our league, its happening to all the smaller leagues. Even just looking at since Coleman went over, when he got promoted with Blackpool the playoff final was the 80 million pound match, now its the 170 million pound match. The increased amount of money means players aren't being given as long because clubs are scared ****less of being relegated and can afford to get a replacement in at first sign of struggle and the money isn't being spread around because clubs have just taken the approach they can afford to wait on players and take the risk with low ball offers.

[Ezeikial]

Conor Sammon and Dave McMillan released by Hearts and St Johnstone respectively.



When did David McMillan's release by St Johnstone happen?

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright was quoted in the Scottish media yesterday saying



“David McMillan is still available for transfer or loan but he’ll come back and we can play Michael O’Halloran up there. But we will be looking to sign a striker.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/903646/st-johnstone-boss-tommy-wright-wants-a-striker-but-hes-prepared-to-wait/

[pineapple stu]

It's a step back but it's symptomatic of the wealth gap appearing in global football and its not unique to our league, its happening to all the smaller leagues. Even just looking at since Coleman went over, when he got promoted with Blackpool the playoff final was the 80 million pound match, now its the 170 million pound match. The increased amount of money means players aren't being given as long because clubs are scared ****less of being relegated and can afford to get a replacement in at first sign of struggle and the money isn't being spread around because clubs have just taken the approach they can afford to wait on players and take the risk with low ball offers.
True. Thr biggest issue we have is the lack of a professional league; must make it so much harder to go to England when you're coming from a part-time league or are a part-time player. And that has to be the biggest failure of Delaney's tenure - while money in football has been increasing almost exponentially, and the FAI's turnover is ten times what it was 15 years ago, prize and TV money in the league is a pittance. And I think that's directly linked to the decline of the national team too

[Ashbohs]

It would be an interesting excercise to tally up the amount of players from U19/senior LOI squads that have moved abroad and the value of the transfers.
Bazuna being the obvious recent one in that the fee was reported as decent.
We sold O Hora to Brighton and took on a bit extra in add ons.
Obviously if Doherty leaves Wolves we get 10% and without getting into a slagging match with Rathfarnham hoop and others it's without question something that even the top clubs will have an eye on. That is a player will always be sold across if the fee is decent. The more technical and experienced the player and contracted , the bigger fee we can demand. And there is nothing wrong in that

[outspoken]

Conor Sammon and Dave McMillan released by Hearts and St Johnstone respectively.

Wonder will either return home now?

McMillan was unlucky with injuries after joining St Johnstone, but it's still disappointing that he didn't make more of an impact in the SPL. It seems that more LoI players going abroad are misses rather than hits lately. Maguire's done alright but no better (a difficult second season with just three goals), and Curtis has a couple of caps and a double-figure goal tally, but the likes of Andy Boyle, Pat Hoban, Kevin O'Connor, Graham Burke and McMillan have all unfortunately not made an impact, while others like Forrester, Towell and Horgan have earned a decent career but never really lived up to their perceived potential, and Sadlier and O'Malley are bit-part players in the third tier in England.

Probably fair to say that any Ireland team for the foreseeable future with 8 LoI players in the squad (like we had at Euro 2016) is going to be a fairly poor team. And that in an era when we're getting used to some fairly poor international teams too.

Fair to say theyl be a poor side if they play caveman football like the lower leagues in England, hence why so many of our players fail over there. Hopefully it will be a different story when King Kenny takes over

[pineapple stu]

I don't think there's any evidence whatsoever to suggest that LoI players failing in England is because the technical standard in England isn't good enough.

[pineapple stu]

It would be an interesting excercise to tally up the amount of players from U19/senior LOI squads that have moved abroad and the value of the transfers.
Yup. The PCA document back in the day had a chart of the fees (though the very nature of transfer fees meant it was an estimate). There was also a comparison with transfer fees earned by similar size leagues. We did not fare well at all.

[outspoken]

I don't think there's any evidence whatsoever to suggest that LoI players failing in England is because the technical standard in England isn't good enough.

Ah cmon now, take a player like McEleney for example, goes from a free flowing Dundalk side that create chance after chance to an Oldham side who are in a dog fight so have to resort to hitting the corners and winning second balls, it's a battle.

[pineapple stu]

Easy to create chance after chance against sides like Harps, UCD, Bray and Limerick in fairness. Not so easy when put in a fully professional league.

(I didn't include McEleney in my list above because he left Oldham due to unpaid wages, but he could easily have gone on the list of flops)

[RathfarnhamHoop]

I don't think there's any evidence whatsoever to suggest that LoI players failing in England is because the technical standard in England isn't good enough.

There's not really any statistical evidence of anything like that but just watching league 1&2 it's pretty clear that for the most part technical players that can't get involved in a physical battle suffer. When you're brought in for your one touch, quick 1-2s and your put on a sand pit or mud bath every second week with your centre back lumping it 80 yards whenever they get the ball and everyone else in the team doing similar you're going to suffer.

[pineapple stu]

I can believe that - certainly any lower league game I've seen, the two things that stand out for me have been increased physicality less evident technical ability. I also haven't seen many sandpits or mudbaths; I think those days are to a large extent gone, even in the lower leagues.

But I don't think it follows that it's dragging LoI players down. I think the top players here shine because they're in a part-time league, and many just aren't good enough when they move up a level to League 1 or the SPL.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

I can believe that - certainly any lower league game I've seen, the two things that stand out for me have been increased physicality less evident technical ability. I also haven't seen many sandpits or mudbaths; I think those days are to a large extent gone, even in the lower leagues.

But I don't think it follows that it's dragging LoI players down. I think the top players here shine because they're in a part-time league, and many just aren't good enough when they move up a level to League 1 or the SPL.

I don't watch a tonne of lower league football mostly just the highlights show but Blackpool and Coventry tend to consistently have pretty poor pitches from what I've seen/can remember.

The top players here don't just shine domestically though they shine in Europe too which for the most part is against professional clubs. I'd say it really does drag them down, you're asking players who've been signed because they're good at one thing to do another then not giving them time to adapt which is hard on them.

[pineapple stu]

Europe is maybe a fair comment, although there's been plenty of games where they haven't shone. Dundalk getting battered by Larnaka. Derry shipping double figures against Midtylland. St Pat's scraping past a poor (i.e. not Dudelange) Luxembourg team on away goals. Cork pretty much any time in the past 3 years.

And the Europe comparison is hard because there's extra focus on those games - league games cancelled, etc - and players are probably really up for them. If they're lucky, they get a team out of season. Playing in England is, by comparison, the "Can he do it on a cold rainy night in Stoke?" question - and by and large, they can't.

They can be more technical, sure, but physicality won out over technique years ago in the modern game I think (obviously if you have both, then great)

I don't think it's a coincidence that the 8 ex-LoI players at Euro 2016 all played when the LoI was largely a full-time league, before the bubble popped. Since then (around 2010/11) the league has provided almost nothing at national level.

[Shearer]

Thomas Byrne to be released by Drogs is the rumour.

[ToberonaTornado]

Thomas Byrne to be released by Drogs is the rumour.
:mad: his face all the f*cking time.
Angry man.

[Olé Olé]

AFC Wimbledon came in for Byrne in January when they sighed Dylan Connolly from Dundalk. Drogs agreed with Byrne that it would be best if he stayed for the first half of the season to really put himself in the shop window, such was the form that he was showing going into the season. Not sure where he goes from here. Such a waste.

[DFCForever]

Just saw on Twitter that Scunthorpe United are apparently after Hoban. Deal could reach 500k plus add-ons. Not sure how reliable the source is but I hope it doesn't happen, wouldn't be the right deal for the club or for the player.

[joey B]

Conor McDermott gone to Cliftonville on loan from Derry, surprised at that one.

[sbgawa]

Just saw on Twitter that Scunthorpe United are apparently after Hoban. Deal could reach 500k plus add-ons. Not sure how reliable the source is but I hope it doesn't happen, wouldn't be the right deal for the club or for the player.


4 goals from play this year, 500k is a lot of money for a LOI club to turn down,
get Dave Macmillan back for free

[Asterix]

Isn't Hobans contract up at the end of the season? Can't see them paying that much if it is.

[Ezeikial]

4 goals from play this year, 500k is a lot of money for a LOI club to turn down,
get Dave Macmillan back for free

With 29 goals last season and 11 so far this season, Pat Hoban is the leagues most prolific scorer by some distance.

He is also out of contract at the end of the season - whatever about Scunthorpe and other UK clubs being interested in him, no one is going to be forking out big money in that circumstances.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

With 29 goals last season and 11 so far this season, Pat Hoban is the leagues most frequent penalty taker by some distance.

He is also out of contract at the end of the season - whatever about Scunthorpe and other UK clubs being interested in him, no one is going to be forking out big money in that circumstances.

Fixed that for you to make it more accurate.

[Ezeikial]

Fixed that for you to make it more accurate.

Patrick Hoban is generous - Robbie Benson, Chris Shields and most recently John Mountney have also taken penalties in the last couple of seasons

Even without the penalties no striker comes even close to his goal scoring record since he returned to the league

[pineapple stu]

Surely someone in Scunthorpe would need their head examined if they're thinking of forking out half a mill on a player who scored 7 goals in 77 League Two/Conference games over 3 seasons in England.

What's changed since?

[Ezeikial]

Surely someone in Scunthorpe would need their head examined if they're thinking of forking out half a mill on a player who scored 7 goals in 77 League Two/Conference games over 3 seasons in England.

What's changed since?

The most obvious thing that has changed is that he as returned to the LoI and scored 40 league goals in about 55 matches

I doubt very much that anyone in Scunthorpe or anywhere else is thinking of splashing out £500k on a player who is out of contract in a few months.

However, there is plenty of UK interest in him.

Whether a third UK foray would be a success or not is speculation and opinion, but he is clearly the top striker in this league

[sbgawa]

Surely someone in Scunthorpe would need their head examined if they're thinking of forking out half a mill on a player who scored 7 goals in 77 League Two/Conference games over 3 seasons in England.

What's changed since?

He gets to take the penos now :)
I think the out of contract bit probably explains the speculation as his agent is probably looking for a deal.
Goals from play this year after 20 games (or 19 in a couple of cases)
Dinny C 7
Aaron Greene 6
M Duffy 6
Romeo Parkes 6
Ciaran Harkin 5
D Parkhouse 5
Hatstand 5 Please i'm only joking :)

[seand]

AFC Wimbledon came in for Byrne in January when they sighed Dylan Connolly from Dundalk. Drogs agreed with Byrne that it would be best if he stayed for the first half of the season to really put himself in the shop window, such was the form that he was showing going into the season. Not sure where he goes from here. Such a waste.

Wow, love this idea. Don't go sign for a League one club in England when you can really put yourself in the shop window in the League of Ireland First Division!

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Patrick Hoban is generous - Robbie Benson, Chris Shields and most recently John Mountney have also taken penalties in the last couple of seasons

Even without the penalties no striker comes even close to his goal scoring record since he returned to the league

Other than Mountney on Friday how many of them have taken one with him on the pitch?
Still doesn't change what I said though does it?

Very selective time frame there, why not take this season as a data sample?

[Ezeikial]

Other than Mountney on Friday how many of them have taken one with him on the pitch?


2 out of the 3 mentioned - Chris Shields is the exception



Still doesn't change what I said though does it?


If you said that he scores a lot of penalties, that remains true, especially in the current season



Very selective time frame there, why not take this season as a data sample?

It matters little what time frame you choose to use - Hoban captured the club all-time league goals record earlier this season in only his 4th season with the club

Before he went to Oxford in 2014, he was also topped the league goal scoring lists (jointly with Christy Fagan).

Since he returned to Dundalk ahead of last season and has been the leagues top goalscorer by some distance. If he remains till the end of this season I expect him to be top scorer again.

His consistency at Dundalk has been remarkable

[Shearer]

He's not good enough to play in England

[RathfarnhamHoop]

If you said that he scores a lot of penalties, that remains true, especially in the current season



It matters little what time frame you choose to use - Hoban captured the club all-time league goals record earlier this season in only his 4th season with the club

Before he went to Oxford in 2014, he was also topped the league goal scoring lists (jointly with Christy Fagan).

Since he returned to Dundalk ahead of last season and has been the leagues top goalscorer by some distance. If he remains till the end of this season I expect him to be top scorer again.

His consistency at Dundalk has been remarkable

Struggling to read again are we? That's exactly what I said and you ignored to talk about a load of completely irrelevant stuff.

It matters a lot what time you choose as illustrated by a reply a few replies up.

Hoban is a decent finisher but to talk of him as if he's some sort of goal scoring God isn't accurate when more than half his league goals this season have come from penalties. Statistically currently he's a worse finisher from open play than Aaron Greene :)

[sbgawa]

Struggling to read again are we? That's exactly what I said and you ignored to talk about a load of completely irrelevant stuff.

It matters a lot what time you choose as illustrated by a reply a few replies up.

Hoban is a decent finisher but to talk of him as if he's some sort of goal scoring God isn't accurate when more than half his league goals this season have come from penalties. Statistically currently he's a worse finisher from open play than Aaron Greene :)

And a half dozen others as well........
Agent talk has to be , if DFC are offered 500k for him they should take it and sign Romeo from Sligo before Cork get him :)

[outspoken]

Judging by the other transfer stories on that account (which only has a few hundred followers) there's zero chance the Hoban story is true. Contract up at end of season, nobodies giving 500k if they are indeed interested

[joey B]

Mitchell Beeney left Sligo Rovers by mutal consent.

[Martinho II]

Mitchell Beeney left Sligo Rovers by mutal consent.

thats a bit of a surprise that. is that cos he lost his place?

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Certainly heard that he wanted out after being dropped after Waterford game but not sure what exactly happened there as he wasn’t even on the bench since that game so must have been a bust up of some sort

[Shearer]

Shane Daly Bütz leaves Cork.

[Nesta99]

Shane Daly Bütz leaves Cork.

The start of a badly needed culling of the squad in Cork. It could be a bit on the expensive side if players contracts need paying up but might be whats needed in the longer term to get things back in order and pressure off the playing budget.

[Jack B]

The McDermott move seems a bit strange given how highly he touted he was not too long ago. Has the injury he suffered had that much of a lasting effect?

[TonyD]

Shane Daly Bütz leaves Cork.

First time he played at Inchicore I thought the announcer had said "Deadly Buzz" 😀 (Insert Junkies joke here !)

[Olander]

Galway United have signed Jack Lynch until the end of the season. 21 year old defender, son of Tommy Lynch, that has been playing Junior football with Regional United in Limerick but is probably better known to Waterford fans in League of Ireland circles anyway, made 10 or so appearances for them in 2017 in their First Division winning season. Suppose he was only 19 then.

Reached the FAI Junior Cup semi final with Regional this year, beating Sheriff but they got thrown out because one of their players didn't receive international clearance. Any Limerick or Waterford fans got an opinion on him?

[PartySaint]

https://www.the42.ie/cummins-could-leave-cork-city-4688876-Jun2019/

Would be perfect for Pats with the 'style' of football we play. A big improvement on Gary Shaw, hopefully we're in for him.

[El-Pietro]

https://www.the42.ie/cummins-could-leave-cork-city-4688876-Jun2019/

Would be perfect for Pats with the 'style' of football we play. A big improvement on Gary Shaw, hopefully we're in for him.

I'll miss him if hes gone but would be good to get him off the wage budget. Its crazy how far we've fallen so fast.

[Martinho II]

I'll miss him if hes gone but would be good to get him off the wage budget. Its crazy how far we've fallen so fast.

its crazy the amount of players ye have used so far this season and not midway!

[oriel]

Cummins must be on some money if they are trying to offload him, hes done ok for Cork, but they probably expected a lot better, and certainly more goals.

Amazing to think at the start of 2018 it was suggested by some whoever scores the most between him and Hoban would decide the league.

However it is indeed crazy how far Cork have fallen behind, I had thoughts they would put on a push at some point and challenge for the top 4, but you don’t get that impression now, mid table would seem to be their limits. It’s just the speed of the decline that caught everyone out, and it can’t be too optimistic about next season either, finances will determine that and a nucleus of 3 decent players could change things, but will they spend money I wonder, or will there be further cut backs given euro monies next season might be unlikely.

[Ezeikial]

Cummins must be on some money if they are trying to offload him, hes done ok for Cork, but they probably expected a lot better, and certainly more goals.

Amazing to think at the start of 2018 it was suggested by some whoever scores the most between him and Hoban would decide the league.



That's remarkably generous





However it is indeed crazy how far Cork have fallen behind, I had thoughts they would put on a push at some point and challenge for the top 4, but you don’t get that impression now, mid table would seem to be their limits. It’s just the speed of the decline that caught everyone out, and it can’t be too optimistic about next season either, finances will determine that and a nucleus of 3 decent players could change things, but will they spend money I wonder, or will there be further cut backs given euro monies next season might be unlikely.

The gap to 4th (and probable Europa spot) is still only 7 points. The fact that there are 4 other teams to out-perform to get there is not insurmountable either if they can get a run going. The problem is that despite a modest "bounce" under JC2, there is no real sign of this happening to far.

If there is no Euro money next season and with the obvious deteriorating financial picture , the immediate outlook is poor especially with so many players out of contract.

[Nesta99]

He may be the hatstand Rovers are after. Bohs would create plenty of chances for him and Pats fans think he would fit in to their style whatever that is at the moment, so I think Cork might be successful in offloading him. If reducing the wage bill is the main objective I doubt there will be too many signings unless they are from local junior clubs ala Mark O'Sullivan.