2021 Season , Arrivals and departures

[Nesta99]

Not that it matters really but I believe his agent/advisor is the current Rovers chairman. The situation a mess entirely of John Delaney’s making but really at this stage the FAI should’ve found him a proper role or came to an agreement to pay him off.

If he kept a bankrupt club paying him, why not the FAI, maybe he isnt the type or maybe he feels justified but he is hardly short a few Euro and in need of milking the Irish game off the back of the biggest parasite on the Irish game.

[sbgawa]

I dont get why Stephen Kenny wouldnt have him in his set up?
How could our record scorer not be worth having around? even for working with the strikers on finishing?
Keane is probably justifiably ****ed off with the two fingers there.
The whole situation is a farce

[Calcio Jack]

Is there any of us in our professional lives that wouldn’t expect our employers to honour our contract with them ?

Always amazes me that so often many people then think that professional footballers/managers should he expected to waive* their rights to be paid what was contractually agreed .

* with the exception of Stephen Kenny 😜

[Sonny]

I dont get why Stephen Kenny wouldnt have him in his set up?
How could our record scorer not be worth having around? even for working with the strikers on finishing?
Keane is probably justifiably ****ed off with the two fingers there.
The whole situation is a farce

Maybe it's just that, as most rumblings seem to suggest, he's not a very good coach?

I don't understand how anyone would expect Kenny to have someone on his coaching staff just because he's a prominent former player who was given a ridiculous contract by John Delaney.

[sbgawa]

Maybe it's just that, as most rumblings seem to suggest, he's not a very good coach?

I don't understand how anyone would expect Kenny to have someone on his coaching staff just because he's a prominent former player who was given a ridiculous contract by John Delaney.


To be fair if Keane was good enough for Mick McCarthy a manger at a high level for many years he should have been capable of doing some sort of job for Kenny.
Not like his current crop of coaches appear to have been doing a fantastic job

[John83]

To be fair if Keane was good enough for Mick McCarthy a manger at a high level for many years he should have been capable of doing some sort of job for Kenny.
Not like his current crop of coaches appear to have been doing a fantastic job
There were quotes in Champaign Football that suggested McCarthy wasn't much impressed with the idea of taking on Robbie as a coach and that he basically accepted it as a fait accompli because the FAI had already hired him.

[Martinho II]

Not that it matters really but I believe his agent/advisor is the current Rovers chairman. The situation a mess entirely of John Delaney’s making but really at this stage the FAI should’ve found him a proper role or came to an agreement to pay him off.

Yeah correct Yossarian as Neil ORiordan has an excellent article in the Irish Sun on this farce with RK and mentioned about the agent!

[littlebray]

It was until Dundalk decide to break the mould and tell everyone they had double everyone else's budget.

Although in the wild world of the LOI that might still only be the fourth-highest.

Both statements are true. It's Quantum maths.

[Nesta99]

Is there any of us in our professional lives that wouldn’t expect our employers to honour our contract with them ?

Always amazes me that so often many people then think that professional footballers/managers should he expected to waive* their rights to be paid what was contractually agreed .

* with the exception of Stephen Kenny 

Mutual termination of contracts happen all the time, someone saves money and someone gets money - not usually an issue when the employee has employability. Football tends to work a bit differently as ye know - player contracts specially are only as valid for as long as the player wants and as you have alluded too there is a lot of picking and choosing on when and whether contracts should be enforced. Winston Bogarde my choice for smirking at his insisting on his contract terms being fulfilled.

[wonder88]

Do people not see the issue here with an employee of the FAI (governing body) helping out a certain club. Sport is competitive, professional more so, we are supposed to have some sort of rules around fairness. Some may say his coaching doesn't add much to Shamrock R but that is not the point, his substantial wages comes from the organisation that is actually running the league.

[Bucket]

Lots of development officers also coach LOI teams

[John83]

Do people not see the issue here with an employee of the FAI (governing body) helping out a certain club. Sport is competitive, professional more so, we are supposed to have some sort of rules around fairness. Some may say his coaching doesn't add much to Shamrock R but that is not the point, his substantial wages comes from the organisation that is actually running the league.
Not unless he was directed to do that work by the FAI, which I haven't heard suggested.

[ontheotherhand]

Do people not see the issue here with an employee of the FAI (governing body) helping out a certain club. Sport is competitive, professional more so, we are supposed to have some sort of rules around fairness. Some may say his coaching doesn't add much to Shamrock R but that is not the point, his substantial wages comes from the organisation that is actually running the league.

I really wish he added something that would cause us to reflect on this scenario and whether it needs some sort of ruling. Sadly, I think Robbie is getting a lot more from Rovers than they are from him.

[sbgawa]

So to sum it up Robbie Keane the guy who we celebrated like lunatics every one of his record tally of goals is

1. Not a good coach that the FAI shouldnt have employed
2. An unfair advantage for Rovers at the FAI's expense
3. wrong for taking his contractual entitlements
4. Not wanted by Mick

I've never understood the bad press RK got.
The new CEO Jonathan Hill hasnt spoken to Robbie yet despite being in the job several months (said it in an interview the other day)
The last CEO Gary Owens didnt come up with a role for Robbie

Is the FAI's idea to just ignore the situation and hope it go's away?

[Kiki Balboa]

Both Keanes got ridiculous contracts for the FAI. Roy Keanes was absolutely absurd. He was something like the 8th highest paid manager in intenational football, as only an assitant (which is little more than a part time job... so much so hhe was working at Villa during the time). From the outside and how much he has moved around, Robbie Keane seems to offer very little as a coach. I was a bit sick to my stomach when he was linked to the Dundalk job after Perth. No problem with him working with Rovers, I think its common and good for outside coaches to do a couple of sessions with a team.

For a cash strapped organisation, some of the contracts handed out made so little sense. But you can see the FAI strategy, pay off some big names to paper over the cracks.

[Dalymountrower]

So to sum it up Robbie Keane the guy who we celebrated like lunatics every one of his record tally of goals is

1. Not a good coach that the FAI shouldnt have employed
2. An unfair advantage for Rovers at the FAI's expense
3. wrong for taking his contractual entitlements
4. Not wanted by Mick

I've never understood the bad press RK got.
The new CEO Jonathan Hill hasnt spoken to Robbie yet despite being in the job several months (said it in an interview the other day)
The last CEO Gary Owens didnt come up with a role for Robbie

Is the FAI's idea to just ignore the situation and hope it go's away?

No idea whether Robbie Keane is a good coach or not, presumably Bradley is happy to have him around. That the FAI are obliged to pay out his contract but can find nothing useful for him to do, is appalling.
From Robbie Keanes perspective it is a win/win. Good publicity,gets to kick a ball around in the fresh air during Covid restrictions and re -ignites the Robbie Keane Stadium proposal which SDCC were musing o some years ago.

[mcgonigle]

Still something not quite right about an FAI employee providing assistance to one particular club. Surely he would be better going to the different academies and parting his wisdom than to players who have already peaked?

Bradley seems to think it'll be great for his strikers so I'm looking forward to the front flip celebrations this season. If he wants a challenge he should head up the M1 and try and teach our 6 foot plus lads how to front flip, a real test of his coaching abilities

[Northsider]

Is Keane an essential 'volunteer'?

Why is he allowed flout guidelines? This is reckless.

[Nesta99]

Is Keane an essential 'volunteer'?

Why is he allowed flout guidelines? This is reckless.

Thats actually quite a valid point (though Im not sure on whether its tongue in cheek). He'd have to have some formal arrangement in place to be allowed work within the 'bubble'. I dont particularly care whether he is coaching at Rovers or Thomas Davis particularly when there is only LoI in training. But if we werent in the midst of restrictions he would be better deployed as an NGB employee to guest coach at clubs, raising the profile of the game via eg open training sessions, taking underage sessions and visiting schoolboy clubs. It certainly has us talking about his involvement with Rovers regardless whether its considered fair or whatever so no harm imo.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't have any particular position on Keane but I'm delighted he's boiling other fans of other clubs' ****. He should continue purely for that reason.

[Charlie Darwin]

Thats actually quite a valid point (though Im not sure on whether its tongue in cheek). He'd have to have some formal arrangement in place to be allowed work within the 'bubble'. I dont particularly care whether he is coaching at Rovers or Thomas Davis particularly when there is only LoI in training. But if we werent in the midst of restrictions he would be better deployed as an NGB employee to guest coach at clubs, raising the profile of the game via eg open training sessions, taking underage sessions and visiting schoolboy clubs. It certainly has us talking about his involvement with Rovers regardless whether its considered fair or whatever so no harm imo.
He's not employed to do anything other than coach the national team, and the national coach has decided he can't do that, so the FAI can't force him to do anything else. The FAI may well decide to ask him to do what you describe but he'd be well entitled to say no and continue doing whatever he wants.

[Dalymountrower]

He's not employed to do anything other than coach the national team, and the national coach has decided he can't do that, so the FAI can't force him to do anything else. The FAI may well decide to ask him to do what you describe but he'd be well entitled to say no and continue doing whatever he wants.

So he is on some form of"garden leave" on full pay? So if he was to take up another coaching job,, or any other paid job, he may be in breach of his existing FAI contract .So taking credit for doing something unpaid in those circumstances is making a virtue of necessity
. Still, fair play to him for getting involved in local football when he probably could be holed up in the Carribean.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

It’s always been his dream etc

[sbgawa]

So he is on some form of"garden leave" on full pay? So if he was to take up another coaching job,, or any other paid job, he may be in breach of his existing FAI contract .So taking credit for doing something unpaid in those circumstances is making a virtue of necessity
. Still, fair play to him for getting involved in local football when he probably could be holed up in the Carribean.

No , he could take a job if he wanted, he was assistant at midlesboro.
Current job is winding up non rovers fans ��
The Fai

[Nesta99]

He's not employed to do anything other than coach the national team, and the national coach has decided he can't do that, so the FAI can't force him to do anything else. The FAI may well decide to ask him to do what you describe but he'd be well entitled to say no and continue doing whatever he wants.

Oh I know he can only be asked to do what is in his job spec but Id expect someone with the best interest of the Irish game at heart to be willing to adapt his job spec if not willing to be paid off. If he is unwilling, which is his right, I do think it shows a side to a record breaking former international icon that wouldnt have been expected. It would be disappointing to see a completely mé féin attitude from a national hero where there is a good bit of take and maybe not so much give - past contributions to the game get diluted over time in such a case.

[MattB11]

Harps sign striker Tunde Owolabi last with Hamilton in Scotland

[Neish]

Harps sign striker Tunde Owolabi last with Hamilton in Scotland

Looking forward to seeing him play, has potential to be a big player for us in 2021
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunde_Owolabi

[Charlie Darwin]

So he is on some form of"garden leave" on full pay? So if he was to take up another coaching job,, or any other paid job, he may be in breach of his existing FAI contract .So taking credit for doing something unpaid in those circumstances is making a virtue of necessity
. Still, fair play to him for getting involved in local football when he probably could be holed up in the Carribean.
I don't know the ins and outs of his contract but if you're given a four-year contract to do a job and your employer decides not to ask you to do your job, you're free to do what you like in your own team once it doesn't break the contract.

[Charlie Darwin]

Oh I know he can only be asked to do what is in his job spec but Id expect someone with the best interest of the Irish game at heart to be willing to adapt his job spec if not willing to be paid off. If he is unwilling, which is his right, I do think it shows a side to a record breaking former international icon that wouldnt have been expected. It would be disappointing to see a completely mé féin attitude from a national hero where there is a good bit of take and maybe not so much give - past contributions to the game get diluted over time in such a case.
Maybe but a) that would require vision and a conciliatory attitude from the FAI, which would be a first, and b) would require them to apologise for what is essentially a very public snub.

[joey B]

Sean Boyd signing back with Harps as well, picked up a very bad injury in December of 2019 so best of luck to him on his return from that....

[sbgawa]

Delighted to hear Sean Boyd has signed for you, he has had shocking luck with injuries, if he gets a run of games and shows anything like the form he showed earlier in his carear he will do well for you.

[Eminence Grise]

Maybe but a) that would require vision and a conciliatory attitude from the FAI, which would be a first, and b) would require them to apologise for what is essentially a very public snub.

Flip that round Charlie... If the FAI have an employee they can't pay off because the cash isn't there, and running down his contract with him on gardening leave is preferable to finding any other way to use his talents (coaching, ambassador, whatever) I'd be asking has the employee done anything to contribute to that state of affairs.

[sbgawa]

When you consider how Mick just manned up and got on with it having been told he was on a fixed term contract regardless of success i blame Kenny for refusing to include Keane in his backroom staff knowing that he had a year left on his contract.
How can it be such a terrible idea to have Robbie Keane working with our Strikers??

[Eminence Grise]

Mick's had two jobs since he left us. I might have missed some rumours but I don't recall any saying he wanted to bring Robbie to either of them.

[Kiki Balboa]

When you consider how Mick just manned up and got on with it having been told he was on a fixed term contract regardless of success i blame Kenny for refusing to include Keane in his backroom staff knowing that he had a year left on his contract.
How can it be such a terrible idea to have Robbie Keane working with our Strikers??

Great player does not equal good coach.

[Nesta99]

Maybe but a) that would require vision and a conciliatory attitude from the FAI, which would be a first, and b) would require them to apologise for what is essentially a very public snub.

Splitting hairs but the snub wasnt really the FAI but the senior coach. There are back channels where info is shared that we wouldnt be privy to but reading between the lines, 2 very different coaches of different eras, one who RK played for in a very good spell 2009-02 as the key man, and neither wanted him in as a coach. I have never seen him coach so wont say that he is no good (which is possible and he isnt a great communicator) but he is a remnant of the way things were manipulated by Delaney, yes the 2 senior coaches were also appointed in a strange arrangement but it has been suggested that RK was to be Delaney's inside man nd anointed one - its possible McCarthy copped that info was being passed on. Not associated with RK but we did have the whole motivational video leak debacle which cause another former playing legend step down on principle so there is trust issues still. There seems to still be some shady undertones in the setup and its unsurprising that SK handpicked his own coaches and didnt allow any forced upon him. Crawford had a very similar response also. Lets take that he is a muck coach well it wont make much difference to Arron Greene anyway but letting a poor attacking coach lose on the like of Burke or Farrugia? Key coaching points today - a signature goal celebration....

If RK is much affected by 'the snub' then he needs to stay away from football management!!

[Yossarian]

When you consider how Mick just manned up and got on with it having been told he was on a fixed term contract regardless of success i blame Kenny for refusing to include Keane in his backroom staff knowing that he had a year left on his contract.
How can it be such a terrible idea to have Robbie Keane working with our Strikers??

How prolific were Ireland’s strikers when Keane was coaching them? How about Middlesboro’s when he was coaching there? You won’t need to research too much to find the answer.

[redobit]

Oh I know he can only be asked to do what is in his job spec but Id expect someone with the best interest of the Irish game at heart to be willing to adapt his job spec if not willing to be paid off. If he is unwilling, which is his right, I do think it shows a side to a record breaking former international icon that wouldnt have been expected. It would be disappointing to see a completely mé féin attitude from a national hero where there is a good bit of take and maybe not so much give - past contributions to the game get diluted over time in such a case.

This all day.

Added to the fact that McCarthy wasn't even that interested in having him a s a coach. JD got involved and licked his arse. Lost respect for him over this. FAI should be trying to get him to train u12s or whatever they can to get out of him.

[sbgawa]

I actualy dont disagree with you on that point and dont have a clue if he is a useless coach or a good one.
I just think its crazy that the fai are paying a salery of 5k a week with the guy not working.
It should have been managed better.
I do think RK our record goalscorer must have some value and should ahve been used somehow.
But its the FAI , what can we expect

[Sonny]

This is really, really straightforward to me. Kenny didn't want Keane involved in his set up, so that should be end of discussion. SK was completely justified to make that decision and shouldn't have to answer to anybody about it.

Keane has a contract, albeit a ridiculous one that was seemingly unilaterally awarded by a conman who is now under criminal investigation for his conduct while CEO, which has to be fulfilled or paid off. In normal circumstances it would be a very straight forward resolution, but I would assume the FAI doesn't have the cash to pay it up so they intend to keep paying him on gardening leave until such as a time as they do. Gardening leave can be a fairly grey area. Generally the employee can't take up alternative employment or engage with a competitor, but it can become a problem if it's viewed that the the business is preventing them from maintaining or developing professional skills necessary for future employment. I think the FAI would be on very shaky grounds if they tried to intervene to prevent him doing a bit of coaching in a voluntary capacity that doesn't involve working with a competitor.

[Neish]

Delighted to hear Sean Boyd has signed for you, he has had shocking luck with injuries, if he gets a run of games and shows anything like the form he showed earlier in his carear he will do well for you.

Sean came in for a lot of criticism in his last stint with us, he did seem to be going through the motion at times.And whilst I will admit to being one of those who complained, some of the abuse he got from Harps fans was ridiculous especially when he got carried off injured there was an audible cheer from some sections of Finn Park.

Best of luck to him, hopefully he can put that last few years behind him and has a successful time with Harps

[nigel-harps1954]

Boyd didn't have a great time with Harps, and I don't think he had a great time with Longford either. Jury is definitely out on him. He won't be starting for Harps anyway, but handy to have in the squad.

[sbgawa]

If he gets a run of games and his fitness back you will be amazed at how good he is

[Charlie Darwin]

Flip that round Charlie... If the FAI have an employee they can't pay off because the cash isn't there, and running down his contract with him on gardening leave is preferable to finding any other way to use his talents (coaching, ambassador, whatever) I'd be asking has the employee done anything to contribute to that state of affairs.
I don't know. If they were to do a deal it wouldn't necessarily mean paying more up front. It just seems to not be happening for whatever reason.


Splitting hairs but the snub wasnt really the FAI but the senior coach. There are back channels where info is shared that we wouldnt be privy to but reading between the lines, 2 very different coaches of different eras, one who RK played for in a very good spell 2009-02 as the key man, and neither wanted him in as a coach. I have never seen him coach so wont say that he is no good (which is possible and he isnt a great communicator) but he is a remnant of the way things were manipulated by Delaney, yes the 2 senior coaches were also appointed in a strange arrangement but it has been suggested that RK was to be Delaney's inside man nd anointed one - its possible McCarthy copped that info was being passed on. Not associated with RK but we did have the whole motivational video leak debacle which cause another former playing legend step down on principle so there is trust issues still. There seems to still be some shady undertones in the setup and its unsurprising that SK handpicked his own coaches and didnt allow any forced upon him. Crawford had a very similar response also. Lets take that he is a muck coach well it wont make much difference to Arron Greene anyway but letting a poor attacking coach lose on the like of Burke or Farrugia? Key coaching points today - a signature goal celebration....

If RK is much affected by 'the snub' then he needs to stay away from football management!!
Well, yeah, it is SK's decision and I suspect both Mick and SK handled it in their own way to assert their own authority and he's probably been hung out to dry in the process. I wouldn't have too much sympathy for him but I could understood why he'd dig in his heels.

[2 Year Contract]

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/filippo-giovagnoli-role-diluted-after-23644688

So Giovagnoli's role is now 'coach' and will not be selecting the team

EDIT: more quotes from Jim Magilton in this article - https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/filippo-does-not-pick-the-team-dundalk-state-that-shane-keegan-to-have-final-say-on-team-selection-ahead-of-season-40177400.html

[Yossarian]

Sounds complex but I’d imagine a lot of that is being said to ensure the club avoids any more issues over Giovagnoli not having the requisite licence. In reality I doubt there’ll be much change to what’s going on currently.

[Dalymountrower]

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/filippo-giovagnoli-role-diluted-after-23644688

So Giovagnoli's role is now 'coach' and will not be selecting the team

EDIT: more quotes from Jim Magilton in this article - https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/filippo-does-not-pick-the-team-dundalk-state-that-shane-keegan-to-have-final-say-on-team-selection-ahead-of-season-40177400.html

Looks like Filippo has been Majilted.

[Sonny]

Sounds complex

It's sounds like a complete mess, and fairly typical of Buffalo Bill's golden touch. They'll be picking the team with an X Factor style phone in voting system by the end of the season.

[placid casual]

The clown car that is dundalk, off the pitch, carries on at pace it seems.
Let's see if shields can run the club again for a season, and see what comes of it. Should be a tasty no holds barred affair on Friday anyway.

[oriel]

I have to say, the more I was thinking about FG, if he does not have the required badges to manage in europe, and they can't get him onto a course until late 2021 or 2022, what was the point in giving him a contract for 2021?

So the demotion is not a surprise to me. Seems O'Donnell at Pats also does not have his full badges, but the difference is they are not playing in europe in 2021.

For the Cleje game in Europe last year, John Gill was the manager as he had the badges.

This is still a mess, as they obviously don't want FG as the manager without his badges even for LOI games now.