2021 Season , Arrivals and departures

[mcgonigle]

Has Bill literally just gone and signed another bloke named Han because he couldn't get the work permit for Han Eui-gwon??:D The quotes from Magilton about expanding the brand in Asia are like something from a comedy sketch!

We've been told Bill has stepped back but this proves that he is clearly still very Han's on

You laugh now but we'll see who's laughing when we sell 10 million jerseys in South Korea, Umbro can handle that I'm sure...

[pineapple stu]

The quotes from Magilton about expanding the brand in Asia are like something from a comedy sketch!
Don't mock - signing up random foreigners and selling TV rights to that country is actually a key strategic concept outlined in the Conroy Report. Seriously.

[D24Saint]

Don't mock - signing up random foreigners and selling TV rights to that country is actually a key strategic concept outlined in the Conroy Report. Seriously.

North Koreans should be a target audience. The stadiums in the league should look glamorous to them.

[pineapple stu]

Have you seen the main North Korean stadium?

https://i2.wp.com/www.youngpioneertours.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/rungrado-may-day-12.jpg

[Bucket]

A very quick Google search showed me that their grounds are way bigger than ours! I'd say the only place worse than Ireland might be a small Caribbean island

[Longfordian]

We've been told Bill has stepped back but this proves that he is clearly still very Han's on

You laugh now but we'll see who's laughing when we sell 10 million jerseys in South Korea, Umbro can handle that I'm sure...

A Han solo run from Bill do you think?

[Sonny]

We've been told Bill has stepped back but this proves that he is clearly still very Han's on

You laugh now but we'll see who's laughing when we sell 10 million jerseys in South Korea, Umbro can handle that I'm sure...

Maybe he could have started off the global expansion with a push into Newry, or if he was feeling really ambitious he could spring for the rights to the Mon Dog to try to fill the LOI gap in the Monaghan market!


Don't mock - signing up random foreigners and selling TV rights to that country is actually a key strategic concept outlined in the Conroy Report. Seriously.

I doubt random free agents from the Korean second division was what they had in mind to capture the imagination of the nation! ;)

Anyway in the last couple of weeks Rovers have announced an official drainage partner, an official office supplies partner, an official signage partner, and an official pube shaving partner! There's only one commercial juggernaut in the LOI!:cool:

[2 Year Contract]

Anyway in the last couple of weeks Rovers have announced an official drainage partner, an official office supplies partner, an official signage partner, and an official pube shaving partner! There's only one commercial juggernaut in the LOI!:cool:

Good to see Dundalk aren’t throwing in the towel and will be chasing rovers all the way on this front by announcing their official Premium Hand Rolled Ice Cream Partner (although I believe this crowd are only being formally announced as HB Ice Cream haven’t got the relevant licence, but we all know which ice cream partner will REALLY be running the show)

https://www.dundalkfc.com/xxi-ice-on-board-as-new-partners/

[Nesta99]

They do Tayto flavoured Ice Cream so might keep Longford fans happy...

[Bucket]

https://mobile.twitter.com/FinnHarpsFC/status/1375051114622681090

[sbgawa]

https://mobile.twitter.com/FinnHarpsFC/status/1375051114622681090

And people wonder why i like harps

[BonnieShels]

Good to see Dundalk aren’t throwing in the towel and will be chasing rovers all the way on this front by announcing their official Premium Hand Rolled Ice Cream Partner (although I believe this crowd are only being formally announced as HB Ice Cream haven’t got the relevant licence, but we all know which ice cream partner will REALLY be running the show)

https://www.dundalkfc.com/xxi-ice-on-board-as-new-partners/


https://mobile.twitter.com/FinnHarpsFC/status/1375051114622681090


And people wonder why i like harps

Tbh, it's amazing that Bray Wanderers never actually got around to doing a deal with Walls.

[Jack B]

You'd have to wonder about how the tea lady feels about all this.

[D24Saint]

You'd have to wonder about how the tea lady feels about all this.

Tea ladies are a bit old hat. I cant wait for soothing cup of Richmond Roast at half time when I get back.

The Richmond Roast – Super Saints Store (https://supersaintsstore.com/collections/the-richmond-roast)

[D24Saint]

Have you seen the main North Korean stadium?



https://i2.wp.com/www.youngpioneertours.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/rungrado-may-day-12.jpg

Wow , I stand corrected, Communism has its perks.

[Dalymountrower]

Tea ladies are a bit old hat. I cant wait for soothing cup of Richmond Roast at half time when I get back.

The Richmond Roast – Super Saints Store (https://supersaintsstore.com/collections/the-richmond-roast)

Sold out I see, good initiative, may not be fair trade and climate justice guaranteed though.

[Sonny]

Tea ladies are a bit old hat. I cant wait for soothing cup of Richmond Roast at half time when I get back.

The Richmond Roast – Super Saints Store (https://supersaintsstore.com/collections/the-richmond-roast)

Nearly ordered a Rascals pizza last week until I realized the one I wanted was called the Saints something or other so I ordered from elsewhere out of sheer pettiness!

[ontheotherhand]

Genuine question - what is Dundalk's brand? I'm only having a light go here but you'd think they'd be better off spending some time improving their stadium before they go calling attention to it....and the recent PR they've gotten hasn't exactly been ideal to piggyback off of. Signing a Korean so that a few Koreans do a bit of research and laugh at Bill's fairly comical manouvres doesn't seem like a great marketing move.

Bohs I could see doing this with a bit more success. They have the whole virtue signaling and band promotion thing going on that might attract some positive attention from abroad but I don't think many other LoI clubs have much to interest foreign markets who already have obsessions with the EPL and their own leagues. The US does seem like fertile ground if we played up to the Irish was a bit so that makes sense to me as a plan for Dundalk as long as the signings can actually playbut I don't get the other signings from a purely branding standpoint which seems to be at least one of the aims....which in itself is very odd. I understand why Man United would sign a Korean to bolster and grow an already fervent foreign fanbase but this seems like a huge stretch.

Jim knows what he's about though so maybe I'm way off.

[Sonny]

Jim knows what he's about though so maybe I'm way off.

Everyone is assuming he does, but it very much remains to be seen in his current role. That 'expanding their brand in the Asian market' line is 100% pure unadulterated ****e talk. Maybe a better starting point would be twinning Oriel Park with the remains of the Fukushima power plant.

[Kiki Balboa]

I think its one of those statements that journalists love to hear and write, but I highly doubt that people within Dundalk actually think its true.

If they are, its such an ignorant statement. Like Korean football fans are going to swoon over K2 player moving anywhere.

[oriel]

Have you seen the main North Korean stadium?

https://i2.wp.com/www.youngpioneertours.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/rungrado-may-day-12.jpg

Think I read about this last week, no actually it was a 'Factoid' on BBC radio 2, they have random facts on the Steve Wright show, almost sure this is the one mentioned with the worlds biggest capacity at 140k or something.

[A N Mouse]

Think I read about this last week, no actually it was a 'Factoid' on BBC radio 2, they have random facts on the Steve Wright show, almost sure this is the one mentioned with the worlds biggest capacity at 140k or something.

And it would have been more only for that H&S guy. Fair play to him, he really stuck his neck out on that one.

[Nesta99]

Han and promoting the 'Dundalk FC brand' in Asia is a nice if ambitious and lofty ambition, more directly though is Jurkovskis playing with Latvia today!

Watching their game against the Dutch it was good to hear British coverage commenting on his move to Irish football and playing with Dundalk ('L' heavily pronounced lol). Its a backs to the wall game but Jurkovskis has been no mug playing against top class players. To have any players exposed to playing that sort of quality has to be a benefit coming back to club level. Its important to keep him motivated at club level which is managements job and tbh probably need to be in a successful side too.

It is a market that could and maybe should be dipped in to more by LoI clubs. In relative terms the quality is available for the sort of money our clubs could manage. Bar some of the top few clubs facilities in the Baltic states facilities are not better than LoI generally and average wages are lower. Ok players shouldnt be signed just for the sake of being an international but it has its perks, adds credibility too and some bit of exposure thrown in for club and league.
In this regard I think FG has been pretty decent assuming that he had the connections and knowledge to know Jurkovskis and the others. He may be an excellent judge of potential, which is a big part of his job in New York, and therefore scout if not up to head coach level. In an ideal world somebody of his ilk should be on the books of clubs scouting full-time, utilising contacts that Peak6 might have in football - even one lucky hit and reasonable transfer fee would pay for the role and player. There are bound to be players in lower level continental leagues that would have a go with Irish clubs that will be in Europe hoping to get exposure although this suggestion is nothing new. Cypriot football maybe be awash with (dodgy) money but they have done well from recruiting fringe players from Spain et al.

[Charlie Darwin]

It is a market that could and maybe should be dipped in to more by LoI clubs.
I don't think it's down to anything except money. LOI clubs have brought in players like that before but it was when we were in the Celtic Tiger era with middling clubs spending budgets like Dundalk have now. You'll see more of it in the next few years I think.

[Bucket]

https://waterfordfc.ie/signed-isaac-tshipamba-mulowayi-joins-the-blues/

I know the person that wrote this is probably a volunteer so I don't like to criticise too much but this is a very lazy attempt. If I signed for Waterford and this was the level of excitement generated by the clubs website, I wouldn't feel wanted or needed.

Anyhow, anybody know much more about him?

[nigel-harps1954]

Last played in the regionalised fourth tier of French football with Angiers SCO reserve side. 9 games, averaged 38 minutes per game. Played fifth tier with the same side in 2018/19, not a whole lot more game time then either. That's the only senior football he's played from what I can see.

[Bucket]

That paragraph would have been a great addition to the press release!

[2 Year Contract]

Last club he was with was actually KSV Roeselare of Belgium who he signed for last summer

[Bucket]

Just looked them up, sadly they went bankrupt and no longer exist

[Nesta99]

Brian Gartland confirmed as having torn his ACL, probably out for the season, hopefully not a career ender!! it leaves us with 3 centrebacks, considering the obsession with playing 3 at the back were just a bit light in that position. Tom Gaston was on trial so will probably be signed assuming he is still training with the club. I hope the coaching team dont start playing Shield or Sloggett at the back to try and stick with a formation that isnt working for us. If they do and with McEleney out injured again, havent heard any update on Murray, Zahibo will need to be rushed in to the squad as soon as quarantine is done. We'll probably see wide players moved central as tried with Duffy end of last season. For a big squad there could be a good bit of playing players out of position between injuries and deadweight and ridiculously additional signings probably needed in July.

[sbgawa]

Thats bad news about Gartland, at his age there is a danger that it could be career ending alright which would be a shame for a LOI stalwart.
He played sheilds at centrehalf in the league game in Oriel when Rovers won 4 nil so he sees that as an option.

[Nesta99]

Yeah since 2012 Sheilds has often dropped in to a centre-half slot and can do a job but then you lose the key impact he has holding in midfield. Whatever about filling a hole in a back 4, I dont think even the central defenders are that comfortable yet never mind dropping a midfielder in to a back 3. Maybe its old fashioned but give me a back 4 all day especially if the keepers form or ability is sketchy. Its grand when attacking but a system that can be exposed and needs a solid keeper to dig you out of a hole like Mannus. Harps showed how easy it was to exploit the space behind the wingbacks when central players are not settled in the formation and then a keeper that fluffs his lines on top.

It would be awful for Garts if injury finishes his career and age is the main issue. But we had the same with O'Donnell and he (with Garts) won a league decider so ye never know.

[placid casual]

Never like to see anyone get injured like that. Thats surely the end of his career with Dundalk, no?
If I was a dundalk fan(perish the thought) I'd be livid at the management team for rushing a guy back into the team when he was clearly not fit, and in the process ruining his season.
When it happens 2 mins into his first game back you have to wonder how fit he was.

[Yossarian]

Never like to see anyone get injured like that. Thats surely the end of his career with Dundalk, no?
If I was a dundalk fan(perish the thought) I'd be livid at the management team for rushing a guy back into the team when he was clearly not fit, and in the process ruining his season.
When it happens 2 mins into his first game back you have to wonder how fit he was.

How he recovers is anyone’s guess, it’s definitely going be tougher due to his age. To suggest that injury was down to fitness is ridiculous though. It was clear he planted his foot and turned on it. Unfortunately it was just one of those injuries that can happen.

[ToberonaTornado]

Why do you imagine there would be discontent among Dundalk fans?:confused: The gaffer has brought in new signings to replace the ones we lost and added a few more.We looked fairly robust v Bohs yesterday.(albeit that was a friendly)
When Dundalk fans get fed up with fillipo you and the re st of the league will know!Right now,we're grand thanks.

Now we're getting a bit peed off. good players poorly managed.

[TonyD]

How he recovers is anyone’s guess, it’s definitely going be tougher due to his age. To suggest that injury was down to fitness is ridiculous though. It was clear he planted his foot and turned on it. Unfortunately it was just one of those injuries that can happen.

Would agree. ACL is really a freak injury that can happen at any time. Nothing to do with fitness.I did mine while skiing, and it’s just down to how you twist it. ( Not that I’m fit ;):D

[Sonny]

Now we're getting a bit peed off. good players poorly managed.

The point I was making all along was that all the warning signs were there with your off-season activity and the myriad of bizarre goings on off the field in general over the last 12 plus months, yet most Dundalk fans were either cautiously optimistic or outright delusional about your prospects.

It's obvious the 'management team' are completely out of their depth, but poor results are how they ended up getting the job in the first place, and in many ways the poor form has just continued. Since then more proven LOI players have walked out the door, and the jury is still very much out on pretty much every single signing you made to replace them. Many on the Dundalk forum seem very sure that you still have the best squad in the league, but from the outside it looks like there is a lot of deadwood there (as well as a lot of serious talent obviously). The likes of Abibi, Cherrie, Stanton, Sloggett, Kelly, Junior, Perez, Midtskogen and the current version of Andy Boyle just aren't up to the level imo. Others like Leahy, Dummigan, Murray (on the rare occasions he is fit), Cleary, McMillan(at this point in his career) are decent players but I'm not sure they're at the level of the players that went before them. So while there are a lot of good players there, I think the squad is a bit of a mess tbh.

Maybe Zahibo will come in and make an immediate impact. His pedigree seems to suggest he could, and I'm sure he'll be expected to do so considering some of the astronomical figures being thrown around! But imo the problems at Dundalk go way, way beyond the managers.

[Nesta99]

The point I was making all along was that all the warning signs were there with your off-season activity and the myriad of bizarre goings on off the field in general over the last 12 plus months, yet most Dundalk fans were either cautiously optimistic or outright delusional about your prospects.

It's obvious the 'management team' are completely out of their depth, but poor results are how they ended up getting the job in the first place, and in many ways the poor form has just continued. Since then more proven LOI players have walked out the door, and the jury is still very much out on pretty much every single signing you made to replace them. Many on the Dundalk forum seem very sure that you still have the best squad in the league, but from the outside it looks like there is a lot of deadwood there (as well as a lot of serious talent obviously). The likes of Abibi, Cherrie, Stanton, Sloggett, Kelly, Junior, Perez, Midtskogen and the current version of Andy Boyle just aren't up to the level imo. Others like Leahy, Dummigan, Murray (on the rare occasions he is fit), Cleary, McMillan(at this point in his career) are decent players but I'm not sure they're at the level of the players that went before them. So while there are a lot of good players there, I think the squad is a bit of a mess tbh.

Maybe Zahibo will come in and make an immediate impact. His pedigree seems to suggest he could, and I'm sure he'll be expected to do so considering some of the astronomical figures being thrown around! But imo the problems at Dundalk go way, way beyond the managers.

Its not the first time you have said this but I dont know where you are getting 'most Dundalk fans'! Orielweb is like a civil war and I dont recall many bold statements here. As for the last line well its stating something we have known for a while now - did you miss all the stuff about Chairman Bill?

[Dalymountrower]

Its not the first time you have said this but I dont know where you are getting 'most Dundalk fans'! Orielweb is like a civil war and I dont recall many bold statements here. As for the last line well its stating something we have known for a while now - did you miss all the stuff about Chairman Bill?

As a matter of interest, did the new Korean signing playing last night, attract any attention in that part of the world?

[Nesta99]

Twitter collapsed in Asia under the strain!

[Sonny]

Its not the first time you have said this but I dont know where you are getting 'most Dundalk fans'! Orielweb is like a civil war and I dont recall many bold statements here. As for the last line well its stating something we have known for a while now - did you miss all the stuff about Chairman Bill?

It's like a civil war now when you're four games in without a win, but it certainly wasn't during the off-season! There were a couple of dissenters, but the vast majority seemed happy with the recruitment and optimistic for the season ahead, when from the outside the whole thing looked like a car crash in progress. I seem to recall you saying that you were 'hoping' the random keeper who washed out of Serie C level and has done absolutely nothing as a senior footballer was going to be 'the standard of the Slovan Bratislava keeper.' That is what I call extreme optimism.

And no I haven't missed any of the comedy show that is Buffalo Bill's reign, but once again I'm somewhat puzzled by Dundalk fans passive reactions to him turning your club into a circus act.

[Nesta99]

I hope every signing is World class, that does not mean I think it is or will be the case. But do feel free to continue to be selective in 'quoting' me. I also contest your assessment of Orielweb from preseason - it has never been a forum without significant differing consensus and 'scanning' it in more detail will show a mix of opinions from the ultimate doubter to the blindly optimistic.

What do you suggest Dundalk fans do over Bill? Write a strongly worded letter, stamp our feet in tantrum, we cant even enter Oriel Park currently. Im sure you were rising up in action when Rovers were being bankrupted and relegated by a former Chairman and Board or Louis Kilkoyne listened intently to Rovers fans disapproval on the sale of Milltown. Wanting and getting do not always happen Sonny!

[sbgawa]

I'm "hoping" we win 6 nil tonight in Sligo, it doesn't mean i really think we will its just hope.

I'm a lurker on Oriel web and the panic is a bit over done.
Even if Rovers win the two games in hand (big ask) DFC would be a maximum of 9 points behind with 32 games to play.
ITs obvious there is quality in the DFC squad but it takes time for new players to gel together.
If they had beaten bohs last night which they could have done without the liability that is Cleary the response would have been totally different.

[sbgawa]

Stephen Henderson (ex Cobh Manager) just left the Shelbourne job where he was looking after their Academy.
He is well regarded as a coach, Dundalk Manager incoming ??

[Martinho II]

Stephen Henderson (ex Cobh Manager) just left the Shelbourne job where he was looking after their Academy.
He is well regarded as a coach, Dundalk Manager incoming ??

I think he would be a great shout for the job. Did any of his brothers play for Dundalk before I wonder?

[mcgonigle]

I think he would be a great shout for the job. Did any of his brothers play for Dundalk before I wonder?

He wouldn't work with mad Bill, who would?

[Longfordian]

There's only one man for the job. A strong personality but a man of the people, salt of the earth. Never been relegated.

[Nesta99]

There's only one man for the job. A strong personality but a man of the people, salt of the earth. Never been relegated.

Dont forget job he always wanted!

[Sonny]

There's only one man for the job. A strong personality but a man of the people, salt of the earth. Never been relegated.

Roddy is gunning for Kenny and the Ireland job!

[joey B]

Brian Murphy let go by Waterford apparently, madness started early in Waterford...