2022 Season, Arrivals and Departures

[Longfordian]

Yeah definitely. Once they adapt to the different cultures it should be of great benefit to them in their careers. If clubs are paying proper fees for them too then they'll be more likely to think about the long term as opposed to them just being one of a dozen 16 year olds taken on for minimal compensation if any at a UK club in the past.

[pineapple stu]

Ollie is surely taking the **** at this stage?


Harps bring in Croatian striker from Cambodian league (https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022/0127/1276227-harps-bring-in-croatian-striker-from-cambodian-league/)

[sbgawa]

Ollie is surely taking the **** at this stage?


Ollie for Ireland job ;)

[Finlay Harp]

Ollie under the radar assembling an interesting squad!

[Longfordian]

If they can understand each other.

[pineapple stu]

Ollie under the radar assembling an interesting squad!
That's what Dundalk said this time last year!

[sadloserkid]

That's what Dundalk said this time last year!

There was nothing under the radar about Dundalk - I'd say there was a degree of smugness about their raft of can't-miss-megastars in some quarters. I remember some very confident proclamations about the keeper.

[nigel-harps1954]

No doubting we're bringing a fair few unknown quantities, but the fact there's not a hell of a lot of quality left to sign in Ireland forces the hand somewhat.

Could be another masterstroke by Ollie or it could all end horribly.

[2 Year Contract]

Ollie is surely taking the **** at this stage?

He's actually played for 2 clubs since playing in Cambodia, one in Italy and another in Croatia. Not that RTE seem to be bothered to take 2 seconds to google it before writing that article and headline.

Nothing to do with your point however because even with those clubs it still doesn’t take away from how random it is that a school teacher from Letterkenny has somehow found him! :D

[joey B]

He's actually played for 2 clubs since playing in Cambodia, one in Italy and another in Croatia. Not that RTE seem to be bothered to take 2 seconds to google it before writing that article and headline.

Nothing to do with your point however because even with those clubs it still doesn’t take away from how random it is that a school teacher from Letterkenny has somehow found him! :D


Agents offer players to clubs all the time and I’m sure this is what happened here,he was on trial for 2/3 weeks and they obviously liked what they seen,I don’t think Ollie has scouts running around Croatia looking at players for him!

[Nesta99]

There was nothing under the radar about Dundalk - I'd say there was a degree of smugness about their raft of can't-miss-megastars in some quarters. I remember some very confident proclamations about the keeper.

You are mistaking smug for saying we'll wait and see and hoping for the best! Sure what could possibly have gone wrong with a former Albanian/ Italian underage international with 300 clubs. Nattestad seemed ok on paper but turned out to be a really lazy waster among other things. Han tried at least and Jurkovskis was a good signing but probably more expensive than just keeping as good a tried and trusted fullback. The whole 1 year contract, no preseason games stuff etc had us baffled never mind signings in. Has Zahibo managed to get another club anywhere...

Maybe another exotic super agency has gotten some claw in to Harps, football is a universal language so no worries there and 'mucky pitch is good' is all the universal translator needs!

[Longfordian]

Ollie is already able to say "f***in work!" in numerous languages.

[sadloserkid]

You are mistaking smug for saying we'll wait and see and hoping for the best! Sure what could possibly have gone wrong with a former Albanian/ Italian underage international with 300 clubs. Nattestad seemed ok on paper but turned out to be a really lazy waster among other things. Han tried at least and Jurkovskis was a good signing but probably more expensive than just keeping as good a tried and trusted fullback. The whole 1 year contract, no preseason games stuff etc had us baffled never mind signings in. Has Zahibo managed to get another club anywhere...

Maybe another exotic super agency has gotten some claw in to Harps, football is a universal language so no worries there and 'mucky pitch is good' is all the universal translator needs!

You may have advised caution yourself Nesta but some of your peers seemed aghast at any suggestion that Abibi wasn't a shrewd, clever bit of business from the outset. We've all been there (POS era Limerick FC were fond of an exotic flag too), just not with as internationally diverse a pool as Dundalk mustered last season.

[2 Year Contract]

Looks like Georgie Kelly to Rotherham is a done deal. Not a bad move to be joining a club 1 point off top of league 1 considering where he was at as a player 12 months ago

[Longfordian]

3.5 year contract apparently. Good deal for him.

[joey B]

Looks like Georgie Kelly to Rotherham is a done deal. Not a bad move to be joining a club 1 point off top of league 1 considering where he was at as a player 12 months ago

Fair play to him,waited and got a good long term deal where he might be playing in the Championship next season......

[2 Year Contract]

Fair play to him,waited and got a good long term deal where he might be playing in the Championship next season......

Yeah it was a brave but good call to back himself and wait it out. Once he got 2 clubs with proper interest (Plymouth were very close to signing him this week apparently), he no doubt got himself a better wage and longer contract

[Jd2793]

got to hand it to him thats an amazing deal. i dont think hes good enough for the championship but thats neither here nor there, fantastic deal that nobody could turn down

[JR89]

Saw a picture on twitter that the management agency of Cork City's Cathal Heffernan posted with him having just played for Bayer Leverkusen (presumably a trial game for a youth side), with a 'Soon ->' emoji so looks like he could be on his way to them. Good to see so many of the young expat Irish lads playing in Spain/France/Italy/Germany etc these days as opposed to just solely the UK in the past.

Stephen Ireland's agency he's with. Mark O'Mahony and Luke O'Brien are with him and were both over in Germany recently too.

[John83]

Stephen Ireland's agency he's with. Mark O'Mahony and Luke O'Brien are with him and were both over in Germany recently too.
The Stephen Ireland has an agency? What kind of eejit would take advice from a guy who tanked his international and club careers while ruining his reputation with the public with stupid lies to the media?

[placid casual]

I know, but have you seen his fish tank
. 😍🐟🐠

[joey B]

Pats expected to keep Matty Smith,big one to hold to for them if it happens……

[Nesta99]

got to hand it to him thats an amazing deal. i dont think hes good enough for the championship but thats neither here nor there, fantastic deal that nobody could turn down

Last season was an outlier, he has bagged a real coup with that contract, but he will fall down the English league system, then to Scotland and then maybe back to Ireland to a club that needs to gamble on a striker working out. He is big guy, can hold a ball up and lay it off...barely. He wont knock about the defenders he will be up against especially if he ends up in the Championship. Timing in the air is off so headed attempts tend to be bundled rather than headed, lacks pace and mobility. Maybe they see a diamond in the rough at Rotherham, that they have wingers than can land a cross on his head all the time, or that they know they have him for nothing but could eek out a good transfer fee for him when he is a bust. I know many strikers thrive on confidence but if he has any sort of 'mare early on and the crowd get at him he will be in terminal decline. Rotherham is raw spot with gruff and blunt people so they wont be long turning if he fluffs his lines. Yeah I dont rate him, didnt at Dundalk, he followed that u with St Pats, had a freak season with Bohs and fair cop has cashed in, if he is a player with real potential its a move too soon and time at Derry could have built a more resilient player in terms of his brittle confidence.

[Jd2793]

Last season was an outlier, he has bagged a real coup with that contract, but he will fall down the English league system, then to Scotland and then maybe back to Ireland to a club that needs to gamble on a striker working out. He is big guy, can hold a ball up and lay it off...barely. He wont knock about the defenders he will be up against especially if he ends up in the Championship. Timing in the air is off so headed attempts tend to be bundled rather than headed, lacks pace and mobility. Maybe they see a diamond in the rough at Rotherham, that they have wingers than can land a cross on his head all the time, or that they know they have him for nothing but could eek out a good transfer fee for him when he is a bust. I know many strikers thrive on confidence but if he has any sort of 'mare early on and the crowd get at him he will be in terminal decline. Rotherham is raw spot with gruff and blunt people so they wont be long turning if he fluffs his lines. Yeah I dont rate him, didnt at Dundalk, he followed that u with St Pats, had a freak season with Bohs and fair cop has cashed in, if he is a player with real potential its a move too soon and time at Derry could have built a more resilient player in terms of his brittle confidence.


agree , hes not mobile or technical enough but all depends how Rotherham play really. I see Sadlier left them for bolton with some fans saying he wasnt really a fit for how they play. in that case they might be a bit more route one, so may suit him but as you say he wont bounce off lads in championship. must be noted that bohs also made andre wright look like a capable footballer. he was a dud in scotland and has struggled at sligo. Long and Crolly have a type but kelly may well be suited to rotherham like he was bohs.

[Nesta99]

The Stephen Ireland has an agency? What kind of eejit would take advice from a guy who tanked his international and club careers while ruining his reputation with the public with stupid lies to the media?

Ones that are follicly challenged and over sensitive? Fish tanks, pink cars and multiple fake granny funerals complimentary for signing up....

[Kingswood Rover]

Ones that are follicly challenged and over sensitive? Fish tanks, pink cars and multiple fake granny funerals complimentary for signing up....
Perfect Footie agent credentials

[D24Saint]

Pats expected to keep Matty Smith,big one to hold to for them if it happens……

It would be fantastic to see him back on board. He would be the last in Id say after the new keeper from West Ham arrived.

[trevy]

Roland Idowu and Nigel Rias sign for Waterford. Both young attacking midfielders/strikers. Idowu was with Bohs and Rias comes from Shrewsbury.

[sadloserkid]

Jaros is back out on loan to Notts County this time. Another run with Pats didn't appeal?

[2 Year Contract]

Jaros is back out on loan to Notts County this time. Another run with Pats didn't appeal?

I believe they want to loan him to a league of a higher standard in the summer. From pats end of things a half season loan for a first choice goalkeeper was never an option due to the risk of going into Europe & the second half of the season with an untried and tested keeper

[sadloserkid]

I believe they want to loan him to a league of a higher standard in the summer. From pats end of things a half season loan for a first choice goalkeeper was never an option due to the risk of going into Europe & the second half of the season with an untried and tested keeper

Fair assessment there. English Tier 5 just seemed a bit of a step backwards but, as you've said, it's basically just to keep him ticking over for half a season.

[patsdad]

Fair assessment there. English Tier 5 just seemed a bit of a step backwards but, as you've said, it's basically just to keep him ticking over for half a season.

The obvious problem for Jaros is that (just as we wouldn't want a keeper that we'd lose in the summer), English clubs taking loan keepers want an August-May deal. So there wouldn't have been decent options left in this window. He'll go to a much higher level in the summer.

[D24Saint]

Fair assessment there. English Tier 5 just seemed a bit of a step backwards but, as you've said, it's basically just to keep him ticking over for half a season.

I’ve been at a good few National league games the last few seasons. It’s not a bad standard overall but players & coaches can lack imagination technically and tactically at times. The facilities overall would put the LOI to shame. Thankfully Hartlepool won the playoff final & i not longer have to suffer non league football on my occasional visit to the uk.

[sulywaterfordfc]

Obviously means nothing about the standard, but in fairness to Notts County. From a quick google search, they’ve an average attendance of 6.8k this season.

[D24Saint]

Obviously means nothing about the standard, but in fairness to Notts County. From a quick google search, they’ve an average attendance of 6.8k this season.

I was in Meadow Lane before covid hit , late 19 I think. It’s a fine ground for non league & looks like it would hold 15k easy. The home fans were good football folk aswell.

[oriel]

Obviously means nothing about the standard, but in fairness to Notts County. From a quick google search, they’ve an average attendance of 6.8k this season.

At almost every level in English lower leagues, things are done better than LOI, like Scotland also its an industry. We have relations in Northampton, they never really achieved much as a club, they may lose 2-0 at home one Saturday, same mid-week, and they might drop to lower league positions (in previous years, only using this as an example) yet 3-4k min will turn up for the next game regardless of the previous results, that's the thing we will never get in LOI.

In summary its really not a step back for Jaros, the only thing he will be missing is Euro games, only 2 guaranteed, and Pats prob wont be seeded, so will be harder to get to round 2. To be fair FAI Cup final is a much bigger game than any at lower leagues in England, but again its a one off.

[nigel-harps1954]

To be fair, helps that there's a quarter of a million people to target in Northampton, also something the LOI doesn't have the luxury of

[Charlie Darwin]

At almost every level in English lower leagues, things are done better than LOI, like Scotland also its an industry. We have relations in Northampton, they never really achieved much as a club, they may lose 2-0 at home one Saturday, same mid-week, and they might drop to lower league positions (in previous years, only using this as an example) yet 3-4k min will turn up for the next game regardless of the previous results, that's the thing we will never get in LOI.
Scotland might be a better comparison point to us than Northampton. They might not be up to much but Northampton would still be the third biggest city in our league. England just has loads of people.

[Jack B]

I think regardless of your view on how the team/leagues compare the only reason Jaros hasn't gone to a higher level is just that it's in the January window when most leagues unlike ours are mid-season and there's generally more settled squads or at least specifically goalkeeping options. He'll almost certainly get a "better" loan in the summer.

[trevy]

Richard Taylor signed for Waterford yesterday. He's a defender who had played for Southend before and a couple of conference teams.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Scotland might be a better comparison point to us than Northampton. They might not be up to much but Northampton would still be the third biggest city in our league. England just has loads of people.

And football is their national sport

[Nesta99]

To be fair, helps that there's a quarter of a million people to target in Northampton, also something the LOI doesn't have the luxury of

Thats a fair point. Though years of living in England starkly show the difference between the Irish and English football fan (aside from the bigger numbers in England that think a good fight is part of the day out). Across all sports in Ireland there are large numbers of bandwagoners. For all its failings LoI at least has a consistent hardcore of support no matter how a club is doing. The English have commented on how harsh Irish people seem to be on LoI, comments like if I go see Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday I dont expect to see the same quality of game or facility when I go back to watching Southend on Saturday. It is a bugbear of mine where more than once I have heard comments from 1st timers at LoI saying 'Its not Old Trafford' etc. as they are politely reminded of the cost of getting in to an EPL game.

For clubs that have fallen out of the football league it is hell trying to get back. Notts County are a very good example of a club that spent nearly 70 seasons in the top two divisions but now roughing it in non-league with 4-5k at games. There are a few other former decent Football League clubs (the numbers have grown a lot more recently so money doesnt flow down through the pyramid as claimed) that have decent attendances but when you get to a Boreham Wood or Kings Lynn that have no pedigree above the conference its pretty bleak and LoI would be luxury for those players. Vanarama North and South have a lot of basketcase clubs where they are seen as embarrassments to the area, Chemlsford City tops that list considering the size of the place and neignbouring Colchester and Southend at their worst never plumb those depths. City pay their players quite well which is a mystery to me unless they have the same player agency as Dundalk had last season - one game a player stepped off the pitch for a smoke and it was considered ok........

[oriel]

I think regardless of your view on how the team/leagues compare the only reason Jaros hasn't gone to a higher level is just that it's in the January window when most leagues unlike ours are mid-season and there's generally more settled squads or at least specifically goalkeeping options. He'll almost certainly get a "better" loan in the summer.

Would probably agree, one thing for sure is he should have plenty of options.

[JR89]

1487856964008878082

A small five figure release clause stated in the article so you'd assume 50k at most release clause.

[Kiki Balboa]

1487856964008878082

A small five figure release clause stated in the article so you'd assume 50k at most release clause.

Never seen a youngster shop around before like this kid was. Good move, hope all the best for him.

[oriel]

Matty Smith now confirmed by Derry, that's some side they will have for next season, should run Rovers very close. Interesting thing too about their signings, most are on at least 2 year deals.

[2 Year Contract]

Very good signing for Derry. Disappointed but at least it’s an area that pats are very well stocked in already

[D24Saint]

Someone in The Sun got their wires crossed. He was never expected to stay until that article the other day. Their LOI journalists are normally better informed.

[2 Year Contract]

Someone in The Sun got their wires crossed. He was never expected to stay until that article the other day. Their LOI journalists are normally better informed.

Yeah it appeared that despite Clancy offering him a deal a good while ago, he moved on with completing the attack line since then by signing 4 strikers and 4 wingers

[Jack B]

Yeah said at the time I'd have obviously loved him to stay but I don't understand why we'd have made the signings we have if he was. Would have left us with 9 players for 3 positions which is ridiculous depth given we don't have anything near that in other areas of the pitch.

I think he's definitely better off the left wing so it's a shame for him that Duffy will have that spot nailed down from the start. He's a great, hard-working player though so he'll prove to be a big signing for Derry whatever position he plays in.