2022 Season, Arrivals and Departures

[oriel]

The trouble for Bradley is that English football fans wont give him an ounce of credit for his achievements here. The moment anything goes slightly pear shaped the board of Lincoln will be accused of hiring an Irish no-mark. The average English person has no idea or interest to what goes on in the shores. That's from years of experience going to the UK watching a club in the lower leagues ranging from national league to League 1.

100% correct, same for likes of Horgan and Boyle joining PNE after playing group stages, most over there would seen that as a once off, prob lots would never even heard of Dundalk. Probably same when Kenny got the Irish job, likes of most media in UK, would have had no interest in DFC progress, prob would just gone with 'the former Irish u21 manager got promoted'

SPL miles bigger than LOI and so is L1, end of, ok Bradley (if he takes it) will never manage in Europe over there, but its an advancement in his career for sure.

[sadloserkid]

I generally enjoy your posts Nesta but that last, lengthy one reads (to me at least) as a personal disdain for Stephen Bradley so developed as to be a fetish (or a fairly risible attempt at trolling) rather than anything grounded in cold logic.

I agree too with the point made by a few others that his accomplishments here won't hold much sway if gets off to a bad start (a la Fenlon/Kenny in Scotland) but why wouldn't he take a crack at it? It's probably with one eye on the job after Lincoln too - if he does well (and a vague push for the playoffs in second season after a midtable first year might constitute doing well) there's nothing to say that one of the big League 1 clubs wouldn't take a punt and if it goes badly he's young enough that he could find himself back in Tallaght (or maybe even the Brandywell or, perish the thought, Oriel) down the road.

[Nesta99]

Will it?

Bigger average crowds than Rovers. More money (wage bill about £5m a year (https://twitter.com/chippie1974/status/1521497847300083713), which is way more than anything here). A better league. No Europe, but the FA Cup always offers the chance of a big game (like Arsenal in the quarters a few years back - and they'd beaten Ipswich, Burnley and Brighton to get that far). He mayn't be going for the title, but I don't think that makes it a step down. And I'm sure he'll be thinking if he does a good job as a young manager, then he could have clubs from a higher league interested.

It's hard to see it as anything other than a perfectly logical career step to be honest. Maybe it won't work, and English football management is a notoriously basket-case career option, but he's earned the right to give it a go.


league 1 is miles ahead of loi , can we stop pretending its a step down even from rovers.

I could probably have clearer in 'a step down in relative terms'. I was being club specific not L1/2 and not using the barometer of attendances, wage bills or standard of football (and I too have years of experience of games at L1/L2/National League, whatever about L1 there is a whole lot of overpaid muck below!), it is a step down in terms of ambition, planning, academy/player development. For a one club town and plenty of govt funding their facilities are comparatively poor. I believe there is whole lot more to football clubs than attendances and wage bills and as a Dundalk fan that chafes a bit!

Maybe this is changing and why they seem to be looking for a 'team' that have been very hands on with football club and player development specific planning and implementation. But they are pitching for people with almost entirely LoI only experience, maybe that in itself is an indicator of their ambition, not English non league or L2 even?! Its not a career advancement for Bradley (and Im hardly one of his fans) unless he is a massive success at Lincoln and that would be stable in L1 (lol) and then playing at the highest level they have ever achieved ie championship. L1 currently has a clatter of clubs that are championship/EPL level clubs bar their performances on the pitch so in relative terms a tough task for a club that is lower L2/national league at best off the pitch.

I'm not blinded by the blistering football of LoI thinking that it is of x standard compared to y, its not as simple as that otherwise we could just reference UEFA ranking, for example, and thumb our noses. Lincoln are not at the level of Sunderland albeit in the same league and Rovers are further along in development plans so yes a step down - or a step backward if that has less pretense...

[The Bowler]

Assistant could often be in line for it (worked for years and years at UCD in terms of succession). So that's Glenn Cronin - would he be an option? (If he didn't move with Bradley of course)

God forbid when UCD finally wise up to Myler the spoofer that they end with Willie OConnor in charge. Since Ian Ryan left students turned into Finn Harps, ball lumped.long every time a defender gets it. Massive mistake by UCD when they didn't promote Ryan when they sacked Collie O.

Back to this thread, I'd like to suggest that Rovers would thrive under a tactical genius like Myler, made for each other.

[Jd2793]

God forbid when UCD finally wise up to Myler the spoofer that they end with Willie OConnor in charge. Since Ian Ryan left students turned into Finn Harps, ball lumped.long every time a defender gets it. Massive mistake by UCD when they didn't promote Ryan when they sacked Collie O.

Back to this thread, I'd like to suggest that Rovers would thrive under a tactical genius like Myler, made for each other.


wont ever happen but tactically, ian ryan is the best fit within the league to replace SB. agree on myler, lad gets away with murder. everyone fooled thinking ucd play like they did in 2019 "the right way" they are brutal under him.

[Nesta99]

I generally enjoy your posts Nesta but that last, lengthy one reads (to me at least) as a personal disdain for Stephen Bradley so developed as to be a fetish (or a fairly risible attempt at trolling) rather than anything grounded in cold logic.

I agree too with the point made by a few others that his accomplishments here won't hold much sway if gets off to a bad start (a la Fenlon/Kenny in Scotland) but why wouldn't he take a crack at it? It's probably with one eye on the job after Lincoln too - if he does well (and a vague push for the playoffs in second season after a midtable first year might constitute doing well) there's nothing to say that one of the big League 1 clubs wouldn't take a punt and if it goes badly he's young enough that he could find himself back in Tallaght (or maybe even the Brandywell or, perish the thought, Oriel) down the road.

Bar the last line, its more disdain with perpetual mediocrity of Lincoln (they are not alone mind). I genuinely dont think its a good or positive move for Bradley (or indeed a Higgins or O'Donnell ). Part of that could well be that I dont think he is the exceptionally good manager that could take a Lincoln City job on and make much more of them than what they are - not without them becoming a buying club and forking out one of their divisions top wage budgets. They wont have the patience and as others have pointed out he doesnt have credit in the bank to get through difficult patches. If he does go yeah he will get a pay rise and a long term contract, maybe they will make the appointment and stick but they always buckle and change tack every couple of years with the same result and same promises, rinse and repeat*. There will be better jobs than this one at some point, there are clubs a couple of divisions below that have more potential. Maybe the challenge is what he wants especially if he isnt the only one to move from Rovers. If he improved Lincoln significantly I'd give credit where its due and it'd prove that he s a better manager than I gave credit for. Ollie Horgan would be a better fit for Lincoln, he might scare them enough!

*just had a look there, 29 managers in 35 years, probably including caretakers but still, it predates the hire and fire culture of the EPL era.

[Kiki Balboa]

Stephen Rice will probably be the choice for Rovers, if Bradley leaves. I think he has the same job in the Irish setup as Higgins had before he moved to Derry

[pineapple stu]

it is a step down in terms of ambition, planning, academy/player development.
Is it though? Or is there an element of comparing big fish in a small pond (Rovers) with small fish in a big pond (Lincoln)? How are Rovers further ahead in development plans? Has the Rovers academy really produced a huge amount so far, Bazunu aside, for example? Moving to a bigger league absolutely is career advancement - especially as doing well in it gives the option of moving up to a higher league again. Rovers is the ceiling of things here, by comparison.

I don't think you can say Lincoln's ambition is low because they're chasing an LoI manager either. The outgoing manager's two previous jobs were caretaker at Leicester (Premier League) and taking Oxford from mid-table L2 to mid-table L1 in three seasons, plus two Wembley Cup finals. Do you redefine a club's ambition each time they change manager?

[John83]

Nesta, how can it simultaeously be true that Lincoln has low ambitions because they're chasing Bradley, and Bradley is taking a step down if he moves to Lincoln? If he were to move back to Rovers, would that be a step down again?

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7b/84/9f/7b849fe3c09c6cc1bf6e3df0d5022bbd.jpg

[sbgawa]

Is it though? Or is there an element of comparing big fish in a small pond (Rovers) with small fish in a big pond (Lincoln)? How are Rovers further ahead in development plans? Has the Rovers academy really produced a huge amount so far, Bazunu aside, for example? Moving to a bigger league absolutely is career advancement - especially as doing well in it gives the option of moving up to a higher league again. Rovers is the ceiling of things here, by comparison.

I don't think you can say Lincoln's ambition is low because they're chasing an LoI manager either. The outgoing manager's two previous jobs were caretaker at Leicester (Premier League) and taking Oxford from mid-table L2 to mid-table L1 in three seasons, plus two Wembley Cup finals. Do you redefine a club's ambition each time they change manager?

People keep talking about Bazunu as he is a headline maker but Rovers have a batch of outstanding kids coming through most of whom are only 14/15 years old as our Academy really only started properly in 2016. Our under 13's were over in Arsenal a couple of weeks ago and beat their Academy team, 14's and 15s are superb The under 15 Irish team has consistently 5-7 Rovers players in the squad.....it takes time but i am confident of the pipeline to the first team.
Hopefully with the B team coming back next year as part of a third tier (i hope anyway) we can hold onto them and give them game time as they develop.

On Lincoln step up step down......probably 3 or 4 times our Budget , twice as many fans despite being 17th in the league and we are double Champions...........even with my green and white blinkers on its a step up.
Not to mention he has a young family and i assume the money will be way better.

[WeAreRovers]

Don't know anyone at Rovers who thinks Lincoln is a step down. That seems to be a media narrative. Can't speak for an entire fanbase but if Bradley goes, he'll go with my thanks and best wishes. Incredibly under-rated by the LOI cognoscenti but not by Rovers fans, players and staff.

If we end up with the coaching ticket I suspect we will I'll be happy. The structure is there for a reason and it works.

[Calcio Jack]

Don't know anyone at Rovers who thinks Lincoln is a step down. That seems to be a media narrative. Can't speak for an entire fanbase but if Bradley goes, he'll go with my thanks and best wishes. Incredibly under-rated by the LOI cognoscenti but not by Rovers fans, players and staff.

If we end up with the coaching ticket I suspect we will I'll be happy. The structure is there for a reason and it works.

So care to say who you think will remain and take over if SB leaves ?

[WeAreRovers]

So care to say who you think will remain and take over if SB leaves ?

Not on here but the names are going around and you don't have to be Poirot to guess. One of the names is in the national press today too.

[Calcio Jack]

Not on here but the names are going around and you don't have to be Poirot to guess. One of the names is in the national press today too.

Fair enough

[WeAreRovers]

Fair enough

Check your PMs.

[mcgonigle]

Not on here but the names are going around and you don't have to be Poirot to guess. One of the names is in the national press today too.

Putin?

[Nesta99]

Nesta, how can it simultaeously be true that Lincoln has low ambitions because they're chasing Bradley, and Bradley is taking a step down if he moves to Lincoln? If he were to move back to Rovers, would that be a step down again?


Lincoln would be some job to get, huge step up though!!!
https://c.tenor.com/CUKos6wabgAAAAAd/the-simpsons-homer.gif






(*^$%e snookered by my own argument and you are going on my ignore list John)

[ontheotherhand]

Putin?

We do have a horse here for him.

[Kiki Balboa]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/stephen-bradley-to-take-charge-of-finn-harps-clash-but-doubt-hangs-over-his-future-at-shamrock-rovers-41618661.html

Multiple sources saying it will be Stephen Rices job. Rovers to lose all 3 backroom staff according to Dan. You could imagine McPhail in particular would be a loss.

Intresting that if it is Rice, he will have had the exact same job as his biggest challenger. Higgins came in with a pretty good reputation and around Dundalk, it was said he was a key figure in the post-Kenny success. Higgins was around the first team and had that experience before going to Ireland. Rovers will be hoping Rice will be something similar (sorry, assuming now the Bradley gone is a done deal).

If Bradley takes Mandroiu over (who from what I seen has been super and probably deserves a chance at a higher league) and/or Byrne (who I still think has the talent), suddenly it leaves a lot of gaps to be filled quickly for Rovers. No idea the contract situation for Rovers if its possible.

[Martinho II]

I wouldnt be surprised to see if Stephen Rice takes the Rovers job he would ask Tony Cousins to come up from Rovers underage structure to assist him. Cousins signed Rice for us in 2014 and stayed for two seasons under him.

[ontheotherhand]

Is it though? Or is there an element of comparing big fish in a small pond (Rovers) with small fish in a big pond (Lincoln)? How are Rovers further ahead in development plans? Has the Rovers academy really produced a huge amount so far, Bazunu aside, for example? Moving to a bigger league absolutely is career advancement - especially as doing well in it gives the option of moving up to a higher league again. Rovers is the ceiling of things here, by comparison.

I don't think you can say Lincoln's ambition is low because they're chasing an LoI manager either. The outgoing manager's two previous jobs were caretaker at Leicester (Premier League) and taking Oxford from mid-table L2 to mid-table L1 in three seasons, plus two Wembley Cup finals. Do you redefine a club's ambition each time they change manager?

There were more that went abroad than Bazunu (Zefi being the biggest name) and there's plenty more already playing across the league (Nugent, Williams etc). Sure you have a few of them yourselves. Bazunu is the biggest name but it's been producing LoI level players now for a while. The better cohorts will start coming through soon though as the first age groups who have been there from the start are due.

I agree with you on the rest. Lincoln's a great opportunity. They want to be in the Championship in 2-3 years from what it sounds like. League One is a step up, the Championship would be another universe altogether. It's a huge chance for him and the only type that will likely arrive. Even if we were to get into the group stages this year, his stock likely would never rise high enough for a direct move to the Championship. He'd be looking at an EPL/Championship Academy role or similar. This is a faster route.

[outspoken]

I wouldnt be surprised to see if Stephen Rice takes the Rovers job he would ask Tony Cousins to come up from Rovers underage structure to assist him. Cousins signed Rice for us in 2014 and stayed for two seasons under him.

Would ya stop haha didn't TC run him in 2016 sure.

[CraftyToePoke]

People keep talking about Bazunu as he is a headline maker but Rovers have a batch of outstanding kids coming through most of whom are only 14/15 years old as our Academy really only started properly in 2016. Our under 13's were over in Arsenal a couple of weeks ago and beat their Academy team, 14's and 15s are superb The under 15 Irish team has consistently 5-7 Rovers players in the squad.....it takes time but i am confident of the pipeline to the first team.

Interesting, because I did note the recent U16 national squad had six Pats players & just two Rovers ones same as Bohs with Shels having one from the Dublin based contingent. Which did surprise me.

[ontheotherhand]

Interesting, because I did note the recent U16 national squad had six Pats players & just two Rovers ones same as Bohs with Shels having one from the Dublin based contingent. Which did surprise me.

Pat's have a good set up as well to be fair. But the Irish 15s have 5 from Rovers and 1 from Pats from what I know. It's the younger age groups that have been with our set up for longer. I do have a lot of respect for O'Brien and the team at Pat's though. They've done really well.

[elatedscum]

there's quite a lot of cross pollination between the teams, for example Ben Curtis and Sam Curtis moving from Rovers to Pats, Dara McGuinness moving from Pats to Rovers etc etc

[pineapple stu]

Sure you have a few of them yourselves. Bazunu is the biggest name but it's been producing LoI level players now for a while.
Well I suppose if it's being argued that Lincoln is a sideways step in terms of other factors such as player development (and I know you're not making that point) then the academy would have to be developing players better than LoI/UCD level.

That's not to take away from the work Rovers have done at academy level. It's just to be realistic about it.

(Has to be noted I don't think Lincoln's academy has produced many great names either in fairness)

[DCSIL]

Shamrock Rovers just tweeted "Despite interest from elsewhere, Stephen Bradley is committed to Rovers"

[sadloserkid]

Statement on their website too.

[sbgawa]

Roll on the Weekend !!!

[DCSIL]

Roll on the Weekend !!!

I think we can excuse you a big win to celebrate, just hope we do the same.

[Nesta99]

Shamrock Rovers just tweeted "Despite interest from elsewhere, Stephen Bradley is committed to Rovers"

He decided it was a step down obviously!

[WeAreRovers]

Well that all worked out well! Bradley stays, fully motivated for the rest of the season, and with the succession plan now in place.

[Yossarian]

I’m surprised that he turned it down. Obviously the chance of making progress in Europe is a big draw but this would have been a good time to go to a new club with a full pre season and time to get to know players and target who he wanted to bring in. If the opportunity comes again he could be going to a club in a mess. And if he doesn’t win the league this year or progress in Europe then his stock may not be as high.
I suppose the extra money that Dermot Desmond is going to throw his way has helped make his decision.

[oriel]

Then again, and only thought of this earlier, say if he had 3 bad months at Lincoln City, they would have no issues sacking him, out of a job, reputation damage, where to next then?

Yes it was a challenge, but also a gamble.

[total hoofball]

I think Bradley has a young family here aswell and unless the money Lincoln were offering him was staggering you can see why he would stick with Rovers when things are still going good for him at the club and he his clearly getting backed at all angles at the club

[placid casual]

😁😁😁😁Oh so near.. And yet so far for SO MANY of the people on here..
You thought the good times were gonna roll on, with Bradser leaving the Champions rudderless..
You'll just have to put up with us dominating (for the rest of the season anyway ☺️)

[ontheotherhand]

Well I suppose if it's being argued that Lincoln is a sideways step in terms of other factors such as player development (and I know you're not making that point) then the academy would have to be developing players better than LoI/UCD level.

That's not to take away from the work Rovers have done at academy level. It's just to be realistic about it.

(Has to be noted I don't think Lincoln's academy has produced many great names either in fairness)

I suppose I'm looking at our academy in the same way I would an EPL academy. Southampton's is often praised based on how many players have broken in at Southampton or played for bigger clubs but there's plenty who ended up with smaller clubs. (https://www.transfermarkt.us/fc-southampton/jugendarbeit/verein/180) It's really only a handful who go on to much bigger things. I think our Academy has, even this early, provided a fairly good number of players at around our level even if we haven't quite managed to get the right number through to our first team yet. Aidomo is maybe the first to come through who is both not yet good enough to be snapped up but good enough to play for us.

We ultimately started things while the top young players were still going to England. So we were only ever going to get the best of the rest....at best! So getting a decent number of those players through to top level senior football isn't a bad return. Brexit changes things of course. Now we should be able to attract the very best. Of course there's other academies too.

[pineapple stu]

OK, but there's a difference between producing players who play for Southampton and who play for Rovers in fairness.

[ontheotherhand]

OK, but there's a difference between producing players who play for Southampton and who play for Rovers in fairness.

Of course but that's sort of my point. I'm just saying that, for me, I think it's a bit unfair to say the Rovers academy "hasn't really produced a huge amount so far". If we are judging academies on output we should be judging them on their output relative to their own standard and resources I think. Rovers academy has decent output even at this early stage for the level we are at. I'm just using Southampton as an example of a very well regarded academy that also produces a mix of:

A. A handful of players who go on to bigger things and can be sold
B. A maybe larger group that can play for Southampton for at least a number of seasons
C. A larger group who end up lower down the leagues

We've ticked two of those boxes already and we are now staring to see a few come through who are good enough to make an impact for our first team. Loads more to come though so I understand where you're coming from.

[pateen]

Well that all worked out well! Bradley stays, fully motivated for the rest of the season, and with the succession plan now in place.

Fair play to him.
Hero and cult status for him now.

[Shinkicker]

Fair play to him.
Hero and cult status for him now.
If rovers lose 3 on the trot they will call for his head.

[Martinho II]

Would ya stop haha didn't TC run him in 2016 sure.

I had actually forgotten that. I bow to ur superior knowledge. What would I know?

[ontheotherhand]

If rovers lose 3 on the trot they will call for his head.

We lost 3 on the trot last season. Delighted he stayed.

[redobit]

Be interesting to see the calibre of manager that ends up at Lincoln now. If it turns out to be a 'bigger' name than SB then you'd wonder how serious the approach was. Looks good either way for him.

[ontheotherhand]

Like they publicly offered a smaller name a contract in order to attract a bigger name? That'd be a bit of an odd one for me but I suppose it gets the word out there.

[Buller]

Be interesting to see the calibre of manager that ends up at Lincoln now. If it turns out to be a 'bigger' name than SB then you'd wonder how serious the approach was. Looks good either way for him.

They flew over to Dublin and offered a contract to our management team.

[Nesta99]

Be interesting to know why he turned it down, the whole unfinished business stuff is set script stuff.

[sbgawa]

The butterfly effect probably had something to do with it. Liverpool beating villareal on Tuesday meant rovers are seeded in round 1 CLQ so have an excellent chance e of going through which then gives them 3 cracks in a row at group stages and 8 weeks of european football. I'm assuming group stage bonus payments would make up a good chunk of anything they are losing out on in Lincoln and I'd say other clubs will come calling.

[Straightstory]

Presumable he's staying at Rovers because of the attraction of playing in Europe. As I recall, he didn't seem that pushed about Europe last year, stressing that winning the league was more important. Curious.

[Straightstory]

James Brown (ex Drogs) made his Blackburn debut in a 2-1 win at Birmingham.

Here's a pic!

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61280943