2022 Season, Arrivals and Departures

[Nesta99]

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.

That'd do it all right. Invaluable experience. Was Bradley a Rovers fan as a youngster out of interest?

[ontheotherhand]

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.

He gave an interview about the decision where he said the league is still the number 1 priority. Same as last season and as it should be for me. He did say Europe is right up there though and if course there's disappointment over how they did last year so I'm sure getting seeded and having a chance at a good draw helped convince him it was worth sticking around.

[ontheotherhand]

That'd do it all right. Invaluable experience. Was Bradley a Rovers fan as a youngster out of interest?

Not from what I know but he's from Tallaght so I think there's a bit of a local attachment.

[Kingdom]

That'd do it all right. Invaluable experience. Was Bradley a Rovers fan as a youngster out of interest?

No, from what I'd heard.

[ULsurvey1]

I'd guess he'll probably feel it won't be his last offer from League One?

[A N Mouse]

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.

I mean there unfinished business here, but if he has ambitions of managing the national team which one should he have went for?

Vagaries of life in L1, where despite any promises of time and money he could be out on his ear before the year is done.

Or, sit tight knowing there at least two more goes at getting to european group stages. And hopefully beyond if want to press those claims.

[pineapple stu]

Is it fair to compare the best outcome of staying with Rovers to the worst outcome of moving abroad?

[sbgawa]

Is it fair to compare the best outcome of staying with Rovers to the worst outcome of moving abroad?

Fair point but what is the best outcome with Lincoln?
IMHO unless he had been promised a big budget increase promotion from L1 would be a very hard ask for a club of that size (never been there before).
Ipswich, Sheff Wednesday, Derby , Bolton, Portsmouth , Charlton massive clubs in there.
They did make the playoffs before so not impossible but success would probably be top half of the division and fairly easy to be forgotten about in there.

Stay at Rovers do a 3 in a row and qualify for Group stages (best case scenario for Rovers) and i think you can be fairly sure there will be others who will come calling next year.
Rovers need to start planning now for a succession plan in the event all 3 leave this time next year....i assume they are

[pineapple stu]

Fair point but what is the best outcome with Lincoln?
IMHO unless he had been promised a big budget increase promotion from L1 would be a very hard ask for a club of that size (never been there before).
Agree promotion (they spent most of the 50s in the second tier btw, though that's a different era of course) is a very long shot, but that may take the pressure off. A top half finish may be enough to make a name for himself for example. Or another cup run. Playing up a division in the cups is a bigger tie than most Euro games.

And another Euro campaign like last year won't help him.

It's a basket case of a business of course - and maybe he figures it can wait till a better time in his personal life or whatever - in which case best of luck to him. Secure management jobs - as Rovers seems to be - are rare enough in football.

[Nesta99]

Talk of Dundalk losing a number loan players due to being recalled with the good form they've shown. Willams is back with his parent club with his injury also, with no indication that he could return after recovery. It'd seriously disrupt any push for a European slot.

[sbgawa]

Talk of Dundalk losing a number loan players due to being recalled with the good form they've shown. Willams is back with his parent club with his injury also, with no indication that he could return after recovery. It'd seriously disrupt any push for a European slot.

I assume you mean in July?

[Nesta99]

I assume you mean in July?

Yes but there was some confusion as someone in the UK reported the recall asuming it would be at their season end rather than the opening of our transfer window 1st July.

[nigel-harps1954]

The only real threat there would be Stephen Bradley surely?

[A N Mouse]

Is it fair to compare the best outcome of staying with Rovers to the worst outcome of moving abroad?

Risk v Reward

10 years ago, would be just go. Now, with SK as Ireland manager and a path to getting there laid out, not so straightforward.

Zero risk in staying. Worst case? Few years of losing in europe, but still qualifying. Some else manages to get european performances and their stock goes higher. Take a good offer when it comes.

Going has tonnes of risk, whatever about QOL, maybe more money but a backwards step in ambitions on national team job.
And best case? Within the three years you've got promotion, and are looking to get backed for another three to consolidate and maybe get competitive at higher level, or hoping a better offer comes in.



So 'risk v reward', bit like deciding if you're going to quote the comment you're replying to, like a normal person. Or just leave it floating, in case the fecker decides to engage with you :(

[pineapple stu]

So 'risk v reward', bit like deciding if you're going to quote the comment you're replying to, like a normal person. Or just leave it floating, in case the fecker decides to engage with you :(
Well I didn't feel it necessary to quote you as mine was the post immediately after yours - I figured it'd be obvious!

But just in case, I'll quote you here so you don't get too confused.


Take a good offer when it comes.

Going has tonnes of risk, maybe more money but a backwards step in ambitions on national team job.
I presume you don't think Lincoln is a good offer?

If the definition of a good offer abroad is one without tonnes of risk, you'll be waiting a long while for one. I don't see how it could be a backwards step in terms of the national team either. There's a lot of Ireland players in L1 at the moment. Not many in the LoI though.

I think the impact Bradley has had in the LoI is a long way Kenny's, so I don't think that he could necessarily go from Rovers to the Ireland job. In that regard, when you ask about best case - well, the Lincoln manager from 2016 to 2019 got picked up by Huddersfield (didn't go well) and is now at Portsmouth. Both clearly a step up from Lincoln, so it can be done.

[A N Mouse]

Well I didn't feel it necessary to quote you as mine was the post immediately after yours - I figured it'd be obvious!
You asked if it was fair to compare best case of staying with worst case of going, I laid out why it's reasonable to do such a thing.

Outside of football there a lot of people could get better paying jobs elsewhere, but work life balance, extra work/hours/travel or maybe not being able to get back into a niche field mean the risk outweighs the rewards for them. Dare I say it but for one our football managers to be able to make a decision like that... seems like progress.



But just in case, I'll quote you here so you don't get too confused.

I presume you don't think Lincoln is a good offer?

If the definition of a good offer abroad is one without tonnes of risk, you'll be waiting a long while for one. I don't see how it could be a backwards step in terms of the national team either. There's a lot of Ireland players in L1 at the moment. Not many in the LoI though.

You've taken the bit you quoted out of context, it was as part of the worst case - there'd still be an offer, he'd just have to be less discerning.

From what I've heard the offer was good.



I think the impact Bradley has had in the LoI is a long way Kenny's, so I don't think that he could necessarily go from Rovers to the Ireland job. In that regard, when you ask about best case - well, the Lincoln manager from 2016 to 2019 got picked up by Huddersfield (didn't go well) and is now at Portsmouth. Both clearly a step up from Lincoln, so it can be done.

I agree on Bradley's impact and his current chance's of the Ireland job. But a couple of good showings at group stages of european football can get your name in the hat.

However the same goes for any manager in the league. The easiest way to raise their profile is by results in europe. I'm not suggesting that's easy, but I think it would be easier than taking L1 by storm. And being in L1 leaves the door open for four or five LOI managers to try and eclipse him.

What would he have to do in L1 to rasie his profile? The Portsmouth manager took Lincoln to two promotions in three years to get back to L1. Portsmouth will be on their sixth attempt to get promoted out of L1 next season.

[Straightstory]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022/0512/1297663-lincoln-appointer-former-irish-international-kennedy/

Hardly a high-profile appointment. I haven't heard much about him since he stopped playing.

[Jack B]

Joe Redmond signed a new contract already with Pats, seems like it's a 3 year deal. Good move from Pats to get it sorted so early as he has been excellent thus far.

[pineapple stu]

You asked if it was fair to compare best case of staying with worst case of going, I laid out why it's reasonable to do such a thing.
I think it's helped give a bit of a biased view of the options though. "Zero risk in staying" for example - don't agree with that at all. Rovers could lose to an Estonian side in Europe again. They could fall behind Derry in the league. Arguably Rovers have more ways to go down than up at the moment.

I think your comment that "a couple of good showings at group stages of european football can get your name in the hat" overlooks how hard that is. The best LoI group stage performance was 4 points in the Europa League, and that from Kenny who I think is a much better manager than Bradley. I think we have a tendency to put too much emphasis on Europe too - a good Cup run in England would be a more than equivalent comparison. Rovers last year lost to Slovan, beat Teuta of Albania and lost to Flora - that's nothing special in the greater scheme of things.

Plus I think he could learn a lot from a spell abroad, even if it doesn't work out. You could arguably view it as a requirement on the ladder to the Ireland job.

[2 Year Contract]

Joe Redmond signed a new contract already with Pats, seems like it's a 3 year deal. Good move from Pats to get it sorted so early as he has been excellent thus far.

Yeah good to have him tied down long term, he’s probably been Pats Player of the Season so far. He’s played a big part in the 8 clean sheets in 15 games so far

[A N Mouse]

I think it's helped give a bit of a biased view of the options though. "Zero risk in staying" for example - don't agree with that at all. Rovers could lose to an Estonian side in Europe again. They could fall behind Derry in the league. Arguably Rovers have more ways to go down than up at the moment.

Do you think even if both those things occurred there be a new first team boss in Tallaght next season?



I think your comment that "a couple of good showings at group stages of european football can get your name in the hat" overlooks how hard that is. The best LoI group stage performance was 4 points in the Europa League, and that from Kenny who I think is a much better manager than Bradley. I think we have a tendency to put too much emphasis on Europe too - a good Cup run in England would be a more than equivalent comparison. Rovers last year lost to Slovan, beat Teuta of Albania and lost to Flora - that's nothing special in the greater scheme of things.

Plus I think he could learn a lot from a spell abroad, even if it doesn't work out. You could arguably view it as a requirement on the ladder to the Ireland job.

I haven't, what I said was



I agree on Bradley's impact and his current chance's of the Ireland job. But a couple of good showings at group stages of european football can get your name in the hat.

However the same goes for any manager in the league. The easiest way to raise their profile is by results in europe. I'm not suggesting that's easy, but I think it would be easier than taking L1 by storm. And being in L1 leaves the door open for four or five LOI managers to try and eclipse him.

Anyway, now we can look forward to following Mark Kennedy's Lincoln City lighting up L1. Maybe he'll do enough to get his name in the hat next time Ireland manger's job come up :p

[pineapple stu]

Do you think even if both those things occurred there be a new first team boss in Tallaght next season?
Probably not, but in the greater scheme of career progression and ultimately maybe the Ireland job, it's definitely a risk.


I haven't, what I said was I think it would be easier than taking L1 by storm
Fair enough - but why does he have to take L1 by storm? Would not a solid mid-table finish and maybe a Cup run as good as if not better than getting to the group stages of Europe?

[joey B]

Bad news for Colm Whelan ,ruptured his cruciate ligament,hopefully he makes a good recovery

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/worst-injury-fears-confirmed-demand-26988441?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar&s=09&fbclid=IwAR3vtBKP7pHb6PZl1Cg1IIQY_ddWWDRY3Zwm9IcC1 Mp_7fXYROhi6ciO_OM

[2 Year Contract]

Bad news for Colm Whelan ,ruptured his cruciate ligament,hopefully he makes a good recovery

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/worst-injury-fears-confirmed-demand-26988441?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar&s=09&fbclid=IwAR3vtBKP7pHb6PZl1Cg1IIQY_ddWWDRY3Zwm9IcC1 Mp_7fXYROhi6ciO_OM

Awful timing for him too ahead of what was looking like a promising summer move. Best of luck to him in his rehab

[kksaints]

Bad news for Colm Whelan ,ruptured his cruciate ligament,hopefully he makes a good recovery

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/worst-injury-fears-confirmed-demand-26988441?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar&s=09&fbclid=IwAR3vtBKP7pHb6PZl1Cg1IIQY_ddWWDRY3Zwm9IcC1 Mp_7fXYROhi6ciO_OM

That's really unfortunate for the chap, I assume his contract runs until the end of the season for medical treatment purposes?

[pineapple stu]

Ah balls. Yeah, he's contracted for the season, but this will probably mean we miss out on a transfer fee. And of course bad for Collie too.

Fortunately Tommy Lonergan - who broke his ankle in pre-season - made the bench for the first time last week, so I guess he gets thrown in and we see what happens.

[placid casual]

That's really bad timing for the young lad. Hopefully it won't halt his progress in the long term.
Is Kerrigan on his way out in the summer Stu?

[pineapple stu]

Don't know, but presume so. Again, he's contracted for the year afaik, so we should get a transfer fee at least.

I think we're better set for the next generation than we were three years ago though. Plenty of players (Duffy, Caffrey, even Moore in nets of late) are already coming into the first team, and the 19s won their group easing up, beating Pat's, which is always a good result. I don't see the chaos of mid 2019 when we only had two subs, for example. So if we go down (and if we don't, it'll be because Harps/Drogheda are pure muck rather than that we're any good) we should be well up there next season again. It's a bit mad how big the gap is between top half PD, lower PD, top half FD, and lower FD.

[ontheotherhand]

That's brutal for Whelan. Hope he recovers well.

Wouldn't mind seeing us loan you back Farrugia until the end of the season. Might be a good move for all parties.

[Kiki Balboa]

Thats a pity for Whelan. Caused Dundalk all sort of problems in the last match. Not nice ever to see major injuries.

[sbgawa]

Farrugia will get plenty of game time if we get a run in Europe.
Gutted for Whelan.

[pateen]

Apparently both were set for moves to Lincoln. What's with Lincolns connection and the LOI?

[CraftyToePoke]

It's a bit mad how big the gap is between top half PD, lower PD, top half FD, and lower FD.

Looking at Treaty who will, probably, close out the last D1 playoff spot but are as far off Cork in first as they are from Athlone in last on points ( or close enough to ) but could end up a couple of cup finals from being a Premier side & really would have no business up a level at all.

[ger121]

Bucko gone from Sligo. A bit of a surprise that one

[joey B]

https://www.sligorovers.com/liam-buckley-departs-rovers/

Buckley departs from Sligo….

[Kiki Balboa]

John Caulfield is rumoured for Sligo. Surprise for me if he leaves Galway, considering the resources they have.

Anybody know any other names being linked (or is is a done job?)?

No surprise Buckley, seems Sligo just lost all momentum about half way through last year. Even though they had a good start this year, no buzz about them at all.

[pineapple stu]

Caulfield would still have to be a risk for Sligo, no?

[Joe Strummer]

John Caulfield is rumoured for Sligo. Surprise for me if he leaves Galway, considering the resources they have.

Anybody know any other names being linked (or is is a done job?)?

No surprise Buckley, seems Sligo just lost all momentum about half way through last year. Even though they had a good start this year, no buzz about them at all.

I cant see that happening, Sligo like to play on the ground Caulfield likes to hoof the ball

[Kiki Balboa]

Caulfield would still have to be a risk for Sligo, no?

The problem with the league is that there are few first team managers with any experience around, especially with the two young managers moving on from last year (O'Donnell and Clancy). Ony Caulfield really. Vinny Perth too, but maybe he is damaged goods already. Neale Fenn? Stephen Rice? Look up north for a manager? Its a hard choice. It will be a very intresting appointment for Sligo.

I am sure in footballing terms they might rue not building on the last two seasons with European football, there was a massive gap for a second place team until this season, with Derry and Dundalk looking to have streghtened seem to be well placed (at least for this season). Sligo are one of the most stable teams, and with other teams imploding should have seen the last two seasons to cement themselves in the contender mix on the pitch, but now might have missed there chance and restart again.

[Martinho II]

Wonder will Sligo Rovers revert to their tried and trusted method of hiring mgrs from the Uk again ie Paul Cook?

[Longfordian]

Rice would be an interesting one if he'd leave the national team set up for a non Shamrock Rovers job. He was very well regarded in his spell with us as being a top professional. Otherwise Roddy.

[pineapple stu]

The problem with the league is that there are few first team managers with any experience around, especially with the two young managers moving on from last year (O'Donnell and Clancy).
True, but you wonder are they better appointing from within? Or, as Marty says, going abroad as they used to.

Even at Galway, I think it's fair to say Caulfield's underachieved and I'm not sure that's what Sligo need right now

[Nesta99]

Caulfield is a lazy journo choice, firstly he is on an upward trend with Galway currently, it could be tough to stop a Sligo slide. He is being strongly backed in Galway with the sort of money that Sligo may not have. Slogo fans exect to see a game of football so JC would need to hit the ground running in a style that is alien to him. Rice will crop up now Bradley rejected Lincoln. There are a few older names like Doolin that could be bandied about. Sligo have often taken a risk on complete unknowns, more often good than bade but if they want to take a punt on someone they dont need to go outside league circles with the like of Vinny Perth available. It could be a good mix, By all accounts a raid in Cliftonville would raise eyebrows for the right reasons!

[The Bowler]

Collie ONeill would be interesting for Sligo but is he going to leave his good job for a full time job in football, doubtful.

[Jd2793]

Collie ONeill would be interesting for Sligo but is he going to leave his good job for a full time job in football, doubtful.

yeah i cant see him ever leaving the full time job which is completely fair, think hes a loss to the league though would love to see him involved with a team. Perth to sligo would be amusing, cant see that working out well.

[Kiki Balboa]

Would Buckley get another job in the league? Maybe for Galway if Caulfield goes? (Caulfield wouldn't be my first choice). It is also funny how often managers are seen to become damaged goods in the league after they leave a job. Maybe the league is too quick to dismiss managers like Fenn and Perth, who might have improved with the experience (although look at Waterford and Morris/ which was a terrible hire).

On the flipside, Sligo should also be an attarctive job for someone looking to break into the league, and Sligo is probably in a good place right now to select someone without any experience. They will get a half-a-season and a bit with zero pressure of relegation and no expecations of europe, with two transfer windows to build a squad (like O'Donnell and Higgins got).

Glenn Whelan was released from Bristol this week. If I was Bohs, that would be a big target for the summer (if he wanted to come home).

[Jd2793]

i dont think fenn is as bad as the cork stint tbh, we had no money and then covid hit and we sent some loan signings back. made some bad signings out of desperation (every forward tbh) but got some decent lads on loan, oluwu+redmond. i feel a bit sorry for him , we were on the brink on the eve of the first game of the season. easy knowing there was no money there for him. it'll probably have to be the first division again for him though, no chance morris gets a gig for a long time imo. i dont think perth is anything special either but hes a cert to get some job that'll come up in next 12 months i reckon.

[pineapple stu]

Would Buckley get another job in the league? .
I think his pedigree is good enough to get another job (if he wants one; he's 62 after all). But it's a small league so he might have to wait. (Cue Rovers fans suggesting the Bohs job might be available soon!)

[joey B]

A Few Pats fans wouldn’t mind having him back looking at the quote tweets on that announcement!!!

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Cannot see Caulfield even being spoken to. Not popular there.