2022 Season, Arrivals and Departures

[ForzaForth]

Disappointed to hear that Jimmy won't be back for Wexford. Still only nineteen and thought he improved greatly as the 2021 season went on. Had no problems with his general shot-stopping and handling of crosses. Very quick off his line for one-on-ones. Charged outside his penalty area a couple of times maybe when he shouldn't have but that's due to inexperience. Not the tallest goalkeeper these days when some keepers' heads seem to be almost touching the crossbar.

Think he'd be well-suited to fighting for the no. 1 jersey in Cork.

[joey B]

Gearóid Morrissey announced his retirement,a great LOI midfielder and scorer of one the best goals I’ve seen in Finn Park!

Only 30 years old and from his statement it’s a decision he’s taken with a heavy heart due to financial and security reasons,pretty sad really for Cork and the league in general….

[total hoofball]

Looking like Kev Doherty and Daire Doyle as assistant for Drogs. Daire could entice a few of Longfords better players, I'd take Dervin anyways and Steacy if required. Grimes also looked a very good player when I saw him this year (I think it was Grimes anyways).
Grimes started in the LOI at Shels under Doherty and looked a serious prospect, then once Owen Heary took over both him and the now in-demand James Brown were deemed not good enough for the First Division and almost ended up on the LOI scrapheap. I would be really surprised if Grimes doesn't end up at Drogheda now

[SeanDrog]

Grimes started in the LOI at Shels under Doherty and looked a serious prospect, then once Owen Heary took over both him and the now in-demand James Brown were deemed not good enough for the First Division and almost ended up on the LOI scrapheap. I would be really surprised if Grimes doesn't end up at Drogheda now

I’d expect that Doherty has a good network and I always wondered who was responsible for our great signings last year - Clancy or Doherty (maybe both) - I guess we will find out over the coming months.

I wonder if the potential move of Foley (ex.Harps) is now off with Clancy moving. I’d hope Ryan Brennan is still a possibility. Grimes did stand out so a move to Drogs would be good. I’ll feel more comfortable when we start resigning some of this years team.

[patsdad]

Very carefully worded!

St Patrick's Athletic Press Release | Thursday December 2nd 2021



St Patrick’s Athletic are pleased to announce the addition of Tim Clancy to the management team for the 2022 season.

Tim has signed a two year contract with the club, effective today and will strengthen our team.

We would like to thank Drogheda United for their professionalism in this process and permitting us to speak with their manager with a view to him joining St Patrick’s Athletic.

Tim Clancy said "I am delighted to join the management team at a massive club like St Patrick's Athletic and looking forward to helping the Club to achieve its great ambitions. It was a difficult decision to leave Drogheda United and I am eternally grateful to them for giving me my first opportunity in management"

[Nesta99]

SOD being quite conniving and Pats being naive in their handling of issues such as players' contracts and beyond are not mutually exclusive.

It should be a big part of how St Pat's deal with the aftermath of this irrespective of how it pans out. I'd find it concerning if 1 person, even the head coach/manager, are the only ones in the know at a club on contractual circumstances of staff and players (verbal agreements are useless). Even Dundalk under Chairman Bill there wouldnt have been such a vacuum of info internally on what stage talks are at and when people were actively keeping certain people in the dark. Clubs dont know who players and agents are talking to when contracts are due to end (isnt the in the last 6 months of a contract where no approach to a club is needed?), with this in mind, the likes of Derry looking to build quickly with shiny new money, Rovers maybe wanting to build strength in depth, Shels looking to make a statement to follow up Duff's appointment and so on - surely someone would or should have asked questions and if not was leaving ripe pickings regardless. Again annoyance, even anger is understandable but there should be plenty of introspection also! If O'Donnell was being as manipulative as has been suggested I just cant see how it was kept so under wraps, at least 1 player would have broken ranks - maybe to score favour for their own ends. It asks questions about the internal relationships behind the scenes at Pats, officials, agents, fans, friends - it would be pretty ruthless to burn bridges with a whole bunch of people which would be necessary for S'OD (AND others) to be so machiavellian in all this.

Its all gone pretty quiet so its possible people have settled down a tad after the initial surprise and lessons will be learned. Drogheda Utd people have been saying in recent weeks that Clancy would have been too loyal to consider Dundalk if he was the target (but he would be ok going to another club), before all this kerfuffle with S'OD I thought that was at best wishful thinking as would he have turned down a FT setup with a pay rise and a bigger budget to play with, just because of Drogheda's rivalry with Dundalk - he is hardly A dyed in the wool Drogheda chap, former player legend ala Declan O'Brien. Its a moot point if appointments have been made but I dont think would have been dissimilar with the reaction if Clancy had been route Dundalk FC had been looking at. Indeed that cast iron and announced 2 year contract extension he was given recently may have put him out of contention from the get go - maybe its money that may have to go to the Drogs to get Clancy in as manager that is causing the irritation in the ST Pats boardroom?


Very carefully worded!

St Patrick's Athletic Press Release | Thursday December 2nd 2021

Tim has signed a two year contract with the club, effective today and will strengthen our team.

We would like to thank Drogheda United for their professionalism in this process and permitting us to speak with their manager with a view to him joining St Patrick’s Athletic.

Tim Clancy said "I am delighted to join the management team at a massive club like St Patrick's Athletic and looking forward to helping the Club to achieve its great ambitions. It was a difficult decision to leave Drogheda United and I am eternally grateful to them for giving me my first opportunity in management"

Lessons learnt and digs administered - a sense of moving on!? It could get tasty next season between Dundalk and St Pats....

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Very carefully worded!

St Patrick's Athletic Press Release | Thursday December 2nd 2021



St Patrick’s Athletic are pleased to announce the addition of Tim Clancy to the management team for the 2022 season.

Tim has signed a two year contract with the club, effective today and will strengthen our team.

We would like to thank Drogheda United for their professionalism in this process and permitting us to speak with their manager with a view to him joining St Patrick’s Athletic.

Tim Clancy said "I am delighted to join the management team at a massive club like St Patrick's Athletic and looking forward to helping the Club to achieve its great ambitions. It was a difficult decision to leave Drogheda United and I am eternally grateful to them for giving me my first opportunity in management"

My thoughts exactly on the wording!

[Longfordian]

Three managers is a novel approach.

[SeanDrog]

My thoughts exactly on the wording!
Bit of Drogs release “ “We wish Tim well as he moves on to pastures new and thank him for all that he achieved at Drogheda United. I would also like to say thank you to St Patrick’s Athletic for the professional and courteous manner in which they have acted in relation to Tim’s departure from Drogheda United.”

Very similar language and both releases at the same time - professional coordination … times a changing ;)

[boynemunich]

I’d expect that Doherty has a good network and I always wondered who was responsible for our great signings last year - Clancy or Doherty (maybe both) - I guess we will find out over the coming months.

I wonder if the potential move of Foley (ex.Harps) is now off with Clancy moving. I’d hope Ryan Brennan is still a possibility. Grimes did stand out so a move to Drogs would be good. I’ll feel more comfortable when we start resigning some of this years team.

I think Foley will sign as he's living locally and not sure he'd be in huge demand. Brennan signing would be great also but for some reason I don't think it will happen. I think in a best case scenario we lose only Brown and Doyle which would be tolerable. But worst case scenario we lose Markey, O Reilly, Redmond,Philips, Odumosu and Deegan on top of that. Interesting few weeks ahead.

[D24Saint]

Three managers is a novel approach.

Ménager a trois , we believe in the continental approach in Richmond Park.

[patsdad]

It should be a big part of how St Pat's deal with the aftermath of this irrespective of how it pans out. I'd find it concerning if 1 person, even the head coach/manager, are the only ones in the know at a club on contractual circumstances of staff and players (verbal agreements are useless). Even Dundalk under Chairman Bill there wouldnt have been such a vacuum of info internally on what stage talks are at and when people were actively keeping certain people in the dark. Clubs dont know who players and agents are talking to when contracts are due to end (isnt the in the last 6 months of a contract where no approach to a club is needed?), with this in mind, the likes of Derry looking to build quickly with shiny new money, Rovers maybe wanting to build strength in depth, Shels looking to make a statement to follow up Duff's appointment and so on - surely someone would or should have asked questions and if not was leaving ripe pickings regardless. Again annoyance, even anger is understandable but there should be plenty of introspection also! If O'Donnell was being as manipulative as has been suggested I just cant see how it was kept so under wraps, at least 1 player would have broken ranks - maybe to score favour for their own ends. It asks questions about the internal relationships behind the scenes at Pats, officials, agents, fans, friends - it would be pretty ruthless to burn bridges with a whole bunch of people which would be necessary for S'OD (AND others) to be so machiavellian in all this.

Its all gone pretty quiet so its possible people have settled down a tad after the initial surprise and lessons will be learned. Drogheda Utd people have been saying in recent weeks that Clancy would have been too loyal to consider Dundalk if he was the target (but he would be ok going to another club), before all this kerfuffle with S'OD I thought that was at best wishful thinking as would he have turned down a FT setup with a pay rise and a bigger budget to play with, just because of Drogheda's rivalry with Dundalk - he is hardly A dyed in the wool Drogheda chap, former player legend ala Declan O'Brien. Its a moot point if appointments have been made but I dont think would have been dissimilar with the reaction if Clancy had been route Dundalk FC had been looking at. Indeed that cast iron and announced 2 year contract extension he was given recently may have put him out of contention from the get go - maybe its money that may have to go to the Drogs to get Clancy in as manager that is causing the irritation in the ST Pats boardroom?



Lessons learnt and digs administered - a sense of moving on!? It could get tasty next season between Dundalk and St Pats....

I think you’re about to find that the people learning lessons are not the people who run St Pats!
Any idea why Dundalk haven’t announced a new manager yet?

[Philosophizer]

So much prefessionalism and courteousness and kindness and etiquette on show...

[SeanDrog]

So much prefessionalism and courteousness and kindness and etiquette on show...


Just like. Bohs /Rovers ticket allocation discussion …. Oh wait … er ….

[Jack B]

O'Donnell must be staying on to put the cones out for training.

[SeanDrog]

So much prefessionalism and courteousness and kindness and etiquette on show...


I think Foley will sign as he's living locally and not sure he'd be in huge demand. Brennan signing would be great also but for some reason I don't think it will happen. I think in a best case scenario we lose only Brown and Doyle which would be tolerable. But worst case scenario we lose Markey, O Reilly, Redmond,Philips, Odumosu and Deegan on top of that. Interesting few weeks ahead.

I hear you .. hopefully Doherty has good relationships with them that will see some of them stay. I would also see Massey as a risk leaving back to Dundalk.

I didn’t realise Foley was local, I know he was quiet 2nd half of the season but in the first half he was very good and I liked they way he ran at defenders with a good shot.

At this point I am assuming Sean Brennan is still on the management team and if so hopefully that adds some strength to our ability to sign Ryan.

[boynemunich]

I hear you .. hopefully Doherty has good relationships with them that will see some of them stay. I would also see Massey as a risk leaving back to Dundalk.

I didn’t realise Foley was local, I know he was quiet 2nd half of the season but in the first half he was very good and I liked they way he ran at defenders with a good shot.

At this point I am assuming Sean Brennan is still on the management team and if so hopefully that adds some strength to our ability to sign Ryan.

I think Massey will go back to Dundalk and I forgot to add Kane to potential list of outgoings too. Really could be disastrous.

Adam Foley is involved with Glebe North as far as I know so I'm pretty sure he's local enough. I forgot Sean was coaching with us that should be a huge draw for Ryan then.

[TonyD]

Ménager a trois , we believe in the continental approach in Richmond Park.

Or Manager a trois ;).

(Can’t claim credit for that one in fairness)

[Nesta99]

I think you’re about to find that the people learning lessons are not the people who run St Pats!
Any idea why Dundalk haven’t announced a new manager yet?

Indeed, there could be lessons all 'round, its LoI. What would we do over the close season without such drama - seems endless with Dundalk of recent. Its straight forward enough, a contract was signed or it wasnt, *clauses 'n all. If it was and presented as otherwise then it isnt necessarily Dundalk on the hook and all that due diligence jazz will have shown issues and hence the silence. Or it wasnt signed and noses are sufficiently out of joint to have a tantrum and there are some solicitors making a few quid. Its always cut and dry in LoI! I will side on things being sorted relatively quietly in the end. But keep the legals in the mix for as long as possible is a way to throw a spanner in the works - if I owned a club i'd probably be petty enough to do it!

Why no announcement? Ive learned not to speculate too much on such things as few have the real answers and those in the know even less so!

[sulywaterfordfc]

Been a bit of a mystery week as a Blues fan. Thankfully the locally paper shed some light on things. https://waterford-news.ie/2021/12/02/forrest-eager-to-lead-blues-back-to-premier-promised-land/

[Kiki Balboa]

If Waterford and Galway are going to be full time, Cork will still have a big battle to get promoted... Some big games in the first next year.

[2 Year Contract]

Been a bit of a mystery week as a Blues fan. Thankfully the locally paper shed some light on things. https://waterford-news.ie/2021/12/02/forrest-eager-to-lead-blues-back-to-premier-promised-land/

Any word on who those players signed for next season are? I’d imagine Phoneix Patterson and Junior Quitirna would have no shortage of Premier Division offers if they decide not to back to England

[sulywaterfordfc]

Any word on who those players signed for next season are? I’d imagine Phoneix Patterson and Junior Quitirna would have no shortage of Premier Division offers if they decide not to back to England

There was talk both signed new deals for two years in the summer but one would assume there were clauses related to relegation. There’s talk Eddie Nolan signed an 18 month deal in the summer which if true is a huge starting point. Local lad with a lot of experience which is exactly what we need really at the back. I’d love to see Murphy give it another season on goal, he was still top class this year. But Paul Martin looked like his got bags of potential earlier in the season when Sheedy and Newell refused to play Murphy. Wouldn’t be opposed to Martin being number one next year either.

From the off Paul and John Martin, Shane Griffin, Niall OKeffe and Darragh Power for me have to be priorities to be signed up. All good enough to be in the starting team and gives us a good core and all came up from the academy. Wouldn’t be surprised if other clubs were looking at them though. Hopefully they’ve already been signed up. It was fantastic to see young OKeffe as the clubs captain this year, great young lad and it feels all the better he took the step up from the academy side.

It’s good to hear we’re staying full time, you’d imagine we’ll have a competitive budget too. Can’t imagine he’d retain the full time status and throw money at it for us to sign a bucket load of journeymen from sh*t.

Whoever the new manager is I’m hoping Franny Rockett is brought back into the fold. Fantastic young local coach whom should have ever been left leave the club.

The club need to remove two senior employees is the club wants to move forward and have a positive future. Otherwise we’ll have another sh*tshow episode at some stage.

[2 Year Contract]

Can’t imagine he’d retain the full time status and throw money at it for us to sign a bucket load of journeymen from sh*t.

Yeah not a bucketload of them, just Forrest's sons and relatives only ;)

[sulywaterfordfc]

If Waterford and Galway are going to be full time, Cork will still have a big battle to get promoted... Some big games in the first next year.

Not sure what sort of impact they had last year, but Cork announced two departures yesterday (Morrisey and Beattie). You’d have to imagine with such a young and inexperienced squad down in Cork that it’ll big loss losing their experience. Assume McNulty may call it a day too with between his age and Cork signing a new keeper from Wexford.

[Straightstory]

Amazingly, Tim Clancy seemed to have a 'proper' job outside football working a night shift in Musgraves, the main food distributor in the country for SuperValue and Centra. Presumably that job will now also become vacant.
Vinny Perth?

[sulywaterfordfc]

Yeah not a bucketload of them, just Forrest's sons and relatives only ;)

I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt but I’d like to think Forrest has some level of pedigree seeing as he played football league couple years ago before suffering a bad injury. I don’t think that was too big an issue, I think Bircham made it into a big issue on talksport to big himself up. I’m gutted how the Bircham situation played out but he had his flaws too - time to move on now and build for next season. The main issue between Forrest and Bircham was the war of words between Bircham and the Academy manager (Whom many want to see replaced - by all accounts he’s a problem and has led to many top coaches leaving the clubs academy sides).

[TonyD]

Amazingly, Tim Clancy seemed to have a 'proper' job outside football working a night shift in Musgraves, the main food distributor in the country for SuperValue and Centra. Presumably that job will now also become vacant.
Vinny Perth?

That’s mean :D. Talk about kicking a guy when he’s down. !

[nigel-harps1954]

Adam Foley is involved with Glebe North as far as I know so I'm pretty sure he's local enough.

Foley moved to Drogheda last summer. He's not involved with Glebe North anymore either. Left his role as manager there about six weeks after being appointed.

Had a very good first half of the season, few of his goals were relative tap ins, but he was really really poor second half of the season. Played a bit part role as the year went on.

[osarusan]

Treaty have signed:

Jack Brady (along with Tadhg Ryan, if he stays, that is a very well covered position)
Willie Armshaw
Marc Ludden
Jack Lynch

Good stuff so far, although there's not many on the team that other (better positioned) clubs would want to take I suppose.

[sheao]

Steven Beattie departing Cork City and Gearoid Morrissey retiring from LOI Football.

https://www.corkcityfc.ie/home/2021/12/02/gearoid-morrissey-retires-steven-beattie-departs-ccfc/

[sheao]

Cork City squad so far for 2022:

GK - Harrington, Corcoran
RB - Walker , Kargbo
CB - Coleman Gilchrist Hakkinen Honohan
LB - Hurley
CM - Bolger, Byrne
Wingers/Wide players - Doona, Bargary , Kennedy, Crowley
Striker- Murphy

16 signed up.

[sulywaterfordfc]

Cork City squad so far for 2022:

GK - Harrington, Corcoran
RB - Walker , Kargbo
CB - Coleman Gilchrist Hakkinen Honohan
LB - Hurley
CM - Bolger, Byrne
Wingers/Wide players - Doona, Bargary , Kennedy, Crowley
Striker- Murphy

16 signed up.

Is it expected that there’ll be 5/6 experienced pros added to that? Or will the squad be just youngsters? I’ve no doubt there’s plenty of good young pros there but I’d imagine the two departing senior pros will be a huge loss in itself for their experience alone.

[GUFCghost]

If Waterford and Galway are going to be full time, Cork will still have a big battle to get promoted... Some big games in the first next year.


This time last year I thought full time football would guarantee united promotion....

[joey B]

Shane Griffin joined Shels from Pats,start of the exodus?

[patsdad]

He had two years to try and take Bermo's place in the first team and couldn't. Nice lad but it didn't work out for him and a move on was inevitable. We used 16 players in the cup final and he stayed on the bench.

[Jack B]

Yeah Griffin was always off I think. Ended up looking miles off Bermo and it seems (or seemed anyway...) nailed on that we're signing Breslin so there wouldn't be any place for him.

[TonyD]

Yeah Griffin was always off I think. Ended up looking miles off Bermo and it seems (or seemed anyway...) nailed on that we're signing Breslin so there wouldn't be any place for him.

He did ok when he played. Not a loss that would have me crying into my beer though. Looks like we’re in for a major rebuild anyway. Jaros and Lewis definitely gone, and they will be bigger losses. Others like King, Smith, Benson could well follow. From what I’ve read we have Daragh Burns tied down, so unless sone UK club wants to come in and throw serious money at us, he’ll be staying, likewise Abankwah.

[Nesta99]

He did ok when he played. Not a loss that would have me crying into my beer though. Looks like we’re in for a major rebuild anyway. Jaros and Lewis definitely gone, and they will be bigger losses. Others like King, Smith, Benson could well follow. From what I’ve read we have Daragh Burns tied down, so unless sone UK club wants to come in and throw serious money at us, he’ll be staying, likewise Abankwah.

St Pats resorting to desperate measures to keep people at the club??

[2 Year Contract]

So Stephen O'Donnell has just released a statement via his incredibly ironically named agency 'Integrity Sports' that he has today informed Pats of his decision to resign as head coach. Pretty strange thing to do if he's not under contract as the Dundalk fans on here seem to believe…..

[patsdad]

And no contract would allow for a “resignation” without a notice period. Which means he can’t be appointed by someone else anytime soon.

[pineapple stu]

He could start with Dundalk tomorrow if he wanted. What are Pats going to do about it?

He may have to waive his notice period pay and it would really properly burn bridges at Inchicore, but there's ways and means around a contract.

(Exhibit 1 - Neale Fenn)

[patsdad]

Not at all. Straight to the Four Goldmines. I doubt very much Dundalk would take the risk.

[pineapple stu]

Straight to the four goldmines and then what?

Is it not exactly what Fenn did?

I've seen people walk out of regular jobs too - feck all you can do about it except not pay their notice. You used to be able to withhold their P45 a while, but not any more

[patsdad]

In that case why do clubs regularly pay large sums to get their new managers released from their existing contracts?

I don’t even know if he had a notice period. His statement
today confirms only that he has offered his resignation. Pats are within their rights to refuse to accept it and hold him to his contract until they are happy with the terms of his departure.

If you think I’m wrong, let’s see if Dundalk announce his appointment.

[total hoofball]

Carefully worded statements from Pats yesterday regarding the Clancy addition to the managerial team and from O'Donnell tonight about informing Pats today of his resignation without any clarity if has been actually accepted by Pats, is he calling a bluff about whether he is actually in any contract or not?

This saga isn't looking as crazy thanks to the Bircham/Forrest entertainment last week but this one may still have some legs to run

[pineapple stu]

In that case why do clubs regularly pay large sums to get their new managers released from their existing contracts?

I don’t even know if he had a notice period. His statement
today confirms only that he has offered his resignation. Pats are within their rights to refuse to accept it and hold him to his contract until they are happy with the terms of his departure.

If you think I’m wrong, let’s see if Dundalk announce his appointment.

It may go to arbitration to agree compensation; I don't know the exact ins and outs in a football capacity. Though Dundalk got nothing for Fenn. It may not have helped that they agreed to annul his contract.

But there's nothing in employment law stopping him starting with Dundalk tomorrow

[Nesta99]

Is there the possibility that this is an across the board face saving exercise. O'Donnell 'formally' resigns from his position contracted or not, lets St Pats look less naïve, Dundalk taking fault for jumping the gun with an approach believing he was out of contract, O'Donnell wants to move on without a lot of the acrimony so will suck up any dispute on the vagaries of the contracts , Dundalk wait until the dust settles before formally appointing the new head coach. In the mean time the business of player signings is going on in the background?

Still boils down to what the terms of the original contract between St Pats and S'OD, any clauses and how they are activated and if this stands up to legal scrutiny, whether a contract was signed in September or not. All very easy to prove although I doubt anyone wants to pay the way through that process. If O'Donnell was still absolutely under contract especially if he signed a new one it will come out in the wash if Pats pursue compensation. If that doesnt happen there was nothing absolute in favour of St Pats case. Dundalk didnt do a whole lot wrong if told their main target was out of contract and when availability was disputed backed off until there was some sort of acceptable spin put on things. I just think if it was cut and dry in St Pats favour it would be with the FAI, a blunt and factual statement made that was not of pure annoyance, maybe proof provided of this, compensation claims would have been made. Clancy was hardly signed so quickly if there was a watertight case. It could be dragged through the courts as it may not be watertight for O'Donnell either and Dundalk and St Pats could agree something - convenience for one and principled by another. All this aside does any Pats fans see O'Donnell back in their dugout next season or coaching in any role there? Jaysus when Dodge loses it or gets a hint of an ego check there must be a mushroom cloud overhead!

[oriel]

Honestly, what is the point Pats fans going on about this, he's leaving Pats and will be confirmed as Dundalk manager, its only a matter of timing, tonight only confirms what was on the cards from Tuesday night.

Pats have a new manager, move on guys.

[Jack B]

Yeah seriously, why do people talk about literal current events.