Keith Long

[joey B]

Departed Bohs,be interesting to see who takes over..,

https://bohemianfc.com/?page_id=18505

[D24Saint]

What kind of budget was he operating with at Bohs ? After last years achievement's it seems somewhat harsh even with how poor an inconsistent they have been this season.

[2 Year Contract]

Disappointed to hear that, he was doing a great job of regressing the team year by year and dodging trophies while doing it. At least he'll get a lovely payout on his contract that runs until the end of 2024, another Daniel Lambert masterclass that one

[Jd2793]

they'd be mad not to chance taking ryan from wexford.

[Philosophizer]

I know they've been v bad lately but I would have given him until the end of the season to see if the new players can start to gel and if he can improve performances a bit.
That said, his tendency to drop his best players if he knows they're going to leave next year always irked me.

[The Bowler]

Surely it's Ian Ryan, the only logical choice

[Asterix]

What kind of budget was he operating with at Bohs ? After last years achievement's it seems somewhat harsh even with how poor an inconsistent they have been this season.

Have seen plenty of bohs fans say it was big enough that they should be getting europe.

[pineapple stu]

They've decent crowds, a nice Euro bonus from last year, and is the Matt Doherty million still floating about?

They can't be on that low a budget.

Fourth-highest in the league would be my guess

[ontheotherhand]

Did they go properly full-time as well? A well known bohs fan and vhs afficianado on Twitter seemed to suggest so but I thought they were still pretending to be amateur.

They really should have backed Long properly after they finished second. They had serious momentum but football seemed to take second fiddle. Long and the team look uninterested or at least deflated this season to me. I hesitate to comment on other team's managers too much because you don't know what's going on behind the scenes but I wouldn't be too shocked to learn there was tension between Long and Lambert. They had the money to push on and keep a team together but they seemed to just hope that Long could "work another miracle" i.e. sign half a team and hope for the best every year.

Ian Ryan would be the brave and smart choice but who knows what they'll do.

[RealJohn91]

He had a very healthy budget and nobody involved with Bohs directly was saying we were still struggling financially. I'd say it was very comparable to Dundalk and Pats. Weird how that narrative still manages to go that we're potless between some Bohs fans and fans of other clubs. The reason the pressure increased this year is because the budget was so healthy compared to the last ten years.

[Philosophizer]

They had the money to push on and keep a team together
I think they did the absolute right thing of reinvesting the money into training facilities and academy structures.
How many times have we seen LOI teams spunk away winnings on the 1st team with nothing left to show for it a few seasons later.
Nice to see a LOI team doing the sensible thing for once.
But they took the risk that the 1st team might regress, and it has.

[Bunny Kelly]

The club is in a lot stronger position than when he took over, he maybe not right for what they need now but he did a great job for the club when they needed it

[Nesta99]

Its a bit strange in timing imo, looking like they were already prepping for next season and no risk of relegation, and in the last 8 of the cup. In this league 2 or 3 wins can change the complexion of things and I dont think there was a whole lot wrong with the team that couldnt be sorted. Talk of loyalty and a good lot of the plaudits in the Bohs statement will ring hollow for Long though at least there wasnt the standard mutual consent rubbish. Could Croly step up again or prefer to stay in the background, a young manager like Ryan could need an battle hardened head around. Roddy was talking about having a job in the lines recently. St Pats frantically checking their paperwork today and Conor Hoey readying a statement thanking Bohs for taking their manager and players...just in case.

[ger121]

It was time to go for Long but he will be remembered fondly I believe.Unfortunately, like politics, football management generally ends in failure. Not sure he got the backing when he needed it 2-3 seasons ago and by the time he did, other clubs had gotten the jump on us. I think the fears of the past influenced decision making when it came to taking the next steps for the on-field side of the club. Multi-year contracts, going full-time. Focus on off-field activities did not help either…

Who will be next I have no idea. There will be plenty of names throwing their hat into the ring. It’s an attractive role. Budget will be decent and the club is very stable. We also tend to give managers a bit of time. I see Ian Ryan and Perth mentioned a lot. Time will tell…

All the best Keith.

[SeanDrog]

St Pats frantically checking their paperwork today and Conor Hoey readying a statement thanking Bohs for taking their manager and players...just in case.

:) that made me chuckle … was a bit like that last off season wasn’t it - albeit I think Drogs fans would go nuts if Doherty jumped ship vs Clancy (most felt Clancy had done all he could with us but we didn’t tell pats that at the time 😂 )

[SkStu]

Did they go properly full-time as well? A well known bohs fan and vhs afficianado on Twitter seemed to suggest so but I thought they were still pretending to be amateur.

We are part time (not amateur). A big part of why it proved difficult at times to attract/retain certain players - apparently. Long actually didn't spend the budget that was assigned to him for this season which for me was a massive red flag going into the season. While we are part time, the club has announced (I think publicly) that it would be moving to full time effective next season.

Long did well by us (and all the best to him in the future) but the last year or so has been an absolute disaster on the pitch and the club waited too long to pull the pin in my opinion. I cant believe that they seemingly doubled down on him in the midseason window.

Pineapple is about right, i reckon, when he says we likely have in and around the 4th highest budget. Somewhere between third to fifth would be my guess.


Its a bit strange in timing imo, looking like they were already prepping for next season and no risk of relegation, and in the last 8 of the cup. In this league 2 or 3 wins can change the complexion of things and I dont think there was a whole lot wrong with the team that couldnt be sorted.

He couldn't sort it though. He was given a lot of time and money to turn it round and if anything performances have gotten worse.

[sbgawa]

Joking aside I'm surprised they didn't give him the game against Rovers on Friday, as Nesta said its the kind of league where a few wins changes everything (Pats looked out of it a few weeks ago but 3 wins and a couple of dropped points for Dundalk and Derry and they are basically tied for second with them). A win over Rovers and it could have lifted them.

Be interesting to see does Crolly change things up for Friday.

[placid casual]

Vinny Perth would be perfect for that club.

[Bohtastic]

The performances were going from bad to worse recently- the team looked increasingly rudderless- no one seemed to know where to play the ball or where to move to offer an outlet.

Too reliant on moments of individual trickery. The coaching seemed to be an issue, in which case I'm not confident that Croly and Pender will turn it round for Friday.

[legendz]

Its a bit strange in timing imo, looking like they were already prepping for next season and no risk of relegation, and in the last 8 of the cup.Is being in the last 8 of the cup an influence on the timing of the decision? 2 or 3 wins might change the complexion of things in the league. Win the cup, Bohs can look forward to another European windfall.

[ger121]

Vinny Perth would be perfect for that club.

Not if Gartland’s book and other stories are anything to go by.

[ger121]

Is being in the last 8 of the cup an influence on the timing of the decision? 2 or 3 wins might change the complexion of things in the league. Win the cup, Bohs can look forward to another European windfall.

It might be. It is our last realistic chance at Europe and to do that we need to be able to string performances and more importantly results together, something we had not done under Long for must be over a year now.

[total hoofball]

Vinny Perth would be perfect for that club.
Bohs fan would hate him.

Couldn't see the likes Buckley or Morris cutting it with the Bohs fanbase either. Note sure if Ian Ryan would be ready for that role hasn't exactly overachieved with Wexford as the 3 teams below them have been absolute trainwrecks this season

Ger O'Brien I'm thinking???

[ontheotherhand]

I think they did the absolute right thing of reinvesting the money into training facilities and academy structures.
How many times have we seen LOI teams spunk away winnings on the 1st team with nothing left to show for it a few seasons later.
Nice to see a LOI team doing the sensible thing for once.
But they took the risk that the 1st team might regress, and it has.

But then they invested the very next year and that money has been spunked. Now they have to pay Long and Croly off as well. Timing is everything. I'm also not completely sure what they invested in? They ripped up their previous partnership St. Kevins and decided to go with a similar model to Rovers by having affiliate clubs. I'm not sure what investment that required? Did they build a training facility? I thought they were using the universities?

SkStu liked your post so I assume I'm off mark there and he knows more than I do.

[ontheotherhand]

We are part time (not amateur). A big part of why it proved difficult at times to attract/retain certain players - apparently. Long actually didn't spend the budget that was assigned to him for this season which for me was a massive red flag going into the season. While we are part time, the club has announced (I think publicly) that it would be moving to full time effective next season.

Long did well by us (and all the best to him in the future) but the last year or so has been an absolute disaster on the pitch and the club waited too long to pull the pin in my opinion. I cant believe that they seemingly doubled down on him in the midseason window.

Pineapple is about right, i reckon, when he says we likely have in and around the 4th highest budget. Somewhere between third to fifth would be my guess.



He couldn't sort it though. He was given a lot of time and money to turn it round and if anything performances have gotten worse.

The amateur bit was in jest Stu but your fanbase seems a bit confused as to what model you have. You're definitely part-time but with around the 4th largest budget? Why the strange mix of money for players but only part time contracts? You could have held Andy Lyons if you offered him a similar deal I'd think. Not sure on Ward, Buckley etc but you'd imagine a few might have stuck with it if good deals were on the table.

[Knocklyonhoop]

Thought he’d be given Friday. Has a decent record in derbies and if there’s one that can change a season…..

would love Perth or Roddy for them!

Ian Ryan would take it. Could be the brave choice….

[Philosophizer]

Did they build a training facility? I thought they were using the universities?

They've a partnership with DCU for the next 20yrs or so all right. But they're part funding a 2nd all weather pitch with the college and also building offices and meetings rooms and upgrading changing rooms etc. It's going to be the academy and 1st team base afaik with full gym and all that.
They put 1.5m of the Matt Doherty money into it.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/bohemians-to-invest-1-5m-in-new-training-facility-in-partnership-with-dcu-1.4507953
I don't doubt they're playing budget increased this year, but I think that was only allowed once all the other stuff was sorted. That's basically the point I was making. They haven't thrown all their money at the 1st team. Most of it went into the academy /facilities.
Regarding part/full time, I think I read somewhere that from next year they'll be full time. But I'm open to correction on that.

[Nesta99]

They've a partnership with DCU for the next 20yrs or so all right. But they're part funding a 2nd all weather pitch with the college and also building offices and meetings rooms and upgrading changing rooms etc. It's going to be the academy and 1st team base afaik with full gym and all that.
They put 1.5m of the Matt Doherty money into it.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/bohemians-to-invest-1-5m-in-new-training-facility-in-partnership-with-dcu-1.4507953

So a publicly funded University is paying for half the academy setup, 1st team training centre aaand DCC building a new ground for them...I think Bohs could be pinching Rovers 'lucky club' title...


Joking aside I'm surprised they didn't give him the game against Rovers on Friday, as Nesta said its the kind of league where a few wins changes everything (Pats looked out of it a few weeks ago but 3 wins and a couple of dropped points for Dundalk and Derry and they are basically tied for second with them). A win over Rovers and it could have lifted them.

Be interesting to see does Crolly change things up for Friday.

Yeah part of what I was thinking on the timing. A derby win could have just lifted the pressure on all and in itself mean an improvement. It will be interesting to see if Croly sets up differently or will the whole real brains behind things stuff get more airing - he should immediately change to a high defensive line just cause it makes lots of sense! O'Brien is a good shout for the job but it would disrupt St Pats plan B or succession plans.

[David BOHie]

I'd say we'll be looking at some like Stephen Rice, Andy Reid, Paddy McCarthy, Ger O'Brien etc or someone in that regard.

I think they'll be a recently retired player who has experience in England in a full time setup or with connections to the FAI who's looking for their first managerial job. (Or someone who matches a lot of that criteria).

Ian Ryan would also fit a lot of that criteria. I don't think it will be Buckley, Fenlon, Doolin etc.

[ontheotherhand]

I'd say we'll be looking at some like Stephen Rice, Andy Reid, Paddy McCarthy, Ger O'Brien, Paddy McCarthy etc or someone in that regard.

I think they'll be a recently retired player who has experience in England in a full time setup or with connections to the FAI who's looking for their first managerial job. (Or someone who matches a lot of that criteria).

Ian Ryan would also fit a lot of that criteria. I don't think it will be Buckley, Fenlon, Doolin etc.

You can have Ricer but only until Bradley leaves. Suppose your warmed him up for us before so it might work again....

Jokes aside, I'd tend to agree with you David. Don't see bohs picking someone from the merry go round. They'll want to be seen to be progressive.

Wouldn't fancy seeing Ryan head your way.

[Nesta99]

I'd say we'll be looking at some like Stephen Rice, Andy Reid, Paddy McCarthy, Ger O'Brien, Paddy McCarthy etc or someone in that regard.

I think they'll be a recently retired player who has experience in England in a full time setup or with connections to the FAI who's looking for their first managerial job. (Or someone who matches a lot of that criteria).


Robbie Keane is twiddling his thumbs and is real value for money.

[Dermobohs]

Robbie Keane is twiddling his thumbs and is real value for money.
Not even in jest nesta please

[Glen Of Aherlow]

Gerry Adams is available , he'd fit right in with the ethos and values of the Chief Operating Officer

[Shinkicker]

I'm not sure what roles Crolly and Pender will play. I read or heard an interview about a year which said Crolly wasn't overly interested in the management side of things. He prefers the coaching role, and I believe he is one of the best in the country. Don't know what Penders asparations are, but I guess he joined the current team to cut his teeth in management. They are interim so lets give them a chance. Bohs won't get relegated, won't finish top four and most likely won't win the cup. So let's not be hasty in appointing a successor

[sbgawa]

Robbie Keane is twiddling his thumbs and is real value for money.

Always dreamed of playing for bohs apparently

[2 Year Contract]

I'd say we'll be looking at some like Stephen Rice, Andy Reid, Paddy McCarthy, Ger O'Brien etc or someone in that regard.

I think they'll be a recently retired player who has experience in England in a full time setup or with connections to the FAI who's looking for their first managerial job. (Or someone who matches a lot of that criteria).

Ian Ryan would also fit a lot of that criteria. I don't think it will be Buckley, Fenlon, Doolin etc.

From the ones highlighted I think Rice is the only realistic candidate, I could see him leaving his FAI role for the Bohs job similarly to how Higgins did with Derry. Andy Reid has been promoted to first team assistant manager in the premier league so there’s no chance he leaves that role for a LOI job. Likewise Paddy McCarthy is u23 manager at Crystal Palace and I’d imagine is quite settled in London having played there for most of his career and with no link to the LOI I’d say he’s an unlikely candidate. Ger O'Brien is Director of Football for Pats academy and is also doing a course in sports directorship (or something like that, can’t remember the exact title), either way he’s stated a good number of times in interviews that first team management isn’t something that appeals to him due to the lack of job security

[Dermobohs]

There’s also Micheal o neill…..

[placid casual]

There’s also Micheal o neill…..

Given the political leanings of your ceo there's more chance of Michelle O'Neill

[2 Year Contract]

Robbie Keane is twiddling his thumbs and is real value for money.


Always dreamed of playing for bohs apparently

It would have been truly gas if all those years ago one of the stands in Tallaght was renamed the Robbie Keane stand and he then went on to manage Bohs

https://www.the42.ie/the-robbie-keane-stand-coming-soon-to-tallaght-stadium-159988-Jun2011/?amp=1

[Jd2793]

crolly staying put is madness. crolly as coach surely hes taking blame for the on pitch results and performances too? what manager/coach wants to come into a job where hes handed coaches from the last regime?

[Nesta99]

Given the political leanings of your ceo there's more chance of Michelle O'Neill

:DGood one PC!

[osarusan]

Don't follow Bohs closely enough to see what has happened recently, but he always struck me as doing a decent job of keeping Bohs quite competitive against teams with bigger budgets...though this thread is making me think his budgets were actually bigger than i believed.

Thought he was fairly canny in how he set his teams up in big games too. He'll still be in demand as a manager I expect.

[Dermobohs]

:DGood one PC!
I’d probably take her over that miserable git anyway !!

[Nesta99]

Don't follow Bohs closely enough to see what has happened recently, but he always struck me as doing a decent job of keeping Bohs quite competitive against teams with bigger budgets...though this thread is making me think his budgets were actually bigger than i believed.

Thought he was fairly canny in how he set his teams up in big games too. He'll still be in demand as a manager I expect.

He will and Bohs thought so too with a very long term deal, especially by LoI norms, for Long/coaching team. If any managerial vacancies happen his name will be in the mix. Would he move to Galway, could be a fit for Harps and where they are at in terms of the broader project there if Ollie goes, have Waterford made moves on a permanent manager, Drogheda when Doherty takes the Bohs job - there are some good clubs to go to if he wants to jump back in.

There is a whole load of guess work on club budgets and over the years there's wildly over and underestimated budgets - probably why the running jests on 4th biggest budget has stuck for years. Many clubs will have a year on year increase in budgets as key players demand more not to move and Bohs will have done the same, so how much things are incremental increases rather than comparing what a manager worked with one year and and then subsequent years later can be misleading imo, certainly in terms of suggesting mismanagement by a head coach.

If there has been a significant jump from 2021 to 2022, on par with Dundalk and St Pat, as suggested by some Bohs fans, there are a few more strategic club policies that i'd be questioning if it were my club eg how similar budgets at other clubs are full-time/day time training, rather than a more semi-pro 1st team setup. Yes there is investment being made in other parts of the club so hence it being relative to other clubs use of 1st team budget. It does effect fitness and more importantly recovery, prep etc. so should be an early change at a club if finances allow. If this policy is a baby steps approach by club rather than team management, fans should be wondering why as much as possible wasnt eeked out of money being spent, before a bunch of new signings are signed off on as sticking plasters. There has been an ambiguity or confusion even among Bohs fans on whether their setup is ft or not or set to go ft. I get why some Bohs fans think a manger change was needed but it is at partially done move to FT training and a new manager could well want to start from scratch.

To have a manager push for an increase to budgets and a club to agree and then sack the manager a month after the transfer window closes is not in line with Bohs general rhetoric on sustainability so the CEO should be getting a roasting over things also. The inability to move on coaches brought in by a former manager is a significant issue unless an internal appointment is made. Cork fell foul of such stuff in recent history and were badly stretched and under the much lauded members owned model also. It just seems messy and that there could be a bit more to things than just matchday performances. To wait until after a Derby against champions elect and pull the trigger after a loss, or see if the squad are capable of putting in a shift and win against, would have been eh less messy somehow. Club admin took the eye off the ball either way! Maybe KL himself had had enough and at least would give the club a pass on how they've done things.

[RealJohn91]

At the end of the day Bohs have won 13 of their last 42 league games. Any other manager of a comparable sized club in that type of form would've been sacked sooner.

[sadloserkid]

Which full-time teams are Bohs supposed to have bigger playing budgets than? If (and I stress if) that's the case there's either full time clubs cutting a very impressive cloth or Bohs fans should be questioning more than just Keith Long surely? Like if (there's that word again) they're 4th biggest outlay are they behind Rovers, Derry and Dundalk? And if that's the case are Bohs actually spending more on a part-time team than Pats and Sligo (they're both full-time, right)? How?

[Philosophizer]

To add some info regarding full/part time at Bohs, I read in an article recently that only 1 Bohs player has a day job this year - Feely is a teacher.
The rest are all full time footballers, unless they have some students?
They still train in the evenings at the moment but are planning to move to day time training next year.

[sbgawa]

To add some info regarding full/part time at Bohs, I read in an article recently that only 1 Bohs player has a day job this year - Feely is a teacher.
The rest are all full time footballers, unless they have some students?
They still train in the evenings at the moment but are planning to move to day time training next year.

The reason they train in the evenings is because Keith Long and Trevor Crolly have jobs (at least that's what i heard maybe a Bohs fan could confirm).
Beyond daft and maybe not surprising on reflection that it had to end really if they were going to start to train in the mornings next season.

[RealJohn91]

Keith Long has been full time for two or three years. The reason why the club has still been part time has been because most of the backroom staff was still part time and up until last season the likes of Buckley and Cornwall had other jobs too.

[total hoofball]

Which full-time teams are Bohs supposed to have bigger playing budgets than? If (and I stress if) that's the case there's either full time clubs cutting a very impressive cloth or Bohs fans should be questioning more than just Keith Long surely? Like if (there's that word again) they're 4th biggest outlay are they behind Rovers, Derry and Dundalk? And if that's the case are Bohs actually spending more on a part-time team than Pats and Sligo (they're both full-time, right)? How?
Bohs are not part-time. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out Rovers, Derry and Pats will have higher budgets than Bohs, Dundalk will still have players on decent contracts so they are likely to have a higher budget than Bohs. Shels definitely have the lowest full-time budget around 12-13k per week.