2025 Arrivals and Departures

[oriel]

Good few of us already looking at Kerry away, fly down from Dub, eur60 return, bit of craic.

Always thought that was admirable by SK for Derry, he could have easily walked away that season when you were 'moved' to the FD.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Dervin has re-signed for Dundalk. Good few days for the club.

Dervin is brutal IMO

[ForeForeToo]

Dervin is brutal IMO

Fully agree. First Division player at best.

[Jack B]

Didn't Dundalk pay a fee for Dervin? Seems a bit weird that they'd do that and yet his contract expired at the end of the season. Unless there was some kind of clause to do with relegation in his contract that got him out of the club and he's decided to sign back anyway.

[outspoken]

Good few of us already looking at Kerry away, fly down from Dub, eur60 return, bit of craic.

Always thought that was admirable by SK for Derry, he could have easily walked away that season when you were 'moved' to the FD.

Did that two seasons ago it was great craic. Drove up and down last season, it was painful

[ger121]

Fully agree. First Division player at best.

Then a good signing for Dundalk so.

[ForeForeToo]

Then a good signing for Dundalk so.

He is just the type of player they need and will rely on to get them back up.

[Kiki Balboa]

Dervin didn't do too much wrong for Dundalk. He is a good tenacious player, with some holes in his game.

He is definitely held back by his lack of efficiency on the ball. It is nearly the simple passes that he can struggle with the most.

In saying that, never looked out of place in Premier division, and has First Division experience. All the caveats with any player regarding off field stuff... But am sure he is capable of being in the divisions team of the year next season.

[Jack B]

For whatever it's worth the PFAI transfer list went up this morning.

Transfer List | Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (https://www.pfai.ie/transfer-list)

[2 Year Contract]

Simon Power has signed for Pats on a (my username). I think most would be in agreement that he’s an excellent player but he’s had a lot of problems with injuries. He probably won’t start over Mulraney or Elbouzedi but he’s a great backup option if he can keep himself available

[RealJohn91]

Bohs linked with Colm Whelan by Neil O'Riordan. Interested in a second striker that is hinted at being Pierrot.

[2 Year Contract]

Bohs linked with Colm Whelan by Neil O'Riordan. Interested in a second striker that is hinted at being Pierrot.
Not sure why Pierrot would take a step down from being a starter playing European football with Drogheda to playing second fiddle to Whelan at europeless bohs

[RealJohn91]

Even with European football I would imagine the difference in wages between the two clubs would still be quite sizable. All depends on what he values more obvious.

[nigel-harps1954]

With close to a million coming in to the bank, you'd have to guess Drogheda will be in a decent position to offer him improved terms.

[Nesta99]

Imo this is agnt led talk. Pierrot's agent is already playing clubs off each other. Drogs will want to strengthen not lose players, there will be added European money and owners will probably add to the budget - strengthen the hand with whispers of a club that reasonably could be interested and could offer good terms. Whelan to Bohs makes some sense but wouldnt Rovers be looking at a young striker as a rebuild even if Kenny's loan was made permanent Whelan seems the type that would be a good fit, rated, something to prove after injury, right pitch and training conditions, young enough to have value or do the Celtic apprenticeship, can play alone up front or drop deep, pace, finisher. Seems a bit of a no brainer to me for a club that can outbid anyone.

[total hoofball]

Every off season at least half of the time players who are strongly rumoured/linked to certain clubs never sign for the expected club. Alot of the time it's agents putting out feelers in the hope clubs outbid each other with offers for their client and the rest are journalists filling column inches or online chinese whispers

[Another Bohemia]

Simon Power has signed for Pats on a (my username). I think most would be in agreement that he’s an excellent player but he’s had a lot of problems with injuries. He probably won’t start over Mulraney or Elbouzedi but he’s a great backup option if he can keep himself available

Good signing for Pats and a sensible move for Power. He won't be expected to play every game from the start but with Euro games, league and cup games as well as the importance of wingers in Pats run of form last year he will get plenty of opportunities to play.

[2 Year Contract]

A good few transfer rumours talked about in this Dan McDonnell piece on shams and shels looking at buying Conor Malley off Sligo (he just signed a new contract last month)

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/shamrock-rovers-and-shelbourne-eye-up-move-for-sligo-rovers-midfielder-connor-malley/a1827855968.html

[placid casual]

Stephen Kenny is mad for them wingers!
Power could be a good signing, a decent, honest footballer who (like a lot of players) has had bad luck with injuries.
As it's clear for all to see how pat's will play next season I'd imagine LOI managers are already concocting plans on how to counteract them.
If whelan does go to bohs he's got rocks in his head,he can play at an infinitely higher level than that

[culloty82]

For whatever it's worth the PFAI transfer list went up this morning.

Transfer List | Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (https://www.pfai.ie/transfer-list)

Surprised to see Kelliher on the list, given that, AFAIK, he was the only Kerry player given a two-year contract last season. In any case, aside from Graham O'Reilly, who is known to want to move on, most of the others would be expected to be re-signed for 2025.

[pineapple stu]

If whelan does go to bohs he's got rocks in his head,he can play at an infinitely higher level than that
I was thinking that too, but I'm biased and I guess he may have a bit to prove again after two years spent mostly on the sidelines.

[Another Bohemia]

Stephen Kenny is mad for them wingers!
Power could be a good signing, a decent, honest footballer who (like a lot of players) has had bad luck with injuries.
As it's clear for all to see how pat's will play next season I'd imagine LOI managers are already concocting plans on how to counteract them.
If whelan does go to bohs he's got rocks in his head,he can play at an infinitely higher level than that

On Whelan I think it's all about perspective. He's guaranteed to start at Bohs. If he goes to Pats he's behind Keena and Melia. Rovers seem to play best with a striker who has real physical presence up front see Gaffney last year and Kenny this year. I think Shels are the same in that regard as they play their best when Boyd is playing up front (at least from what I've seen). He supposedly doesn't want to play on an artificial surface which rules out his current employers so you're left with Galway, Waterford, Bohs and Drogheda as options. Would Caulfield ball suit him? I'm not sure. Waterford could be a good shout and they have pipped Bohs to players in the recent past but it's not like they finished miles ahead of a turgid Bohs team who played without a striker for a significant number of games. Add to that he has an existing relationship with Reynolds and that could make up his mind. At this stage of his career I think he needs to prioritize getting games under his belt because he was a hot commodity before he did his ACL twice. That likely impacted his development and has stuck him with the injury worry tag.

[Fermoy Blue]

On Whelan I think it's all about perspective. He's guaranteed to start at Bohs. If he goes to Pats he's behind Keena and Melia. Rovers seem to play best with a striker who has real physical presence up front see Gaffney last year and Kenny this year. I think Shels are the same in that regard as they play their best when Boyd is playing up front (at least from what I've seen). He supposedly doesn't want to play on an artificial surface which rules out his current employers so you're left with Galway, Waterford, Bohs and Drogheda as options. Would Caulfield ball suit him? I'm not sure. Waterford could be a good shout and they have pipped Bohs to players in the recent past but it's not like they finished miles ahead of a turgid Bohs team who played without a striker for a significant number of games. Add to that he has an existing relationship with Reynolds and that could make up his mind. At this stage of his career I think he needs to prioritize getting games under his belt because he was a hot commodity before he did his ACL twice. That likely impacted his development and has stuck him with the injury worry tag.

Perhaps he may view Waterford as a better pathway to UK via Fleetwood? Players who have moved there seem to be getting plenty game time, Harrington, Coughlan, Patterson, Graydon, Lonergan and Junior (now at Crawley), whereas players who went via Bohs e.g. Devoy and Tierney have come home !

[pineapple stu]

He was with Waterford before, which may (or may not, given he got practically no game time there) be a factor

[2 Year Contract]

He was with Waterford before, which may (or may not, given he got practically no game time there) be a factor

And the manager of Waterford at that time who game him 1 league appearance in 3 seasons was… Alan Reynolds :)

I don’t think his previous spell there will be of relevance to be honest. Reynolds obviously rates him now, having not rated him enough as a kid to give him a breakthrough in senior football, things happen, opinions on players change. The fact that he’s from Kilkenny, making Waterford a nice handy one to travel to training without having to pay mad prices for accommodation (moving back in with the folks if he fancies it) could also be a plus for Waterford if they’re interested in him

[Jack B]

Pleased with the Power signing, though I'd be a lot more excited about it were it not for his injury record. He's the type of player that can be more prone to injuries anyway, but he managed 19 games in the league last season and that can be considered as good going relative to what he's previously managed. When he did play he looked great though so he could prove very useful if they can manage him properly, certainly gives more like-for-like depth to Mulraney and Elbouzedi than the other options in the squad.

As horrendous a season as Bohs had there's still a lot of potential there, don't think it'd be too mad to see Whelan ending up signing for them. It's a horribly built squad that has good options in midfield and goalkeeper, less so up front and there's no balance at the back. That can be remedied though and Whelan would be a step towards it, granted from what I've seen of them I wouldn't necessarily trust Reynolds and SOD to get things right from there.

[Another Bohemia]

Perhaps he may view Waterford as a better pathway to UK via Fleetwood? Players who have moved there seem to be getting plenty game time, Harrington, Coughlan, Patterson, Graydon, Lonergan and Junior (now at Crawley), whereas players who went via Bohs e.g. Devoy and Tierney have come home !

I get what you're saying but Lonergan, Graydon and Promise who you conveniently left out all went to Fleetwood without going via Waterford. I reckon if they think Whelan is good enough they'll sign him regardless of whether he ends up at Waterford, Bohs or any other team in the league. There's also the fact that he would still need to beat out Amond to start and Amond had a good season last year. It's all speculation anyway. They call it silly season for a reason

[Fermoy Blue]

I get what you're saying but Lonergan, Graydon and Promise who you conveniently left out all went to Fleetwood without going via Waterford. I reckon if they think Whelan is good enough they'll sign him regardless of whether he ends up at Waterford, Bohs or any other team in the league. There's also the fact that he would still need to beat out Amond to start and Amond had a good season last year. It's all speculation anyway. They call it silly season for a reason

Mea culpa re. Promise…..Harrington obviously also went without going via Waterford…
Looking forward to this slightly silly season getting sillier ?

[Another Bohemia]

Mea culpa re. Promise…..Harrington obviously also went without going via Waterford…
Looking forward to this slightly silly season getting sillier ?

Absolutely. I think in the next few days, depending on how Higgins future fares it could get really silly in this thread really quickly

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

On Whelan I think it's all about perspective. He's guaranteed to start at Bohs. If he goes to Pats he's behind Keena and Melia. Rovers seem to play best with a striker who has real physical presence up front see Gaffney last year and Kenny this year. I think Shels are the same in that regard as they play their best when Boyd is playing up front (at least from what I've seen). He supposedly doesn't want to play on an artificial surface which rules out his current employers so you're left with Galway, Waterford, Bohs and Drogheda as options. Would Caulfield ball suit him? I'm not sure. Waterford could be a good shout and they have pipped Bohs to players in the recent past but it's not like they finished miles ahead of a turgid Bohs team who played without a striker for a significant number of games. Add to that he has an existing relationship with Reynolds and that could make up his mind. At this stage of his career I think he needs to prioritize getting games under his belt because he was a hot commodity before he did his ACL twice. That likely impacted his development and has stuck him with the injury worry tag.

No point in us trying then?!

[Another Bohemia]

No point in us trying then?!

Jeez not sure how Sligo slipped my mind. Could be a great option for him as well.

[Onapointoforder]

Drogs might be in FD next season….!

[Nesta99]

Jeez not sure how Sligo slipped my mind. Could be a great option for him as well.

Sligo the FinN Harps of the Premier Division! or maybe its just the North West in general....

[Shearer]

Surprised to see Kelliher on the list, given that, AFAIK, he was the only Kerry player given a two-year contract last season. In any case, aside from Graham O'Reilly, who is known to want to move on, most of the others would be expected to be re-signed for 2025.
O'Reilly is with Killarney Celtic since September.

[sbgawa]

Patrick McElenny on the Derry transfer list...bit of a Simon Power one, good to have in the Squad as long as you only need 10 or 15 games a season out of him.
An expemsive luxury which is harsh but true

[Another Bohemia]

Patrick McElenny on the Derry transfer list...bit of a Simon Power one, good to have in the Squad as long as you only need 10 or 15 games a season out of him.
An expemsive luxury which is harsh but true

McElenny is 32 though. I can see more use for an explosive 26 year old winger who needs managed game time than a player who is probably going to retire after their next injury, not counting the cup final one.

[sbgawa]

McElenny is 32 though. I can see more use for an explosive 26 year old winger who needs managed game time than a player who is probably going to retire after their next injury, not counting the cup final one.


HE is a class act though way better player than Power but at the same time as you say at 32 compared to 26 Power has more long term in him.
That being said at 32 he isnt exactly old and if he was playing in a squad where he was lightly used he could be a big game player.
With the disaterous run of injuroes we had which basically cost us the league youd have to imagine he wont be going to Rovers anyway..or weve learned nothing

[2 Year Contract]

If he’s leaving Derry then he’s got Irish League written all over him at this point in his career

[Martinho II]

If he’s leaving Derry then he’s got Irish League written all over him at this point in his career

An awful lot of ex DC players are in NIFL now!

[Another Bohemia]

HE is a class act though way better player than Power but at the same time as you say at 32 compared to 26 Power has more long term in him.
That being said at 32 he isnt exactly old and if he was playing in a squad where he was lightly used he could be a big game player.
With the disaterous run of injuroes we had which basically cost us the league youd have to imagine he wont be going to Rovers anyway..or weve learned nothing

As you say 32 isn't old but I don't think you can discount his injuries and the impact that has on the length of career. As I said would you be surprised if he got another injury and decided to hang out up? I wouldn't. Same can be said for Power if he picks up some other serious injury.

[Glen Of Aherlow]

As you say 32 isn't old but I don't think you can discount his injuries and the impact that has on the length of career. As I said would you be surprised if he got another injury and decided to hang out up? I wouldn't. Same can be said for Power if he picks up some other serious injury.

Axel Sjoberg could'nt stay fit for five minutes before Kenny arrived and they got him playing regularly so maybe Kenny and his team think they can do something similar with Power

[2 Year Contract]

Axel Sjoberg could'nt stay fit for five minutes before Kenny arrived and they got him playing regularly so maybe Kenny and his team think they can do something similar with Power
Yeah Kenny managed it very well protecting him by not playing him back to back to back Monday Friday games in the busy period when he wasn’t long back from injury, subbing him off when he had knocks etc. That and better S&C stuff from Graham Byrne and the rest of the new backroom staff Kenny brought in worked wonders with Sjoberg

[lofty9]

Axel Sjoberg could'nt stay fit for five minutes before Kenny arrived and they got him playing regularly so maybe Kenny and his team think they can do something similar with Power

Injections. Loads of them.

[Another Bohemia]

Injections. Loads of them.

Kenny's really not helping the perception of Pats being junkies

[2 Year Contract]

Kenny's really not helping the perception of Pats being junkies

Big time, shooting up the league from 8th to 3rd did the image no good ;)

[2 Year Contract]

Karl O'Sullivan and Junior Ogedi Uzokwe have left Galway. McCarthy has signed back

[Another Bohemia]

Big time, shooting up the league from 8th to 3rd did the image no good ;)

There's the guts of a good chant in there if you can get the pats ultras involved ?

[RealJohn91]

Karl O'Sullivan and Junior Ogedi Uzokwe have left Galway. McCarthy has signed back
Completely forgot Junior was even at Galway. That lad has done some job getting multiple paydays in this league based off one good season.

[culloty82]

Waterford getting all their post-season announcements out of the way at once, at least where the present squad is concerned:

https://waterfordfc.ie/2024/11/12/waterford-fc-2024-retained-list/

[2 Year Contract]

Waterford getting all their post-season announcements out of the way at once, at least where the present squad is concerned:

https://waterfordfc.ie/2024/11/12/waterford-fc-2024-retained-list/

Surprised to see that Ben McCormack was only on a one year deal considering they paid Pats a fee for him as confirmed in their signing announcement for him last winter