Liam Lawrence and other loans...

After Liam Lawrence's unfortunate "dogging" incident earlier this year, he said in an interview a week or two ago that he still didn't feel fully fit, and wanted to go on loan to a country with a summer league for a few months in the EPL off-season, to try and get his fitness back up to scratch before he goes back to Stoke.

Now he'll probably end up in Scandinavia or the USA, but are efforts being made by LOI clubs to secure players on loan from England? I know there's the financial aspect, but surely players who aren't wanted by English clubs would be interested, purely to keep themselves sharp, and maybe have a bit of a crack at Europe. David Connolly comes to mind, although there are probably many people who could be dug up with a bit of scouting. It could add a bit of glamour to the league, as well as improving the standard a bit.

Nice idea but realistically can't see it being a runner. It would be good be see older players returning to the league - much like younger players depart - and I can well remember the fantastic impact David Kelly made at Derry City a few years back. But no finance and the poor perception of the league would rule out everyone apart from old pros on their last legs.

peadar
Short-term contracts of professional players from the UK are seen as devaluing the LoI because they are usually brought in for the shallow reasons. Higher profile name to increase crowds or as you mention the 'big cup game'.

It is not seen as mid- or long-term development.
Sligo Rovers did have some success with recruitment of Managers and some of those Managers' signings, who then hung around the league a good while and improved the quality. But Sligo also went through alot of personnel to find these gems.

The other aspect is that players who have just played a long gruelling season might actually wanta break from football

The main reason, of course, is that we're a poor league with no money

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Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Nice idea but realistically can't see it being a runner. It would be good be see older players returning to the league - much like younger players depart - and I can well remember the fantastic impact David Kelly made at Derry City a few years back. But no finance and the poor perception of the league would rule out everyone apart from old pros on their last legs.

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Did David Kelly really make that much difference for us though SvD ?

I only saw him in the Cup Final game (which he would've missed, had it not been for a police escort from the airport.... :)), where he was helpful but not key IMO.

We were a team in turmoil at that stage so he may well have been a wise head, but I don't recall him being lauded as all that important at the time. Helpful - yes, but not key or crucial.

On the general issue - I hAd hoped the days of the our league being seen as one last pay-cheque by ageing has-beens from leagues across the water were over. We need to be bringing though good new young talent - not giving their places to ageing pros.

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Originally Posted by peadar1987

After Liam Lawrence's unfortunate "dogging" incident earlier this year.

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Some people will never learn!!

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Did David Kelly really make that much difference for us though SvD ?

I only saw him in the Cup Final game (which he would've missed, had it not been for a police escort from the airport.... :)), where he was helpful but not key IMO.

We were a team in turmoil at that stage so he may well have been a wise head, but I don't recall him being lauded as all that important at the time. Helpful - yes, but not key or crucial.

On the general issue - I hAd hoped the days of the our league being seen as one last pay-cheque by ageing has-beens from leagues across the water were over. We need to be bringing though good new young talent - not giving their places to ageing pros.

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Steve he was excellent. He created at least 6 or 7 goals for Ciaran Martyn holding the ball up and awaitnng Martyns bursting run through.

He may not have been a scoring sensation but he certainly created alot of chances for other players with his skill and experience.

I remember speaking to another Derry player at the time and the other players also thought he was awesome.

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

On the general issue - I hAd hoped the days of the our league being seen as one last pay-cheque by ageing has-beens from leagues across the water were over.

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Lawrence is 27; hardly an "ageing has-been"

But would be very surprised (and suspicious) if any LoI club could afford to bring him over.

Richard Dunne and Damien Duff have both said they want to finish their career with Rovers. Don't know if I'd want them tbh. Should be filling the league with young talent not has-beens. IF they can still offer something then I'd take them.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Lawrence is 27; hardly an "ageing has-been"

But would be very surprised (and suspicious) if any LoI club could afford to bring him over.

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i doubt the club he goes on loan to will have to make much of a wage contribution though????

You can only sign players on window to window deals anyhow, i.e July to November or January to July, which would put paid to that type of short tern loan.

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Originally Posted by topia

i doubt the club he goes on loan to will have to make much of a wage contribution though????

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There can be a kind of transfer fee though. Derry got a six figure sum when Frederikstad loaned Ciarán Martyn for six months. There was talk of Stockprt getting some manner of fee when Gary Dicker went on loan to Brighton earlier this year. I doubt the club would just agree to let him go away for two months while still paying all his wages.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Lawrence is 27; hardly an "ageing has-been"

But would be very surprised (and suspicious) if any LoI club could afford to bring him over.

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Cork City it is then.

Yeah, a lot of the time there is a fee to be paid, as well as a contribution to the player's wages, but in Liam's case, he'd be coming over to get his fitness up, not to take a weight off the club's wage bill. The loan window throws a spanner in the works though.

It's a pity, because it could be mutually beneficial. Some LOI team (Please God Bray!) would get a very good player for a few months, Liam gets his match fitness back, and he doesn't have to go to a country where he doesn't speak the language.

Not relevant i dont think because 1 he has played regularly in the premiership for the last few months. 2 not a hope he would consider it anyways.
And was it not roasting he was involved in or has he been caught dogging in the meantime.

He tripped over his dog at the top of the stairs and pulled a ligament in his ankle, putting him out for about 4 months. The dogging thing was just me being immature!

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

There can be a kind of transfer fee though. Derry got a six figure sum when Frederikstad loaned Ciarán Martyn for six months. There was talk of Stockprt getting some manner of fee when Gary Dicker went on loan to Brighton earlier this year. I doubt the club would just agree to let him go away for two months while still paying all his wages.

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i wouldnt imagine stoke expecting the team they loan him to to pay a fee or a wage contribution though if he was going to keep fitness levels up, it wouldnt be a case of them wanting to profit financially surely especially as a team in almost any league in europe that runs through the summer wouldnt be able to afford much of his wages. by the way does anyone know how long it is since he mentioned the possibility of going on loan?

The story broke on the 20th of April: http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/englan...celand-over-su

I'm sure Ireland is more attractive than the Icelandic league! Closer for one thing. Maybe he's just into his Scandinavian women!

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Originally Posted by peadar1987

I'm sure Ireland is more attractive than the Icelandic league! Closer for one thing. Maybe he's just into his Scandinavian women!

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Hmm. :confused:

Don't quite know what the "hmm" was for. Iceland is ethnically a Scandinavian country, as pretty much everyone there is descended from Scandinavians who settled there from about 1000 AD onwards: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelanders