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Post on the Waterford forum here that they've signed Seán Finn and Willie Doyle. Now this would be a big blow. Finn I had thought would leave; Doyle I thought was confirmed to be staying on for another year, but he's from Gorey, which would make Waterford easier, I suppose. Still, we badly need a forward now if this is true!
Does anyone know the circumstances of their (alleged) leaving? I'd be very surprised if they were released by UCD.
Should I presume that we'll be in the high court twice more this winter?
Unless Doyle quit his course :eek: well His goals had dried up anyhow.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Amazed the Blues have money to pay him wages to be frank, they are burdened with a big debt and not winning the F.A.I. Cup didn't do that any favours; besides we have Paul Byrne 26 goals in the Under 21's and 3 goals in 75 minutes of first team action. We also have Robbie Martin and Podge who got 12 goals each last season. Plus the rest of the lads in midfield.
Who knows what Brian Gannon will be able to do among the big boys for example?
Well, CTID said here that Doyle was likely under contract for next season; if that's true, then we get a transfer fee. Seán Finn has been with us two years and is 23 as far as I know, which means transfer fee. Wouldn't be to happy to see Doyle in particular leave - some of us aren't as fickle as CTID! More worried about the fact that they're gone to Waterford, though, 'cos they were very poor when we played them in 2003 (when they somehow thieved seven points off us), and they're a team we should definitely be looking to finish ahead of. This definitely won't help.
Nothing on the Waterford site or eleven-a-side yet, though radio confirmation appears fairly good.
I remember Sherro on the way back from Dundalk saying we've lost very few players we didn't want to lose (outside of players who've been with the club six or seven years and want the proverbial new challenge). He even included Cawley in that!
Confirmation from eleven-a-side. Though apparently Seán Finn played only a peripheral role in our promotion challenge (this is Player of the Year Seán Finn we're talking about!).
The jinx of New Player of the Year strikes again! Not one of the winners (Kevin Grogan, Paul Doolin, Robbie Doyle, Mark Rooney, Willie Doyle) is still at the club! Only one Player of the Year winner remains (Micko - Bazza (x2), Clive and Seán are all gone).
This Paul Byrne lad better be good! :p
Do you think these players leaving will make it difficult for you to stay up?
Well from a Bray point of view and having seen them quite a lot over the past few years, with Hughes on the PFAI list and Sully roumered to have gone to Drogs i reckon if these 4 players have gone it will make it extremley tough for UCD to stay up next season, but it really depends on who they can bring in to replace these players - i dont think u21 players will surfice in the premier league, experience is needed big timeQuote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Surely they wont be able to bring the required standard of player with their budget limitations?
Bóllocks anyway. I expected Finn to go (doubt we'll get a fee for him, wasn't he signed as an amateur this year?) but Doyle is a surprise. That said, it's been months since he scored. Byrne and Robbie Martin would be a decent strike force next year but we could have done with some depth. If Batman is gone, we'll be left a bit bare up front.
More difficult certainly but I'd still expect us to stay up.Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Stay up ahead of who?Quote:
Originally Posted by Schumi
I disagree. This isn't the first time has happened to us, and we always pull through. Our U-21s are national champions, don't forget, so there are some decent players there. Paul Byrne, for one, scored 26 goals despite not joining until after the first four games. Even scored five in one match! A lot of the team have first-team experience - Brian Gannon, Declan O'Brien, Damien Kelly, Gary Dicker, Neil Gallagher. And bear in mind that in the last couple of years, we've uncovered Kevin Grogan, Robbie Doyle, Willie Doyle, Seán Finn, Conor Kenna and others. I'd be fairly confident that we'll sign at least two players who could head straight into the first team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roo69
We don't go for big transfer fees, don't forget. We also sign younger players who'd settle for smaller wages, and we pay their college fees, which would mean we could reduce their wages a bit more in return. Our youth scouting network seems to be the best in the country (look what it brought in last season!) and will find the players we need.Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Two from Bray, Harps, Waterford, Pats and Rovers.Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Is finn the bloke that scored against cork in the cup? :confused:
That's him, yeah.
Bray for one. Either Rovers or Pat's. Either Harps or Derry. Never rated Waterford from 2003 - don't see why we can't finish ahead of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Note to all - This should all be preceeded by "I hope" so no bitching if your team name is in there!!
After Pete Mahon took over in 2003, we were fourth in a form table over 16 games. We've strengthened the team a lot since then. Most of the players have Premier experience, which you can't say about Harps and, to a lesser extent, Bray. We didn't lose in 90 minutes in six Cup games against Premier Division oposition last year. I'm still fairly happy with my bet that we'll finish seventh or higher.
Thought he was alright
:confused: He was, that's why Waterford have signed him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cosmo
You've lost a couple of good players now - it'll be hard to see ye finish anywhere bar the bottom 2
Incidentally, is this the first time Waterford have signed anyone off us (bar, I think, Robbie Griffin the first time)? Whatever about the two of them leaving, Waterford just seems very strange! If they were in Europe, I could understand it, but realistically, we're going to be about the same this season I'd say. Seems like a sideways move, unless the two were released.
Haven't signed anyone yet - guaranteed one or two quality players no-one's ever heard of. Far too soon to write us off. Willie Doyle missed that open goal against youz in the Cup game, and I think Seán Finn was injured. Yet we still managed to draw both games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cosmo