2 horse race between MacPherson and Collins by all accounts
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Fair post.
I don't care, nor do I want to comment on the Board v Cooke situation, but Cooke's results were not inspiring and I felt the fallout between the 2 parties covered what was a terrible season for us. The year we finished second was among my favourite years following the Drogs but 2013 was undoubtedly the worst. We won 8 league games all year, playing some of the worst football I've ever seen. We got to 3 cup finals but lost them all. Getting there was an achievement according to some but if you look at it, it wasn't all that great - FAI cup: it took a replay against Harps and a horrible win against 9 man dundalk to get to the final; League cup: a win away to what was a bad Derry side; Setanta cup: lost in a club record 7-1 defeat to Rovers.
I think he'll keep Athlone up but I can't understand the god-like perception that some seem to have of the man. He's an ok football manager.
Roddy just confirmed as Derry manager with Hutton as assistant.
Had a good laugh at that one. Derry City Mk3 in a year or two.
Only a one year deal. Shocking lack of faith from the Derry board in their new management team.
http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk...-job-1-5691480
Supposedly he was our third choice aswell. I wonder if Hutton is being groomed to take over next year?
I'm stunned, i cant believe Derry have considered him not to mind appoint him. At least they go into this eyes wide open and they know what to expect. As soon as he stops answering the phone start looking elsewhere, you cant afford to invest any sort of faith in the guy on that side of things. One year deal is a god sent
You'd swear Roddy had destroyed every club he came in contact with. The guy has had some very good results over the years. If you want him to kiss your crest and tell you he'll love you forever you'll probably get your heart broken. But it wouldn't surprise me if Derry do better in 2014, which has to be the immediate goal.
For the record, just read anything i have commented on him, nothing suggests he is bad on the football end of things; selection, coaching, identifying players and bring them in, motivation, man management, even tactics i couldn't fault him ..... The guy would start a fight in an empty room, and its normally with his employers, and it normally involves him leaving them high and dry and then being no where to be found. I have also said any time i have met the guy he was sound, good craic and a real 'wears his heart on his sleeve' type fella, but i just would not have him as a manager at any club.
In this case, he might do well as a stop gap, for a year, grooming Hutton, perfect .... but no club will ever build their long term plans with Roddy in the picture, because its not viable.
Gingerly dipping their toe in the pool, hoping not to be sharked. Collins is a mercenary - maybe all parties are just being honest in saying this guy may not be hanging around.
Personally I wouldn't have him anywhere near the club since he pretty much arrives in a clown car with a circus big top attached to the back. However he does get team's playing a bit and, God knows, I'd swap almost anything to see a half-decent home performance at this stage.
Will also be hilarious to see how Collins goes down with some of Derry's, ahem, personalities.
So, is he moving up then or commuting?
Kenny Shiels had been first choice for DCFC but he is still hoping for bigger job. One thing is certain it wont be quite around muckerville. Wonder if Hutton will come in for 1 or 2 of the Harps squad?
No offence to Roddy but I think I'd have preferred Devine!
This appointment is possibly the greatest threat ever to the Peace Process.
I wonder will Roddy claim he was the first one to bring Cromwell and the boys over from England.
Interesting interview with Roddy on Newstalk.
He lambasted Robbie Horgan for his "lack of loyalty" to Mick Cooke and also spoke about being interviewed for the Sligo job.
Well given keeperball was/is extremely pro Cooke (to put it mildly) given his various forum posts and his declaration of being close to roddy (if he is to be believed regarding car trips etc) then it's no surprise what roddys view is or where it's come from (IMO )
Roddy did a good job at Athlone I think. He also did well at Bohs and Monaghan. I was at the Mervue v Athlone game in September and it was clear that his team were better coached/set up tactically than the home side. Others here may know better, but I don't think that his player budget was much bigger than what was available at Longford. Agree that a one year contract should be the norm in the LoI, unless you have an exceptional young player. I think he will be way more successful than Pat Fenlon was at Derry and you can be sure the soccer will be better to watch anyway.
Okay. Let's get this out in the open.
I'm Gerry Hand a journalist who also promotes after dinner speakers and Q&A sessions, Roddy amongst them. I have no interest financial or otherwise in what Roddy does football wise, so it did not matter to me where he ended up as manager. I have been a Drogheda fan since 1967, and like most right thinking football fans, Roddy included, I am sickened by what Robbie Horgan did to Cooke, and by how the board at Drogheda bought into Horgans backstabbing.
If anybody knows Roddy they would know that whatever else his faults he makes his own mind up on something and voices his own opinion, so to suggest that I had any influence on what he said is about as sensible as erm, well as erm sacking Mick Cooke. Mini Mourinho is a Drogs board member, I know who he is but will allow him the good grace to identify himself publicly the same as I have, Sean Drog I haven't a clue who he is, but it seems clear he is a board lackey. Now tonight Mickey Collins and Alan McCaul have been sacked as managers of Athlone Town 19s despite the side being fourth in the table in their first season up in the Elite division.
A smokescreen of the team not selling enough lotto tickets was used, but the real reason is that the chairmans son had been dropped for the last two games. So don't for one moment think Roddy caused problems at Athlone, he didn't, he wanted to stay there. My overall point is this, without being big headed, I called it right at Drogheda in terms of who would be the new manager, and the reasons as to why Cooke left, along with others I knew Cooke would be in at Athlone, and that Roddy would get Derry, where I predict he will win the league either this season or next.
To sum up Sean Drog says I am pro Cooke, and he's correct, but then I am in line with the vast majority of Drogs fans in that. Robbie Horgan has re signed three players Mick Daly who is his mate and admitted as much on twitter, Shane Grimes who was morally obliged to stay after the club backed him during a suspension served for a failed drugs test and Fabio who, while I would never knock him, it has to be said has his future behind him. He also brought in Dermot O'Neill as goalkeeping coach, an appointment which I have no quibble with apart from saying that as a former goalkeeper himself, and a very good one at that, Robbie could have spent the money being paid to O'Neill elsewhere and coached the 'keepers himself, so I don't need to attack him, he's doing a fine job on bringing himself down so far.
I could be wrong but I suspect one of two things.
Either the Drogs board want the club in division one where costs are less or players are reluctant to trust somebody who has proved he cannot be trusted.
As a Drogs supporter I genuinely hope Robbie proves me wrong, but I don't expect him too, the same as I don't expect him to be manager come next June. Straight defeats early doors and panic buttons will be pushed.
Have you considered after-dinner speaking yourself?
Look Gerry, you claim to know who i am, but despite your glowing CV above i havent got the faintest idea who you are. I would suggest you stop accusing everyone who is anti-Mick Cooke of being board members. Its desperate.
Your are right however about the goalkeeping coach however. Robbie is a goalkeeper, he was also the first team coach last year. So really in 2014 he should be goalkeeping coach, first team coach and manager. Surely he could also play in goals too!!
You are living in the clouds.
ROFL a board lackey - maybe I'm just a supporter but hey I suppose in your world if I'm not with you I must be against you.
Rofl ...
Maybe I'm the chairman ? Or maybe I'm the guy watching you right now from across the road lol
Seriously I put one and one together regarding roddys interview and your posts and you are saying instead of getting two I got 235 lol so be it. My bad.
But thanks for making me smile today :)
Interesting post.
Just wondering if the young lad was dropped for the last 2 games, how many games had he played this season? Granted I've only seen 2 of the 19s games this year but I didn't think he got a start in any of the 10 games so far?
Surprised if the lads did get the chop as they proved themselves last year with an unbeaten season to be champions and seemed to be doing Ok after making the step up to the Elite.
True they were doing okay, but gone they are.
Confirmed on Athlone Town Fans page by Mickey Collins wife this morning. She indeed said they got the sack, and not resigned as someone suggested.
Luckily for Roddy, he'd never ever contemplate signing his son twice and playing him ahead of others
Seriously though, you're being ridiculously harsh on Horgan. He's been in the job 3/4 days and signed 3 players and a backroom team. There's clubs who haven't even done that yet.
On the view of Roddy that Horgan stabbed Mick Cooke in the back, that's a widely held view around the league among players and coaching staff. Last summer it was rumoured to be happening
where I predict he will win the league either this season or next.
You were going grand up to that.
Look.... there's not point getting all your panties in a bunch, what's done is done, get over it... time to move on! Only results will tell the truth.
I too got a right chuckle out of Roderick winning the league with Derry. Thanks for that.