Incoming points deduction for playing an inelligible player last season.....
Sure it would make division 1 more competitive if Waterford had to give everyone a 15 point headstart.
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Josh Kerr leaves Bohs by mutual consent. Didn't see that one coming, wasn't that impressive last season but it looked like he was going to get plenty of game time this year.
Just over two weeks till the season starts now and we only have three senior defenders on the books along with a teenager who's only played a handful of senior games. Buckley or Twardek are going to be playing right back the way things are going.
Harps signed Katlego Mashigo began at St. Kevin’s Boys last at Portadown …
Honestly not surprised at that. Couldn't get ahead of Feely last season and in preseason it looked like Devine preferred Horton and Byrne as starting cbs. Another panic signing by Long off the books. Agree we need some cover in and a starting RB. I think Twardek will start the season at RB regardless of any signings made.
Bohs having such a gaping hole in their squad is a weird one. Looking at the rest of the side it's quite well-balanced, and while Pats and Dundalk have the more stand-out individuals in attack/midfield there probably isn't much in it to the point you'd think they could definitely make a good fist of pushing for Europe...but then they have no defenders.
I think this is going to be something many teams will have to deal with in the coming seasons. With players being signed to multi year deals more frequently and some very average players getting moves to the UK the clubs will need to get creative about filling their squads as the free agent pool gets smaller and smaller.
Kerry have signed Kalen Spillane, who on the one hand has played plenty of Premier Division games, but on the other, has spent the last eight seasons at Carrigaline!
When he signed for us there was a bit of hype around him. He has played about 25 games in two years for three clubs. But he was quite poor with us and didn’t really add anything to the team, at the time he was also very lightweight. Our management was quite dysfunctional at the time thou, certainly didn’t help matters.
https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/f...m-todd-4012380
Derry in for Sam Todd.
Pats signed Conor Carty on loan from Bolton earlier. Not sure a striker was much of a priority for many but good to bolster the numbers all the same.
Chris McCann signed a short term deal at Burton Albion.
I really thought that some defenders would be in by now after Fenlon's arrival. What is it, three weeks he's been in? Thought he might have some Irish League contacts from his time with Linfield. But transfer window came and went... Maybe there are free agents knocking about, but looking more like the kids will have to step up.
Joe Power signs for Bray https://twitter.com/betweenstripes/s...77321151926273
Ollie O'Neill to Derry on loan from Fulham. That's an interesting one. Could be very useful if he's ready for mens football. 7 goals, 6 assists in 12 games in the PL2 ain't bad for a winger.
In isolation yes more players is better but from a squad management point of view it is dangerous because players who aren't playing every week can become disgruntled & unmotivated. Maybe it will work out fine for them but I wonder as a relatively inexperienced manager will it be an extra headache that Higgins doesn't need
I'd be really excited by the O'Neill signing if I was a Derry man.
As an LOI fan it's exciting too as the standard of prospects which are being sent here are slowly increasing season on season.
In particular I think it makes sense for UK based underage internationals. Playing in the LOI instead of the EPL2 should only help their claim in any Irish squads.
23 Senior pros which leaves you with a few sitting in the stands every week not happy. Rovers have had a got balance with talented young lads at the back end of the squad who won't be as demanding, Kenny never carried that big a squad at Dundalk either, it tended to be a core 17/18. The last squad that probably had this much 'depth' was Caulfield's Cork & while you may not have as many right backs as he did I'd be concerned you similarly won't be able to get the best out of your players.
Kian Leavy on loan to Shels from Reading until June..
Don't see any issues for Derry myself. I hope they pop up but they needed wide attackers and defensive midfielders. They missed Duffy badly and looked a bit fragile between midfield and defense until Diallo arrived. Connolly sorts some of that as well.
Lots of creativity but not enough bite to them for parts of last year I thought albeit only from games against us and highlights. O'Reilly gives them more if that and the two wingers will give them options they didn't have last year to backup Duffy. Their ability to challenge just got stronger for me.
Home "turf" would be more concerning than their squad at this point.
Bohs squad on twitter (sorry the link wouldn't copy) 19 players. 2 keepers, 3 defenders, 3 attacker and the rest midfielders and wingers. I think it's light. Very short on defenders and attackers and not long to get it sorted.
How do you define attackers? I'd always include wingers as attacking options myself. I think the squad is only lacking in defenders currently. From the preseason games I've seen we'll play 3 up front with a decent amount of options from McDaid, Connolly, Twardek, Coote, Williams, Afolabi, Akintinde & Okosun. Could argue we need another out and out striker but there is a need for them all through the league.
Also they have at least 4 defenders in Kirk, Burke, Horton and Byrne ;)
I quite like the balance of Bohs' squad in midfield and attack and think for the most part they should really be expected to put up a good challenge for top 4, but that defence really is an issue. Obviously they're going to be bringing players in but we're at that point in the window where you'd expect for most sides it'll just be loans in from the UK and there's always an element of risk and the unknown with those kind of deals, even more so than others a lot of the time. It's an awkward spot to be in so close to the start of the season.
Duffer at the league launch saying the going rate for a senior pro in top half of Prem is 1200-1400, would that be correct? Seems higher than I'd have expected but hard to know with these things
I wouldn’t take much heed of what he says. He’s also quoted as saying his side were the most improved over the course of last season from game 1 (3-0 loss to pats) to game 36 (4-0 loss to pats), while winning 2 of their final 15 league and cup games against premier opposition, compared to 5 wins in their first 15. Little old Damien wouldn't be fond of letting the truth get in the way of a good spoof