That tired you out did it?:D
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IMO the animosity between Bohs and Dundalk is 100% down to Sean Connor. Why in the name of God would Bohs just pick one team - at random effectively - that have been just promoted to completely and utterly despise?
Loads have clubs have been promoted from the 1st Div over the years and never a cross word - that is to say outside the general 90 minutes of a football match and general and normal banter - has been uttered. There is basically no other reason for this.
When you look at it logically, why, as has been suggested by Dundalk supporters, would Bohs (Champions, FA Cup Holders) change their game tactics to play (at best) a run of the mill, mid table side when we play completely differently against every other side. I'd think it hard for anybody to justify this simply because there is no justification for it. It's not actually the situation. Bohs have a very straight forward game plan that doesn't change except when the other team's main focus is to antagonise and kick lumps out of our players - hence the reaction from Deego to that thug of a centre forward Williams. Wrong and all as he was, he REACTED to a dangerous challenge.
The situation is this - Sean Connor hates Bohs because we did him over. Fenlon didn't, the players didn't, the fans didn't. Our board did him over. He took the case to court and won - fair play to him (small little man that he is). Sean Connor also knows deep down that he needs some sort of disctraction to buy him time before he gets his inevitable marching orders from Dundalk. He has used the ex-Bohs players he has at his club and convinced the whole town apparently that the league are out to discredit Dundalk and that at the top of the shooters list is the Bohs board/club/players/fans/tea lady, etc. He has in effect created a seige mentallity at Oriel Park that the locals have bought into, conveniently excusing their record thus far in the season that they have played Bohs 5 times and haven't as much as scored a goal against us.
In order to play into his little plan, he has encouraged his players to 'get physical' in order to stop the big city slickers, who have the FAI on their side and are out to steamroller good, honest, provincial little clubs like Dundalk - knowing full well that they run the risk of losing players to red cards along the way. This all after Connor was the manager of Bohs himself and 'it' never seemed to bother him then, although I remember as manager of our club he used to go on about exactly the same kind of bias against Bohs at that stage. Which one is it Sean??
Anyway, this however plays into Connors hands as it only goes to 'PROVE' that everybody is out to get them/him whenever somebody is sent to the line (or from the line as Connor himself has earned already this season).
Only last night though, Bohs had a player sent off first - straight red - no arguments from this seat. Of course, this went completely against Connors game plan, ensuring that he cannot blame the referee or deflect attention from his own shortcomings and effectively his deep seated fear of failure. Sure enough, Dundalk get their man sent off (again) redressing the balance somewhat and the justification for more 'we were done!' calls from the cheap seats was re-established.
It was sad to see players like Mansaram and Rowe, who with other clubs have historically played the game of football for what it is, diving in recklessly and both earning yellow cards they probably wouldn't have with other clubs they previously played for. In fact Rowe was lucky to stay on the pitch following a very on one of our players in the second half.
No matter what the Dundalk supporters espouse on this thread or any other pertaining to Bohs, they have bought into Connors fairy stories and have been completely blinded by his rhetoric. The problem is when it all ends in tears they will have a harder fall than either Bohs or Sligo before us, when they realise that the Emporer really is wearing no clothes.
Allt that and not a single word about Connor landing Bohs with a bill for 300,000 which is the root cause!!
I also doubt if anybody is going to hit the ground harder than Bohs. Well, at I hope that's the case. My only problem with the FAI is that they are sitting on their collective arses and watching a club cheat their way to every title in the local game and doing sweet FA about it other than talking tough.
Did you read it? The third paragraph deals somewhat with your objection.
Also, maybe you didn't understand the context in which I said that you will have a "harder fall" than either Bohs or Rovers. What I meant was that as supporters, when you are finished with him you will despise him more that Rovers or Bohs do, simply because you all seem to completely buy into his ethos. For the most part, from early on most Bohs supporters had cottoned on to the fact that this guy was a complete an utter spoofer - still is. E.g. running around Oriel Park after last Friday's 0-0 draw, wringing his hands over his head as if following some extraordinary, gladiatorial victory - the David Brent of football management. You will fall harder because you buy into his philosophy no matter what your gut is telling you.
On the FAI thing, I would suggest that you (and Ezekial and all the other Dundalk keyboard warriors) wait until the end of the season before condemning Bohs to death. If by then we are below the 65%, I trust you will be lining up to offer your apologies for casting aspersions where none were necessary.
If on the other hand Bohs end up breaking the law, then you will ALL have to wait your turn behind the Bohs members and supporters in throwing all those stones you can't wait to get rid from your grubby little hands.
The draw is next Monday.
You raise and lot of interesting and valid points, even if you dilute them with unnecessary barbs and some irrational comments.
Your claim that "the animosity between Bohs and Dundalk is 100% down to Sean Connor" is a little simplistic in exonerating all other parties. I believe that Sean Connor has a lot to answer for, and is the primary catalyst in this on-going friction. But he is not responsible for Gary Deegan's red card on Tuesday night, nor the post-match behaviour of either Pat Fenlon or Brian Murphy. Similarly, while some of Sean Connor's foolish, inflammatory comments earlier in the season inevitably have riled and offended Bohemians FC, Pat Fenlon has also played a very active part with his dismissive, derogatory comments and behaviours.
You say that "Sean Connor hates Bohs because we did him over" (if you are not on the board your subsequent comments disassociating fans, manager and players from this "we" is strange!). I don't know about "hate" but I would guess he could hardly be enamoured about either the dismissal or the myriad of damaging allegations made against him; similarly the Bohemian FC board (and undoubtedly the majority of fans) must feel a combination of anger and frustration about the subsequent settlement - it's certainly more convenient and self-serving to make Connor the villain, rather then those who hired him and (unfairly) fired him. I suspect that this aspect has more relevance to Bohemians fans then anyone else - its hardly plausible that Dundalk FC or its fans are fixated by any Bohs past relationship with Sean Connor.
I think you are completely right that Sean Connor concocted a nonsense siege mentality story and has found some gullibles to buy into it (not particularly difficult with the appalling LOI referring standards and some of the ludicrous red cards that Dundalk have suffered), and chose to use the aftermath of the 5-0 drubbing in Dalymount to perpetuate this rubbish. Anyone who witnessed either of Paul Keegans unpunished two-footed challenges that night could only be perplexed at the referee, who poured salt in the wounds by sending off Harpal Singh after Killian Brennan made a total meal out of an innocuous challenge. The sense of injustice added to the embarrassment of the 5-0 scoreline made for a fertile ground for fans being peddled conspiracy stories!
What was true about Connors comments after that game was that the Dundalk team were bullied off the park -some legitimate, some obviously not. Suffering another defeat in Oriel Park, with another dubious red card (Killian Brennan again doing what he does best with his reaction) further inflames - and these "events" easily become a mask for the teams' inadequacies.
The obvious reality is that Bohs are, by some distance, the best team in the country (leaving aside for the moment how that was assembled!) and consistently falling some way short of this standard for a team and club desperate to regain it's former status is difficult to take (ditto I'm sure for Sean Connor).
I have no doubt that Sean Connor sought greater physicality from his team in the last three matches against Bohs, in an attempt to match Bohs previous aggressive approach, and to even out the disparity in the football standard of the two teams at different stages of development. He did not get that balance right, and although Dundalk came close to winning the cup tie, that would not have been deserved - either on the balance of the football played or the overly physical approach adopted by Dundalk.
Sure Sean Connor has plenty of flaws and many (maybe even most) Dundalk fans have reservations about him, but on balance he is doing a good job - if the improvement for the second half of the season in both the team results and his off-field attitudes and behaviours continue he may even be around next season challenging for the Premier title!
Yes and has started since. Big improvement on Benno.
Thats pretty clear - you are under the illusion that all Dundalk fans are completely blind to his flaws, and that most Bohs fans had him sussed out from the off!
If he achieves a repeat of his Bohs year one top four finish for Dundalk, I gotta tell you.....I will certainly be more tolerant of his inadequacies
It's a pity you need to mix and confuse the two issues (I know you did not raise it) - as far as I am concerned these are totally unrelated.
I can tell you now that if the miracle happens, you will get no apologies from me. A strategy for compliance with the 65% rule that is predicated on winning the league and progress in Europe is unbelievably incompetent, irresponsible and downright arrogant!
As an apparent Bohs supporter, do you reserve all judgement until this is irrevocably concluded?
Will your hands be grubby too if/when you throw stones, or just mine?
for all the long posts lads i just think its wrong to send a team out to break up players from the opposition team. Its a dirty way to set out your stall even if it is against only Bohs.
You should read up on how he left us for Bohs and maybe grab a greater an insight into the man.
His conduct with us was just as reprehensible as his conduct with Bohs, so it really isnt just BFC Vs Sean Connor, its anyone who has experience of his back stabbing and morally bankrupt nature Vs Sean Connor.
Its pretty much like talking to a wall to Dundalk fans about the great spoofer as he is supplying them with relative success and has them firmly where he wants them, what he lacks in principles he makes up for in manipulation.
Dont be fooled by him, hes a snake and a rat and will shaft Dundalk at the first opportunity if it serves his own personel self interest and unsustainable ego.
I hope the bitter little hunchback falls on his own sword and stops his leaching on the LOI, its only for so long that his inadequacies can be compensated by his spoofing and manipulation.
I agree, just like I am sure you would agree it is wrong for players to punch and headbutt other players, yes?
While I agree that some of Dundalk's tackles in the game were dangerous and stupid, there were two acts of thuggery during the game both by Bohs players. So it is a bit rich harping on about how dirty Dundalk are, don't you agree?
Really, really time to move on for Bohs fans. we have ended Dundalks season and should not be bothering about them any further.
if Dundalk fans want to believe Connors line of crap and that bohs and Sligo fans are jealous that we lost his "talent" then fine - leave them to it. Similarly if they want to believe that the thuggish tactics employed by Connors team are all the fault of opposition, refs or anyone else then, again, leave them to it (and hope they don't break up one of our players) as they will be the losers in the long run.
If Dundalk fans are resigned to harping on about Bohs and the 65% rule (AGAIN) then it shows the lack of any serious argument on their part (the issue will be decided on November 30th - get over it folks !).
This thread is about the FAI Cup. Dundalk are no longer in it so time to move on :rolleyes:
If Bohs somehow comply with the 65% rule then what the hell is the problem ? Possibily the most stupid aurgument put forward by a Dundalk fan to date (and believe me the bar was/is high).
If Bohs break the rule they are wrong but if they don't break the rule they are wrong ????? It is no wonder that Connor can spoof these clowns.
Dundalk - you are the weakest link, GOODBYE :D