LOI In Europe 2021

LoI tougher than MLS!! Progress in standards....

When Trevor Anderson became manager at Dundalk there were a lot of people excited as on paper his rep was high and he ended up arguably the worst manager in the clubs history. From that alone we should be cautious on what are relative unknowns. FG can be scapegoated for these signings but Im not convinced that an agent didnt exploit an opportunity to get their dross contracts. Maybe Zahibo could come good but for the money supposedly involved it could go a good way to keeping Patching, Stanton and maybe even Sloggett!

Next weeks game could be pivtol and could determine the future involvement of Peak6. Win and it justifies some of their initial reason for buying the club, an average Dundalk side picking up nearly 1mil, added to last year, well if they are losing money thats their own doing. It's a pity there's a cup game this weekend. It could be our only way to qualify for Europe so must be held as very important but then so is progression next week. Tight on numbers so not really able to rest a whole lot of players and Treaty will be no mugs and will make it difficult. Probably the one time I dont want energy zapping heat in Ireland!

I woudnt call Rovers next opponents just yet but either way they should be in the PO round!

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Well he did play in La Liga (twice...in 2015), so he has to have had something about him at some stage. And played regularly in the MLS too, although that's notoriously variable with regards the players in it. A few marquee players and the rest complete journeymen. Still wouldn't have expected him to be playing quite as badly here as he seems to be.

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Yeah I'm not saying there wasn't some reason to be optimistic as fans like to be. Just that there's often more intangible things that will determine if they will be a good signing or not. What's his attitude like being a big one. Maybe they got good references in that regard from people other than his agent but it's hard to know with the current regime in Dundalk.

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

Yeah I'm not saying there wasn't some reason to be optimistic as fans like to be. Just that there's often more intangible things that will determine if they will be a good signing or not. What's his attitude like being a big one. Maybe they got good references in that regard from people other than his agent but it's hard to know with the current regime in Dundalk.

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The one absolute is that it damages other players' morale/attitude or whatever. Its an issue with any club, at any level, when a player comes in on better terms than the rest of the squad. But if they come in and are not up to scratch, in ability and especially in effort, then it disrupts the dressing room. I dont know what Zahibo is like as a personality or as a professional in training but if I were earning €500 and bossing games and another chap is on multiples of that and walking around in games, it would bug me. There is the nonchalant type player and then there is the disinterested - not being able to get to games its not so obvious which Zahibo is but we were definitely in better control of midfield when Zahibo was subbed last night with sustained pressure and less sloppy in midfield. It's probably not fair to take that half hour in isolation but there is little to suggest that previous games were much different. Again its not so much the player as it is what you are getting, so far, for the outlay.

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

it's hard to know with the current regime in Dundalk.

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Yeah, that kind of sums things up alright. If it was a one-off, you'd say it was unfortunate, but it seems to have been the case with most of their imports. The Korean lad was talked up too and seems to have flopped.

I found this online actually which says Zahibo's 2019 salary with New England Revolution was $583k (MLS publish all salaries). That's roughly €9k/week. I doubt he's on that with Dundalk, but I doubt he's on a grand a week either.

The 1st Korean target was talked up but not so much Han. That was just very random imo!!? I dont think he is a bust mind, he could be a good signing but needs time moreso than some of the other signings. More potential than Mitdtskogen I think, unless we are playing with an out and out target man.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Yeah, that kind of sums things up alright. If it was a one-off, you'd say it was unfortunate, but it seems to have been the case with most of their imports. The Korean lad was talked up too and seems to have flopped.

I found this online actually which says Zahibo's 2019 salary with New England Revolution was $583k (MLS publish all salaries). That's roughly €9k/week. I doubt he's on that with Dundalk, but I doubt he's on a grand a week either.

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You're in dreamland if you think he's on less than a grand. I've heard figures mentioned close to 5k per week.

I don't think he's on less than a grand. That was sarcasm

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I don't think he's on less than a grand. That was sarcasm

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My mistake so.

Teuta 1-0 up in Andorra after an hour - the comeback is on!

Winners play Rovers next

2 nil now. Probably go to ET. Hard to know who they would want in the next round

You would have to imagine that playing the Andorrans would be preferable. That game gone to ET now, hopefully they can squeak through somehow.

In the Champions League games it's good news for Rovers so far as it looks like there's no upsets on the cards. Will be teams from Estonia, Finland, Cyprus and Lithuania will be 4 of the 10 teams playing in the Europa League PO with the losers of that round being the possible opposition to Rovers in the conference league playoff round should they make it.

3 nil now. Looks like Albania

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Originally Posted by ger121

3 nil now. Looks like Albania

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Tricky tie.

After last weeks performance I really wasn't expecting that at all.

They were hammered 5-0 over two legs by Sheriff and lost at home 2-0 last week. Hard to know what side will turn up vs Rovers but no doubt a more difficult tie than the Andorrans.

Any of Thursday's games on the box?

The Dundalk game is on LOITV.

How are ticket sales going for the Bohs game at the Aviva tomorrow, will it be an 8,000 sell-out, hopefully after the first leg result there should be a demand!

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Originally Posted by nr637

How are ticket sales going for the Bohs game at the Aviva tomorrow, will it be an 8,000 sell-out, hopefully after the first leg result there should be a demand!

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It sold out last week an hour or so after general sale.

Both games on LOI tv. I think Dundalk will go out, but Bohs will scrape through with a draw.