2024 Season, Arrivals and Departures

Saying that about the four European sides, are there any you'd say have improved on paper at this point? Obvious caveat again that it's still early days and subject to immediate change.

Derry you'd say so with Hoban all but confirmed and no huge losses. Brandon Kavanagh is a quality player but they already have some of his type so Kelly coming in probably gives them better balance too.

Rovers have lost Mannus, Poom, Clarke and a few older/squad players were let go, with only Burns in thus far as a notable addition.

Pats are a bit half and half, definite improvement in some areas but still some big departures and in the keeper position at least have a more pressing first eleven spot to fill than the others do.

Shels have made some solid moves but they relied for much of last season on Moylan, who was then latterly given great help by Wood and Jarvis, and I'm not sure they've replaced that quality as of yet.

Obviously the majority of the rest of the league have more work to do but still an interesting January ahead for everyone really.

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Originally Posted by oriel

Any clubs fortunes can change with 4 or 5 new decent additions, will reserve judgement on Dundalk until the numbers are filled up.

For now no point as clearly 7-8 maybe even more are required, will all depend on that quality, Hoban will be moving on that's clear, his pace has gone a little and didn't do much in europe last season (1 goal in 4 games), that said I'd have kept him, but whats the point with a player clearly disgruntled and wanting out, could effect whole team, still the whole episode was so badly managed.

As things stand, its not looking great for 2024, hopefully things will settle down in the next week or so.

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Its the hustle of the decade! Whoban is finished, ready to join the rest of the former Dundalk contingent at Derry that were sent out the pasture.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Its the hustle of the decade! Whoban is finished, ready to join the rest of the former Dundalk contingent at Derry that were sent out the pasture.

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Why even bother posting such nonsense? Connolly, Duffy, McEleney, Hoban and Kelly would all walk onto our team

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Originally Posted by dundalkfc10

Why even bother posting such nonsense? Connolly, Duffy, McEleney, Hoban and Kelly would all walk onto our team

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Well with Duffy, McEleney & Kelly you run the risk of them injuring themselves in that walk

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

No such thing as to good to go down, who would have had Cork going down

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Tbf, a lot of people who follow the First Division said Cork would struggle without significant investment and the two teams coming up this year are coming out of the weakest first division in history. I think a lot of people are understating just how poor the standard of the first division was last season. I expect Galway and waterford to struggle unless they do some good business.

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Originally Posted by outspoken

Tbf, a lot of people who follow the First Division said Cork would struggle without significant investment and the two teams coming up this year are coming out of the weakest first division in history. I think a lot of people are understating just how poor the standard of the first division was last season. I expect Galway and waterford to struggle unless they do some good business.

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I should have made clearer i meant who would have seen Cork going down in 2020 not last year....i was thinking in the context of the success they during the "Dundalk era" and then going down.

Did anyone have Wilfred Zahibo suing Dundalk in their LOI off season bingo card? :)

https://thecurrency.news/articles/13...uing-the-club/

Drogheda have signed goalkeeper Jethren Barr from Portadown. He made his senior debut for South Africa only last year

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

I should have made clearer i meant who would have seen Cork going down in 2020 not last year....i was thinking in the context of the success they during the "Dundalk era" and then going down.

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I think it was clear the wheels had come off at Cork, was no surprise they went down.

we had no money or players in 2020 tbf, wasnt a big surprise. last season was a bigger shambles

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Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

You can call it Mor anything. Trophies for a start.

Happy new year Ger.

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And a Happy New Year to you too!

https://m.soccernet.ee/artikkel/kuhu...ed-klubirindel

Markus Poom heading back to Shamrock Rovers on loan according to that article….

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

Cant see Bohs not being in a decent state by the start of the season, even losing Afolabis 12? goals they have the money to spend on replacements.

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I would love to share your optimism, but at the moment, we are in even worse shape than we were prior to last season. Players needed to be in by now and we have been very quiet in the transfer market. Dodgy and the back and nothing up front. If you can’t score and you leak goals you are in big trouble. I could honestly see us in a battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot. I hope I am wrong.

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Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

Drogheda have signed goalkeeper Jethren Barr from Portadown. He made his senior debut for South Africa only last year

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I don't think there were too many Ports fans too disappointed to see him leaving. Bit of a calamity keeper up North. Was let go after relegation last year.

Poom back to Rovers for another season. Not sure what is happening with Clarke but they really have lost nobody they would want to keep,bar Mannus and maybe Kenny?

Manus is a big loss as is Clarke.
Ronan Finn has made the right move for himself long term to UCD and is a big loss, he played all the big matches for us ahead of the other WB's even when they were available. Kenny...........he is young and might improve but given he scored hardly any goals if he doesnt stay you couldnt say we would be weaker for it

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Originally Posted by ger121

I would love to share your optimism, but at the moment, we are in even worse shape than we were prior to last season. Players needed to be in by now and we have been very quiet in the transfer market. Dodgy and the back and nothing up front. If you can’t score and you leak goals you are in big trouble. I could honestly see us in a battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot. I hope I am wrong.

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"Players needed to be in" but who though?I'm not quite sure why people can't understand that we were never going to sign a load of players before this month. We got Rooney from Drogheda and Cornwall was a free agent. Everyone else home based went somewhere else or was under contract already.

Half the league aren't shopping here anymore cause the pool of available players is so shallow and that situation is going to get worse before it gets better. I understand it's frustrating but it is what it is.

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Originally Posted by ger121

I would love to share your optimism, but at the moment, we are in even worse shape than we were prior to last season. Players needed to be in by now and we have been very quiet in the transfer market. Dodgy and the back and nothing up front. If you can’t score and you leak goals you are in big trouble. I could honestly see us in a battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot. I hope I am wrong.

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For what its worth, I am definitely on the same page as this in terms of how anxious I am about the season ahead. The lack of activity in areas that were issues last year is boggling to me, in addition to my concerns around Devine as our manager. I'm also not sure is it Fenlon or Devine who is supposed to be identifying and getting players into the squad? If its not Fenlon, then what does he do?

Jay McGrath has left Pats for Doncaster Rovers. He played a vital role last year when Redmond was injured. I never got the impression that Daly rated him and his departure was expected.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

Manus is a big loss as is Clarke.
Ronan Finn has made the right move for himself long term to UCD and is a big loss, he played all the big matches for us ahead of the other WB's even when they were available. Kenny...........he is young and might improve but given he scored hardly any goals if he doesnt stay you couldnt say we would be weaker for it

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Thought we are working on securing Clarke for another season on loan ? If that happens and rumours about Aaron Mceneff are true then we’ll be fine