In the last 4 years Sligo Rovers have been in the top 5 as often as Derry, Bohs, Pat's and Dundalk.
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The examiner is reporting the club received a six figure compensation fee from Shrewsbury for Rowland. Might explain how the club are managing to pay transfer fees.
The examiner is also reporting Blues are trying to sign Tommy Lonergan and Jad Hakiki.
Rennie is expected to move back to Derry also. Been on the cards for a while now. The deal hinges on compensation being agreed reportedly.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/...-41307826.html
Kyle Robinson departed Drogheda for Arbroath….
Rob Manley has signed for Home Farm
A six figure transfer fee for Idowu is mental compared to what we have seen been received by LOI clubs by UK clubs over so many years. Released by Southampton, released by Cardiff, released by Bohs, and then looking decent at Waterford but with the health warning it was in an absolutely terrible First Division. I assume Shrewsbury also paid a decent fee to Waterford for Sobowale in the summer?
If that is an example of UK clubs feeling the squeeze on recruitment due to Brexit and LOI clubs benefiting from significantly higher fees then you can see why Waterford are targeting unpolished young Irish players like Hakiki and Lonergan happy to pay a fee but then hope to flip them on a year later at a handsome profit to the UK
All I can say from Shels perspective with Hakiki it wouldn't make sense unless Waterford pay a decent fee if they are getting six figures for the likes of Idowu who I don't believe has a higher ceiling than Hakiki. I don't think it makes sense for Pats either to take a fee for Lonergan unless they really don't rate his potential, Keating and Kavanagh are not sure fire things to score the 15-20 goals they will need from a striker if they want to win the league, always a possibility they may have to lean on Lonergan who could push on from his Cup final goal he has only just turned 20
Wassim Aouchria Resigned for gufc.
Yeah the top six is fairly consistent. But there some change over time, Shels looking like replacing Sligo, questions over Dundalk or Bohs. Waterford and Galway with bit of backing could sneak in. A resurgent Cork, would hope to be back there in a few year.
Over the past decade, with some boom and bust, we've had 8 different teams represent us in Europe, one of them was UCD getting a fairplay place, and Waterford weren't allowed in. That's about what you'd expect, previously with a bit more churn could have 10 teams (premier division's worth) over a decade.
The worst case scenario is that number drops to 6 or 5 - think top 4 or big 6 in epl - and chances of any other teams breaking into it are slim to none.
The worry since Ollie Byrne's day has been of one club dominating because of european money. And to be fair we've seen it in fits and starts since. But that was based mostly on wages, how many clubs can pay the fees and the wages?
So yeah I don't think it's currently a sign of an unhealthy league, there will be positive and negative. But I worry if one of the negatives might be a Rosenborg 90's, La Liga, or EPL style hegemony.
Trevor Clarke signed back at Shamrock Rovers on a permanent deal.
If Clarke and farrugia can stay fit we will be very hard to beat for the league . When they played together last year we looked fantastic. Adding mceneff as well as seems to be flagged improves us. Only question mark really is are the replacements for Manus good enough.
8 points after 6 games last year. We surely can't start as badly....
Clarke and byrne are both training and will be ready for season start.
*Exclusive
Kennedy Amechi recently spent time on trial with Reading + Crystal Palace (impressing particularly at the former).
However, IFB understands that Kennedy is back in Ireland and set to re-sign with Kerry on a multi year deal.
Huge business he just needs his chance!
What's IFB?
We were certainly goal-shy last term, and Kennedy definitely showed his potential when he was given more than cameo minutes off the bench, so should be a more regular starter this season.
The Irish Football Blog Twitter a/c - regularly posts rumours/info on LoI transfer movements, many of which, naturally, never happen, but he does have more than his fair share of news that does hit the mark. He decided to be a player sponsor for Amechi last season, so will thus have been made aware of his intentions for this campaign.
Ryan Kelliher scored 10 goals last year and 2 in the Cup. Gaxha scored 7. Kerry will need Kelliher, Okwute and Amechi getting at least 10 this year.