2021 Season , Arrivals and departures

In fairness when Bradley was getting his stick he hadn’t got Rovers into the groups of European competition. So you can argue that Filippo is already ahead of Bradley at the same stage of their respective jobs. I’ve no idea if Filippo will be a long term success or not and questions have to be asked around some of his tactics, but maybe with a DoF in there aswell it will work.
You’re right aswell that if Lopes had’ve scored we’d be talking differently but then if Rovers hadn’t have been handed two ridiculous penalties against Harps then they wouldn’t even have been in the final. So no point talking about what if decisions in games.
The point about players downing tools is valid, but they were downed under Perth’s watch. The second half of the season was a shambles in the league so long arguments there but I think the players have shown overall they were happy under Filippo.

With the way the players very quickly changed from looking like going toe to toe with Rovers, being well beaten by an average enough Celje and collapsing after the resumption of the league, a lot of focus was on the madcap stuff about the chairman. Looking back its seems like more of a smokescreen and possible lead to greater issues with the squad not becoming public. It was assumed that signings were forced on the manager and team selection was being interfered with. The first team named by FG left out entirely the players it was assumed VP was told to play.

It was all very strange, players were devoid of confidence and someone like Sean Gannon, the consummate pro looked particularly like he was going through the motions. Garts as the senior player and at this stage a clubman as much as just a member of a squad seemed very unhappy. He was never a chap that sulked for not getting game time so it wouldnt have been that as his issue. We may never know what was truly going on with the players and that is testament to the professionalism in itself, but within days of FG taking training noise from the camp was that they players were enjoying the sessions. He even added additional training where say Wednesdays were a day off usually and 2 additional sessions were added. It was a bizarre appointment that was a baptism of fire for FG that he coped with.

With some luck in the covid changes in formats he did meet the alleged targets set + the cup. More telling though is that players were playing. McEleney put in some of the better performances for a while, Murray showed his worth, Gannon was not only playing but with some extra bite. Tactics were changed and there were serious weaknesses especially in zonal defence but no player can change to an entirely new system in weeks but the affort was apparent. Work ethic was back. I liked the way the squad was rotated with all players on a clean slate.

For whatever its worth FG also comes across as an honest and genuine person without the ascorbic tone. What other managers said on the sideline didnt become the story of a game for example. We dont know how things will progress for next season but all things considered it wasnt too bad in the short space of time this season. It could have been a lot worse and with a LoI merrygoround managerial appointment that was possible. Overall the players seemed happy and trusted FG which is the important starting point or any appointment. The only down side was the supposed sending of Gatt to train on his own unless a point was being made.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

If jack b does leave us forester has that touch of unpredictability about him and if given a free role to express himself in a team where he has a lot of good players around him might recapture some of the old magic.

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Chris is under contract for another year so that won't be happening.

I see Bolger has been released by rovers. Would like to see him back at Pats, he was a top class player with us and his performance levels haven’t dropped at Cork or rovers. Unfortunate to miss so much of the already shortened season through injury this year

I would say he is looking for more game time than "released" if you know what i mean, he is coming to an age where he needs to be playing.
Sorry to see him going, delighted to see him get back for the semi and the final of the cup. Was well thought of at Rovers

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

I would say he is looking for more game time than "released" if you know what i mean, he is coming to an age where he needs to be playing.
Sorry to see him going, delighted to see him get back for the semi and the final of the cup. Was well thought of at Rovers

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https://twitter.com/greggyb6/status/...870988290?s=21

Reading this gives the impression that it was the clubs decision rather than his so I based the 'released' off that

Yeah you could be right but it may have been more of a "cant guarantee you lots of game time conversation" rather than we are letting you go.
He was straight back on the bench when fit from the broken leg and came on ahead of others who are staying at the club.
Either way am really sorry to see him go, great signing for someone.

Dinny Corcoran signed for Drogheda.....

Dinny Corcoran to Drogheda and Paddy Kirk to Longford. Seems two great signings for the promoted teams.

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Originally Posted by joey B

Dinny Corcoran signed for Drogheda.....

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Excellent signing. And good experience which we will need in the premier.

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

Dinny Corcoran to Drogheda and Paddy Kirk to Longford. Seems two great signings for the promoted teams.

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Yeah Im surprised with the two moves. I thought Paddy Kirk was highly rated at Bohs I thought?

I can see why Bohs let Corcoran go with his age/injury record the last few years but Kirk going to Longford is a big shock for me, great coup for them. Corcoran is a great signing for Drogs too and will do well for them if he can stay injury free

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Originally Posted by joey B

Dinny Corcoran signed for Drogheda.....

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Like all ex Bohs players when they move on, he is guaranteed to score a winner at Dalymount next Season. A good player for the club but unfortunately a bit injury prone and liked to double job with the Gah in the earlier days which I thought should never have been allowed by Long.

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Originally Posted by Martinho II

Yeah Im surprised with the two moves. I thought Paddy Kirk was highly rated at Bohs I thought?

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He was but they signed Wilson from Waterford so I guess any chance of gametime at full back was even more remote. He's been there a few years and never got a run of games so probably wanted to go somewhere he'll play.

If Corcoran was a bit less injury probe I would have gladly welcomed him at Rovers - the guy is a actual real life goalscorer, which are few and far between in this league.
When Rovers won 1nil against bohs in tallaght it was him coming on, not mandriou, that worried me.
If drogs can keep him on the pitch he will keep them up on his own, in my view.

Greg Bolger has signed for us. Delighted with that.

Bolger will be brilliant for Sligo assuming the injury didn't take too much out of him, which it didn't seem to in the couple of outings he got in the cup. Bit gutted with that as I'd have had him back in a heartbeat.

Apart from Dundalk players... Are there many other (big name) free agents left to sign?

Ronan Coughlan and Junior haven’t signed for us yet so they’re still available

Kevin O'Connor signed for Shelbourne from Cork City.