2024 Season, Arrivals and Departures

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Originally Posted by total hoofball

I really think Dundalk hiring someone who knows the league well is a necessity for them otherwise it's a huge gamble for where they are with their mess of a squad, McLaughlin was let go by Derry less than a season after being headhunted to be Higgins assistant that would be a very risky hire by Dundalk for me

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Have Derry improved since McLaughlin left? Considering how underwhelming Derry still are its hard to know how much is down to McLaughlin and how much is down to Higgins. There's also the idea that some managers/coaches are suited more to one role than another e.g. it's agreed that Trevor Crolly is a great coach but wasn't a good manager. Not sure I've seen it work the other way but generally speaking managers don't go back to being assistants if they were good managers but either way McLaughlins cv as a manager seems quite good even if his time at Derry ended so abruptly

Why he left Derry 1 year in to a 3 year role for no other job would be interesting to know. My own thoughts on his appointment as Derry assistant was that he was an immediate threat to Higgins and a ready made replacement if Derry under performed - potentially shortening how much time Higgins might be given. He may have just wanted a break from football or they just didnt like each other or maybe he was making too many suggestions on how to improve ... but was all a bit odd from the outside regardless.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Why he left Derry 1 year in to a 3 year role for no other job would be interesting to know. My own thoughts on his appointment as Derry assistant was that he was an immediate threat to Higgins and a ready made replacement if Derry under performed - potentially shortening how much time Higgins might be given. He may have just wanted a break from football or they just didnt like each other or maybe he was making too many suggestions on how to improve ... but was all a bit odd from the outside regardless.

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From what I read he was told he wouldn't be involved in the first team any more and that prompted him to leave. I can understand not wanting to stay somewhere you're not wanted but I wonder why he was removed from the role he was hired from so quickly. Could be as simple as a disagreement on how to train the players and set up the team or something bigger

Yup I knew that so no idea why put things like that above, brain fog moment! Same difference in wondering what went on though.

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Originally Posted by Another Bohemia

From what I read he was told he wouldn't be involved in the first team any more and that prompted him to leave. I can understand not wanting to stay somewhere you're not wanted but I wonder why he was removed from the role he was hired from so quickly. Could be as simple as a disagreement on how to train the players and set up the team or something bigger

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Considering the relative underperformance of Derry for the last year or so and the fact they dont seem to change their approach i can imagine a number 2 constantly suggesting changes would find his way to the door quickly enough.
He was hardly shown the door for agreeing with Higgins

Exactly, could be a good appointment or a bad one but I'd be hesitant to judge him on his time at Derry.

In other arrivals news Bohs have announced Alan Moore as first team coach analyst. I know all of those words but I can't say I've seen them used in a single job title before but there certainly needs to be a few fresh perspectives brought in to help turn around the on field performances.

he analyzes the coaches? :D

A lot of Shelbourne alumni joining toe set up... two of them called Alan...

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Originally Posted by Another Bohemia

Exactly, could be a good appointment or a bad one but I'd be hesitant to judge him on his time at Derry.

In other arrivals news Bohs have announced Alan Moore as first team coach analyst. I know all of those words but I can't say I've seen them used in a single job title before but there certainly needs to be a few fresh perspectives brought in to help turn around the on field performances.

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Loved his work with 2000AD, seems a strange appointment though.

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Originally Posted by Mr A

Loved his work with 2000AD, seems a strange appointment though.

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Nerd!

Derry have the squad to be much closer to what has been, by their standards, an under-performing Rovers team. But both teams have pretty much failed to whelm for what 2 seasons? More?

Higgins is in his third full season, he either wins the league with a bit to spare or he's gone. He could conceivably win the league and still go. How to put it? He's on borrowed time, a busted flush, a hiding to nothing, feck all to lose. Hence putting all his eggs in a Hoban shaped basket. A bigger statement of intent would have been signing the big ginger fecker, but that was never going to happen. Either way the physio was going to earn his coin.

If I'd done the prediction thread I would have put him down as first manager to go, because if Derry are off the pace he could be gone when they exit Europe.

But all the clubs would face a similar issue, who do you replace him with? If Paddy had stayed as no2 then that might have worked. But now who Duff? Bradley? Kenny? Last one most likely, and that's remote. Someone from the IL?

The bigger problem would be without a succession plan Bradley and Rovers would have their pick of this squad. And whoever came in would be looking at another three year plan.

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Originally Posted by Another Bohemia

In other arrivals news Bohs have announced Alan Moore as first team coach analyst. I know all of those words but I can't say I've seen them used in a single job title before but there certainly needs to be a few fresh perspectives brought in to help turn around the on field performances.

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Seems a pretty common role in most clubs in the UK going by a quick Google search at least

Dundalk likely targets are Paddy McLoughlin, Vinny Perth and if we can wait for 2 weeks.... Ruari Higgins.
Now Vinny basically ruled himself out the other day so that automatically makes him favourite ?

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Originally Posted by RealJohn91

Seems a pretty common role in most clubs in the UK going by a quick Google search at least

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He has plenty of experience in the UK. We need all the help we can get!

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Originally Posted by total hoofball

I really think Dundalk hiring someone who knows the league well is a necessity for them otherwise it's a huge gamble for where they are with their mess of a squad, McLaughlin was let go by Derry less than a season after being headhunted to be Higgins assistant that would be a very risky hire by Dundalk for me

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He was let go, but the circumstances are shrouded in mystery. Higgins has been after him since he got the Derry job, finally did, then maybe fell out with him, according to the rumours. Paddy was let go in December, two months later the club issue a statement on it. All very strange.

Personally, I think he'd be a great shout for a manager of any club. Fully expect him to be managing us some day.
He has a decent bit of experience, and has done well everywhere he's gone. Mightn't have managed in the LoI before, but he'll know the league inside out.

Still in awe over the job he did with Institute when he got them promoted in 2018. Stute had so little money, maybe offering lads 30 quid a week, getting outbid on wages by Inishowen League clubs, and won the league by nine points.

Dundalk would be doing very wlel to get McLaughlin, but he'd have to be tempted to wait for something else to pop up sooner or later.

Timing could be everything here, a bit further in to the season, a little less patience by Derry to see that squad actually play, and McLaughlin could be sitting in Higgins job looking for his assistant. If you headhunt an assistant you'd expect him to be of a similar thought process on coaching and team. Differences of opinion on some things is a positive in coaching teams and imo a manager should listen to ideas. Unless an assistant is going out of the way to undermine a manager with players or board, or is totally at odds on how to get the best from a talented squad well it is or was very strange and Dundalk fans are pretty used to strange. At this stage, if I had to choose between Hggins or McLaughlin I think i'd be picking McLaughlin and I really felt that Higgins taking the Derry job, well resourced, that past great Derry sides would be surpassed. It shows how much appointing a manager in LoI is often a roll of the dice, takes luck as well as ability especially when you dont have a small towns worth of coaches, scouts and analysts employed.

I dont expect any particular target to become manager, Im not sure I have preferences for, more than who I wouldnt want. Bit like the Ireland situation, best laid plans and all that, we'll find out in due course and hope it works out once again. News of investment can sway things though what level on investment is of interest not that i think it should be divulged as long as bills are payed etc.

Stephen Henderson sacked

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Originally Posted by Shearer

Stephen Henderson sacked

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No surprise really he had stopped doing inteviews. With every passin week fans were gettin less and less interested. I had great time for the bloke as he got in touch with me on facebook about his dad Paddy who played with us in 1960. Its tragic that hes gone now in clubs 100th year.

I still scratch my head at Longford's decision to sack Daire Doyle when he overachieved getting them promoted in the first place not surprised 3 seasons later that decision is haunting them

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Originally Posted by brendy_éire

He was let go, but the circumstances are shrouded in mystery. Higgins has been after him since he got the Derry job, finally did, then maybe fell out with him, according to the rumours. Paddy was let go in December, two months later the club issue a statement on it. All very strange.

Personally, I think he'd be a great shout for a manager of any club. Fully expect him to be managing us some day.
He has a decent bit of experience, and has done well everywhere he's gone. Mightn't have managed in the LoI before, but he'll know the league inside out.

Still in awe over the job he did with Institute when he got them promoted in 2018. Stute had so little money, maybe offering lads 30 quid a week, getting outbid on wages by Inishowen League clubs, and won the league by nine points.

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Not denying McLaughlin has done ok in NI but it's a different ball game down South in an almost fully professional Premier Division with a Dundalk squad that looks to be a mess of recruitment that it would be a very difficult job even for a seasoned manager with LOI experience to take on. Dundalk can't mess up with their eventual hire otherwise it may be back to the First Division