Fenn Announces his Retirement

**endabob1** · 02/08/2010, 7:04 AM

Isn't that effectively what Sol Campbell did when he left Arsenal (the first time), told them he wanted to move overseas and then signed for Pompey
Mind you he spent 18 months telling Spurs fans he would sign another deal before stitching them up, so he plenty of previous.

I liked Fenn, seen him come through the ranks at Spurs, always thought he was a tidy player, hope retirement treats him well.

**SMorgan** · 02/08/2010, 8:12 AM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...t-2281018.html

SHAMROCK ROVERS are in discussions to sign Neale Fenn just three days after he announced his retirement from football and parted company with Dundalk.

Hoops boss Michael O'Neill was coy about the issue yesterday, but refuted suggestions that his club would be behaving improperly if they signed the veteran striker.

Dundalk released Fenn in good faith, with the 33-year-old citing "personal reasons" before his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Speaking in a press release from the border club last Thursday, Fenn said: "It's just at a point where I couldn't go on anymore. I want to concentrate on the coaching, but it's been brilliant up here.

"I think once you finish, you might as well finish rather than making all sorts of comebacks. At the moment, I can't see myself coming back at all."

However, his availability alerted a number of other clubs who have made enquiries, with Rovers in the running. O'Neill chose his words carefully, claimed that any issue is strictly between Fenn and Dundalk.

"I am interested in signing a striker, there is no secret about that," he said. "And that's probably all I'm going to say at the moment.

"If that person is Fenn, and Neale Fenn is a free agent, then it has nothing to do with us. He is a free agent and that's the bottom line. If the player is a free agent, then he is eligible to sign for us by our understanding of the rules. I don't think we are exploiting anybody.

"That's between the player and his previous club. The morality does not exist on our part. But we have not committed to doing any business with the player."

Rovers believe they can go ahead and sign the player, although there have been difficulties in the past with respect to registering a player outside the transfer window who had parted company with another club before it closed.

Dundalk signed Keith Dunne as a free agent in February of 2006, after he'd terminated his contract with St Patrick's Athletic, but couldn't play him until July.

**Mario** · 02/08/2010, 1:34 PM

If Fenn was contacted by Rovers after being released by Dundalk, then Rovers have done nothing wrong ... lets wait and see what happens ...

Mario

**Dunny** · 02/08/2010, 1:38 PM

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/...k_dundalk.html

**placid casual** · 02/08/2010, 8:43 PM

probably wont happen and to be honest i never really rated fenn anyways .
but.... if he did sign, start on sunday and score the winner against The New Shels, well I would laugh me hole off..

The league of Ireland is like no other league in the world, except maybe some south american crazy league! its great gas altogther.

**L.T.F.C.** · 02/08/2010, 9:31 PM

Originally Posted by Mario

If Fenn was contacted by Rovers after being released by Dundalk, then Rovers have done nothing wrong ... lets wait and see what happens ...

Mario

Thank you for signing your post there.
I found myself unable to move my eyes the required 2 inches to see who posted that reply, and you saved the day, preempting my eye's failure.
Cheers.

**thischarmingman** · 03/08/2010, 4:55 AM

Absurdly off topic, but my mother does that with her text messages. She also writes them completely in capitals and without punctuation which always adds an unintentional urgency to her texts: "WHERE ARE YOU MUM"

Anyway...

**Dodge** · 03/08/2010, 7:12 AM

Dundalk can stilll hold his registration to block moves like this. Its not simply a case of retiring and then moving, otherwise every player in the world would do it to help his new club avoid transfer fees/hassle etc etc

**Macy** · 03/08/2010, 8:15 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Dundalk can stilll hold his registration to bloke moves like this. Its not cimply a case of retiring and then moving, otherwise every player in the world would do it to help his new club avoid transfer fees/hassle etc etc

Aye, this was the point I was going to make. It would be very naive of Dundalk to release him from his contract and not hold on to his registration. imo, if they didn't then they can't have too many complaints, as I would think that's fairly basic stuff

**marinobohs** · 03/08/2010, 9:02 AM

Originally Posted by placid casual

probably wont happen and to be honest i never really rated fenn anyways .
but.... if he did sign, start on sunday and score the winner against The New Shels, well I would laugh me hole off..

The league of Ireland is like no other league in the world, except maybe some south american crazy league! its great gas altogther.

Interesting especially in the light of the Chris Turner contract issue that once again the club that likes to lecture others is involved in a player "getting released" from contract.

Still, what club has more experience in not paying its way ?

**RoversHead** · 03/08/2010, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

Still, what club has more experience in not paying its way ?

Ask Zurich bank!

**marinobohs** · 03/08/2010, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by RoversHead

Ask Zurich bank!

I believe they STILL expect more than 5% of whats owed

**Mario** · 03/08/2010, 12:20 PM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...n-2281735.html

"The Hoops were one of a number of clubs who contacted the 33-year-old when his parting of ways with the Oriel Park outfit was announced and they are hoping to agree personal terms by the weekend."

...

"Fenn, who has been playing professionally in this country for the last seven years, will be able to collect a lump sum -- a portion of the tax he paid during that time -- when he officially confirms that his playing days are over. It now appears that payment will be delayed until after the end of this campaign."

**redobit** · 03/08/2010, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Dundalk can stilll hold his registration to block moves like this. Its not simply a case of retiring and then moving, otherwise every player in the world would do it to help his new club avoid transfer fees/hassle etc etc

Would signing a Part Time contract be a way around this as he has been Full Time professional with Dundalk?

**Dodge** · 03/08/2010, 1:51 PM

Well his contract is needed for him to register but if Dundalk still hold on to his registration, they're under no obligation to release him

**hoopy** · 03/08/2010, 3:37 PM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

Interesting especially in the light of the Chris Turner contract issue that once again the club that likes to lecture others is involved in a player "getting released" from contract.

So in your bizarro world you think that Rovers persuaded Fenn to retire so we could then sign him. Comical. And there's the rest of us thinking that he now wants to play again because he f***** up by not realising he won't get his lump sum until the season's over.

**osarusan** · 03/08/2010, 3:41 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

It was canceled on the understanding that he was retiring. Joining another club so soon would indicate that he had dissolved the contract by deception and Dundalk would have an easy ride of suing him for the full value of the contract (probably only a couple of grand),

Can anybody comment on this?

It seems strange to me than a player can retire, and then immediately sign for another team, as it would be a loophole to get around regulations.

I see that if Dundalk hold onto his registration ,they can stop this from happening, but if they haven't is he still free to move?

If what Hoopy has mentioned above is true (about playing until he gets his lump sum), wouldn't he just go back to Dundalk?

It seems to me from reading Mario's quote that he gets the lump sum of tax back when he 'officially retires' (however you prove that) and the reason he won't the lump sum is because he's signing for Rovers, it's not the reason he's signing for Rovers (to keep playing until he's entitled to it).

I'll admit i don't know much about transfer regulations though.

**Mario** · 03/08/2010, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

It seems to me from reading Mario's quote that he gets the lump sum of tax back when he 'officially retires' (however you prove that) and the reason he won't the lump sum is because he's signing for Rovers, it's not the reason he's signing for Rovers (to keep playing until he's entitled to it).

It appears he was genuinely going to retire but then found out that he wouldn't get his lump till next Jan, i.e. after the end of the current tax year, so he has come out of retirement to earn some more cash in the meantime.

Mario

**Charlie Darwin** · 03/08/2010, 4:30 PM

Interesting that he didn't (it seems) go back to Dundalk and at least give them first option. Must have been offered more by Rovers than he was getting at Dundalk.

I'm sure it probably is just a case of him not realising he wouldn't get his lump sum right away, but he's gone about it all wrong. (Assuming Daniel McDonnell's sources about Dundalk "fuming" are correct.)