Do ye reckon Cook will stay next season?

[srfc1928]

I can't get my head around the thinking we need to slash the budget for next season. Yes things will be tighter sure, but i thought the whole idea was to finish the season close to debt free, which by all accounts we are on track or close to doing so, that would enable us then to push the boat out a little more than we are doing at the moment? Surely their can't be too many clubs in the position we are in at the moment?

I heard a figure what Cook was being offered tonight for first team wages for next season, and if that is true it is a disgrace. The current MC are very lucky that V Nally and a couple of others came in and organised them as we probably would not have a club only for them. I also heard that one or two of the lending members of the MC have an issue with Cook ! if so they are doing their best to drive him out.

I can't remember a good idea this MC have had for bringing in funds, very little ambition shown by them at times, although saying that they do work their socks off to be fair at things. Being in the ground 2 hours before kick off must be very difficult and a strain on all of them. However initiatives don't seem to be a strong point with them. Cutting the weekly wage Cook has to work with to a level that below even what Connor alledgely had in the first division sends out a message that they have an attitude of looking to make life as easy as possible for themelves by giving the manager a rediculously low budget and using the credit crunch and the rescission as an excuse for doing so.

What we need is some sort of membership drive or a sesonal membership that we can do every year and that gives you a season ticket, Free programme, entry into they yearly lotto Draw, entry into membership of the 400 club and a chance to purchase International tickets for €500.00 or €600.00 which can be paid installments. I am not a member myself so existing members may be cheesed off and i am not sure how it would work disolving their shares (if it could be done) or maybe would not have to be done. Maybe you could make it that only yearly members had a vote at the AGM. Something needs to be done because the current membership offering does not really entice people to part with their cash.

I think we need to come up with ideas fast if we are to keep Cook and will look forward to friday night to hearing what Cook says at the trust meeting. It would be great if there was a decent turnout for it on the night.

Great post.

[red_away]

I can't get my head around the thinking we need to slash the budget for next season. Yes things will be tighter sure, but i thought the whole idea was to finish the season close to debt free, which by all accounts we are on track or close to doing so, that would enable us then to push the boat out a little more than we are doing at the moment? Surely their can't be too many clubs in the position we are in at the moment?

I heard a figure what Cook was being offered tonight for first team wages for next season, and if that is true it is a disgrace. The current MC are very lucky that V Nally and a couple of others came in and organised them as we probably would not have a club only for them. I also heard that one or two of the lending members of the MC have an issue with Cook ! if so they are doing their best to drive him out.

I can't remember a good idea this MC have had for bringing in funds, very little ambition shown by them at times, although saying that they do work their socks off to be fair at things. Being in the ground 2 hours before kick off must be very difficult and a strain on all of them. However initiatives don't seem to be a strong point with them. Cutting the weekly wage Cook has to work with to a level that below even what Connor alledgely had in the first division sends out a message that they have an attitude of looking to make life as easy as possible for themelves by giving the manager a rediculously low budget and using the credit crunch and the rescission as an excuse for doing so.

What we need is some sort of membership drive or a sesonal membership that we can do every year and that gives you a season ticket, Free programme, entry into they yearly lotto Draw, entry into membership of the 400 club and a chance to purchase International tickets for €500.00 or €600.00 which can be paid installments. I am not a member myself so existing members may be cheesed off and i am not sure how it would work disolving their shares (if it could be done) or maybe would not have to be done. Maybe you could make it that only yearly members had a vote at the AGM. Something needs to be done because the current membership offering does not really entice people to part with their cash.

I think we need to come up with ideas fast if we are to keep Cook and will look forward to friday night to hearing what Cook says at the trust meeting. It would be great if there was a decent turnout for it on the night.

I personally would love to see PC staying with rovers although if the budget is all we can afford so be it! One issue i have with the above post is that it states that "one or two of the MC who are lendind rovers money dont fancy cook and are trying to drive him out" - i find this hard to believe but then that is their choice - unless someone else is going to lend rovers the money - then he who pays the piper calls the tune???? These people (if they exist) may have valid reasons for wanting cook out that they have chosen not to share with us in the forum, so its either get out your wallet and make the change or let the people actually putting the money into rovers have their views. There are plenty of people who should be helping Rovers in Sligo and who do nothing without chastising the people who do!

[sligoman]

I personally would love to see PC staying with rovers although if the budget is all we can afford so be it! One issue i have with the above post is that it states that "one or two of the MC who are lendind rovers money dont fancy cook and are trying to drive him out" - i find this hard to believe but then that is their choice - unless someone else is going to lend rovers the money - then he who pays the piper calls the tune???? These people (if they exist) may have valid reasons for wanting cook out that they have chosen not to share with us in the forum, so its either get out your wallet and make the change or let the people actually putting the money into rovers have their views. There are plenty of people who should be helping Rovers in Sligo and who do nothing without chastising the people who do!

What I took from that part of Rovers Maniac's post was that it was a typo and he meant 'leading members' and not lending as in lending the club money. Can't see any MC member 'lending' money. Correct me if I'm wrong RM.

[Rovers Maniac]

Sorry typo alright lads should have read 'leading'

To be fair you ain't going to get a better manager than Paul Cook lads so there is no point in having €20k in the bank at the end of every season and being in the first divsion. I heard the figure and it is shockingly conservative in my estimation, obviously the MC do not want to put the club in dire straits but i am sorry we will back to Division 1 with that budget within 2 years. I would say they are aiming to run the club on approx half a million next season with the figure i heard.

As i said if they could come up with an well thought of plan of raising extra funds the supporters have showed in the past they will back it. The current membership is dated to say the least and brings in nothing in terms of finance on an annual basis. Edit: Because there is no point people killing themselves trying to bring in money and setting unrealistic budgets.

[Jeebus]

Can't see any MC member 'lending' money.

Loans from MC members have been the club's biggest creditor over the last god knows how many years.

[Rovers1]

Can't see any MC member 'lending' money. Correct me if I'm wrong RM.

isnt that what the MC do every couple of months??

[sligoman]

isnt that what the MC do every couple of months??

Jeebus already said it, no need to copy him

[Rovers1]

Jeebus already said it, no need to copy him

no was just adding to his comment.

clutching at straws again Sligoman

[sligoman]

no was just adding to his comment.

You added nothing to his comment, said exact same thing just used few different words.

[Rovers1]

You added nothing to his comment, said exact same thing just used few different words.

quiet now, you'll get us all in trouble

[Red&White Rover]

Down with this sort of thing.

[Inside Man]

I can't get my head around the thinking we need to slash the budget for next season. Yes things will be tighter sure, but i thought the whole idea was to finish the season close to debt free, which by all accounts we are on track or close to doing so, that would enable us then to push the boat out a little more than we are doing at the moment? Surely their can't be too many clubs in the position we are in at the moment?

I heard a figure what Cook was being offered tonight for first team wages for next season, and if that is true it is a disgrace. The current MC are very lucky that V Nally and a couple of others came in and organised them as we probably would not have a club only for them. I also heard that one or two of the lending members of the MC have an issue with Cook ! if so they are doing their best to drive him out.

I can't remember a good idea this MC have had for bringing in funds, very little ambition shown by them at times, although saying that they do work their socks off to be fair at things. Being in the ground 2 hours before kick off must be very difficult and a strain on all of them. However initiatives don't seem to be a strong point with them. Cutting the weekly wage Cook has to work with to a level that below even what Connor alledgely had in the first division sends out a message that they have an attitude of looking to make life as easy as possible for themelves by giving the manager a rediculously low budget and using the credit crunch and the rescission as an excuse for doing so.

What we need is some sort of membership drive or a sesonal membership that we can do every year and that gives you a season ticket, Free programme, entry into they yearly lotto Draw, entry into membership of the 400 club and a chance to purchase International tickets for €500.00 or €600.00 which can be paid installments. I am not a member myself so existing members may be cheesed off and i am not sure how it would work disolving their shares (if it could be done) or maybe would not have to be done. Maybe you could make it that only yearly members had a vote at the AGM. Something needs to be done because the current membership offering does not really entice people to part with their cash.

I think we need to come up with ideas fast if we are to keep Cook and will look forward to friday night to hearing what Cook says at the trust meeting. It would be great if there was a decent turnout for it on the night.

Total ****e.
The MC are dead right to slash the budget.
Talk of even making the budget bigger [for i assure you!.. and i said it first: "An average manager".] is competely ludicrous. Do any of ye on here have any brains. Not only a month ago we nearly hit the wall, and ye want us to keep the same budget or even enlarge it?! We'll just end up in the same situation 2yrs down the line. I'm glad none of ye are running the club or we'd be ****ed.
With wages in this league out of control and including at our club, it is just vital they cut it, in a time when only 2% of applicants are recieving loans it is a time for tightening the belts. Really tight in our case.

Sure I said it a couple of weeks back on this site a few of the MC members aren't impressed with Cook. And yes it's true. I know plenty of fans as well who hold the same opinion. They just are not on here expressing their views. Everyone on here seems to be brainwashed into thinking he's a world class manager when its just not the case. I'll tell you his biggest flaw, and why alot of people aren't sure of him including the MC members in question, and that because he doesn't have the cutting edge to put teams to bed. And you could possibly say he is too nice a lad to be managing. Thats why these MC's want Sean Conner back because they believe we have the players! But lack the edge someone like him would give the team.

[Rovers1]

Thats why these MC's want Sean Conner back because they believe we have the players! But lack the edge someone like him would give the team.

back to the mental home with you

[Red&White Rover]

Total ****e.
The MC are dead right to slash the budget.
Talk of even making the budget bigger [for i assure you!.. and i said it first: "An average manager".] is competely ludicrous. Do any of ye on here have any brains. Not only a month ago we nearly hit the wall, and ye want us to keep the same budget or even enlarge it?! We'll just end up in the same situation 2yrs down the line. I'm glad none of ye are running the club or we'd be ****ed.
With wages in this league out of control and including at our club, it is just vital they cut it, in a time when only 2% of applicants are recieving loans it is a time for tightening the belts. Really tight in our case.

Sure I said it a couple of weeks back on this site a few of the MC members aren't impressed with Cook. And yes it's true. I know plenty of fans as well who hold the same opinion. They just are not on here expressing their views. Everyone on here seems to be brainwashed into thinking he's a world class manager when its just not the case. I'll tell you his biggest flaw, and why alot of people aren't sure of him including the MC members in question, and that because he doesn't have the cutting edge to put teams to bed. And you could possibly say he is too nice a lad to be managing. Thats why these MC's want Sean Conner back because they believe we have the players! But lack the edge someone like him would give the team.

I agree that the we can't afford to increase the budget now but to say that Cook is an "average manager is ridculous.

If we can keep Cook, and let him keep doing what he's doing, I will be for one VERY VERY happy with that. The man is set to bring us to Europe, with a squad of around 14 players, amid a season of financial uncertaintity and playing the best brand of football in the league at that.

Cook going, is going to lead to us going back to the Graveyard unless someone twice as good is appointed.

I'm glad we don't have people like you running the club, because if we did, we'd be bringing in crowds of 500 a week, playing Monaghan in the First Division.

[Rovers Maniac]

Total ****e.
The MC are dead right to slash the budget.
Talk of even making the budget bigger [for i assure you!.. and i said it first: "An average manager".] is competely ludicrous. Do any of ye on here have any brains. Not only a month ago we nearly hit the wall, and ye want us to keep the same budget or even enlarge it?! We'll just end up in the same situation 2yrs down the line. I'm glad none of ye are running the club or we'd be ****ed.
With wages in this league out of control and including at our club, it is just vital they cut it, in a time when only 2% of applicants are recieving loans it is a time for tightening the belts. Really tight in our case.

Sure I said it a couple of weeks back on this site a few of the MC members aren't impressed with Cook. And yes it's true. I know plenty of fans as well who hold the same opinion. They just are not on here expressing their views. Everyone on here seems to be brainwashed into thinking he's a world class manager when its just not the case. I'll tell you his biggest flaw, and why alot of people aren't sure of him including the MC members in question, and that because he doesn't have the cutting edge to put teams to bed. And you could possibly say he is too nice a lad to be managing. Thats why these MC's want Sean Conner back because they believe we have the players! But lack the edge someone like him would give the team.

Listen have another read of my post and get of your high horse for a second. I never said anything about spending money we do not have or going for loans etc. What i was simply getting at is we need to find ways of making the budget bigger for the manager. My idea was raising funds through a yearly subscription ala Shams and Bohs not going cap in hand to the bank. You have come on calling everybody stupid which is not very productive . Now Maybe the yearly subscription idea can't be done, maybe it is a stupid idea even (I have had loads of them), but it should/could given some sort of consideration.

Last year's budget coupled with paying our tax arrears was stupid and should never have been set that high. If you looked back before the start of the season you would have seen many fans on here calling it reckless trading almost. This year it appears we have gone the opposite direction even though we are on as sound as financial footing Rovers have ever been on, certainly within the league when compared to other clubs.

As for sponsorship i can't remember any major sponsorship deals being landed last year, if i remember most of the players were not sponsored and some of the matches went by the same way. Actually from what i heard, only for the man that came in and chased up a lot of the signage sponsorship we would not have got a penny for them this season. He seems to be able to get funds out of people and companies and is a great asset to the club.

Average manager? Not sure how you come up with that idea for a start, when you compare the budget Cook is having to deal with at the moment and also what other teams started the season with that guy is excellent, also he projects a really positive image of the club and i really don't think some of the MC know what they have here.

He is a far beter manager than Connor and if the MC want Connor back will i for one will have to think long and hard about going to the Showgrounds an i mean that. Connor finished the first division season rumored to have double the budget of the nearest manager in the division it was hardly a miracle how he brought us up. You see how good a manager Connor was that with nearly exactly the same squad Fenlon won the league at an abslute canter and i think may break a record for most points in a season doing so.

I honestly don't know any fan that want Cook out, and i certainly don't know any fan who want Connor back. And i find your comment very worrying that the MC would want Sean Connor back from a point of view, that are the management committee that far attached from fans? I think i have missed 5 games this season home and away excluding the league cup match v Kildrum and only once have i heard people complain about Cook (UCD match away earlier in the season) Connor is a man who fell out with some good people i.e. Gerry Carr and Raf Cretaro. Thanks but no thanks from me anyway if people want to bring back Sean Connor i know i won't be giving any hand to raise funds for that man.

The reason they want Connor back is that they know they would get him for next to nothing, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure why they want him back. He would work with whatever budget they offered him and he would be as cheap as chips, as it is pretty much unemployable to the vast majority of clubs in the league.

Going to the trust Q&A session tomorrow night and i think you should pop in and let your views being known, inside man, it is always good to hear alternative views.

[sligoman]

Doubt people's minds have changed since this video.

[sligored]

Horse Sh*t inside man. i have been going to rovers games for many a year and i have yet to see a more balanced and honest manager. i know numerous rovers supporters and not one of them would back up your assertion that cook should be gone.

you think this is a disappointing season in another thread. i dont know what you want but maybe you should go back glory hunting with man yoo or the pool because paul cook is the type of manager who epitomises all that is good about rovers ie honesty and a will to do his best in all circumstances.

i will bet any money that you wont go to tonights forum and express your views because you prefer to hide behind a username.

i for one dont want to be reassociated with that spoofing poisoned dwarf and any member of the mc that feels we would be better with him clearly knows nothing about football(Inside man - would it be that you are inside the mc)

[red bellied]

Cook might have some flaws but to compare him to that little fat man is nonsense. Imagine the crap football you would have to put up with.

I had a good laugh watching MNS a few weeks ago when the subject of Dessie Byrne at Drogheda was brought up, concerning him tapping up some of his team mates for the following season at Bohs. Connor was saying how extremely difficult this situation was and how one rotten apple could unsettle things. Obvious he was hinting at his own time at Bohs and Roddy turns round and says "Sean you just get rid of the so and so"

Que, Connor all flustered and lost for words for once.

[brianw82]

Connor is a spoofer who was found out big time at Bohs. We were ahead of them for most of the '07 season with a much smaller budget, ffs.

The budget should be reduced, of course, but the absense of a massive tax bill being carried over should give us a bit more freedom with the playing budget.

[neutrino]

I dont know where the rumour of Sean Connor has come from and would be very surprised if it's originating out of the Management Committee. I thought Connor was a decent manager in terms of getting results, but his methods of getting things done were not right and his treatment of people at the club was out of order. He went over the MC's head on numerous occassions,dismantled the Youth Set-Up to appropriate funds being used there to the 1st team, Gerry Carr left and how Raf was let go for asking his market-value is absurd. If Raf was an English low-league player that couldnt cut it, he'd have got the deal he wanted.Instead he was alienated for being a local player, which should never have happened. Considering all this the MC must have very short memories. It would take a strong Chairman (and MC) to keep a reign on Connor. His methods are what got him fired at Bohs too.

I think Paul Cook is a very good manager.He has the team playing for each other for every game against any opposition and the football we are playing is refreshing and simply brilliant to watch. Of course some days it doesnt work out but we've had alot more good days out than bad this year. I think Cook has a couple of areas he needs to improve - one would be tactically IMO.But we must remember that Paul Cook (like any manager) is still learning his trade and trying to develop himself into a very good manager.He is developing all the time at Rovers, and I would give him a long term deal (if he's open to it). As good as he is now just starting off, in 3 years time he'll be top of the game here. On the flip side he could move to a fickle Dublin club and be out of a job in a season or two. Sometimes the grass is not always greener as many a player or manager has found out after leaving Rovers.

The MC are looking to cut the budget next season and that is the correct decision.It is finally being realistic in terms of financial planning going forward.This should not be seen as an indication of lack of ambition - it's just being realistic. It's pertinent to remember that budget's are not set in stone. If we budget what we can afford and then bring in extra finance during the season then all the better.If we dont get extra funds, well at least then we're not going into the red based on inaccurate budgeting.

I really think we can compete on a reduced budget. I believe the squad should be at the core derived from localised (Sligo,Mayo,Galway,Donegal,Leitrim,Roscommon,Ferma nagh etc etc) talent with 5-6 professional players supplemeting the talent pool to give us an extra edge in terms of quality and that something different and creative (ala Boco).I cant see why Michael MCNamara cant be enticed back into the fold - and that is just one example of a part-time player having the quality to benefit the team.Paul Cook is ambitious and rightly so - challenges feed ambition and in football the aim is to be successful at that challenge, whatever it may be. His challenge should be to keep Rovers competitive in the division,bringing through players for the now re-
established Youth Structure and to bring a decent run in both cups.In the current climate that is a real challenge - but Shamrock Rovers have shown it can be done. The time will come for Paul Cook to be in a position that he will want to chase trophies and that is natural but I think it would be mutually beneficial to him and the club if he stayed for at least 2 more seasons.

I do not expect Sligo Rovers to be back in the 1st Division in 2/3 years time. Remember at worst we only need to be better than 1 team to survive in this division in the next few years and I believe we can acheive that and more. With other clubs recklessly spending more and reaping the consequences, it shows that Sligo Rovers are in a healthier position than many others.We are reducing our cost base, but don't forget that other clubs are trimming back too.We have a wonderful base of supporters, willing to row in behind the club and ensure it continues to be year after year.

As supporters we are entitled to ask questions and give ideas.But there's no reason to be caught up in doom and gloom. We have come along way in recent years and we should be happy with that.With all that's happened we still have a chance (slight or not) of attaining a European berth - how fantastic is that.To still have something to play for with 3 games left-brilliant.

No matter what happens we will always have a club.Sure,we would like to compete for trophies-cups are always a possibility,but we are not in that position.I would never want to win the league one season and go bust the next. Above all, come next season we will be in a position to compete and compete well. We may not beat all the big teams all of the time but we can give any team a game, not just on our day but on any day.There will always be plenty of ups and downs, but we will always come through them however difficult it maybe- becuase simply we are Sligo Rovers and that just what we do.