2 pats players tappped up

**pineapple stu** · 22/08/2010, 6:29 PM

Pete had a few moans at UCD, but in general (and I'm biased) he was justified in what he was complaining about. Stuff like being fined for negative comments, Damo Dupuy being assaulted but getting no peno, Paul Doolin being a mong.

**Mario** · 22/08/2010, 9:09 PM

Dodge, who have Rovers complained about Fenlon tapping up? Names please!

Fenlon has just gone out and used the chequebook to buy whoever he wants. Aside from Kalounas, all the rest of his signings were predictable. You cant compare that ONeill who is happy to work under a budget and try players from outside the league instead of the usual mercenary suspects Fenlon prefers.

**Dodge** · 22/08/2010, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by Mario

Dodge, who have Rovers complained about Fenlon tapping up? Names please!

Fenlon has just gone out and used the chequebook to buy whoever he wants. Aside from Kalounas, all the rest of his signings were predictable. You cant compare that ONeill who is happy to work under a budget and try players from outside the league instead of the usual mercenary suspects Fenlon prefers.

I said Rovers fans, not ROvers.

My heart bleeds for poor little Michael working on bread'n'water. Not like he's signing mercenaries like Turner, Murray, Stewart

**Jicked** · 22/08/2010, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Mario

Dodge, who have Rovers complained about Fenlon tapping up? Names please!

Fenlon has just gone out and used the chequebook to buy whoever he wants. Aside from Kalounas, all the rest of his signings were predictable. You cant compare that ONeill who is happy to work under a budget and try players from outside the league instead of the usual mercenary suspects Fenlon prefers.

Didn't Pat Scully at the time publically criticise Fenlon for using U-23 Ireland camps to try to get Rovers players to join Bohs, resulting in Ger Rowe putting in a transfer request (so he wasn't in the final 6 months of a deal), only for Rovers to refuse to release him/let him join Bohs?

And Dodge, say what you want about Murray but he's no mercenary. The bloke was so heartbroken about leaving Cork that he didn't put in a decent shift for Rovers for about 3 months. He seems to be a little more at home in recent weeks.

**juan** · 23/08/2010, 1:12 AM

Were they tapped on the left shoulder or the right?

**Bernard Brennan** · 23/08/2010, 1:26 AM

Don't know Mahon just know of him but I've seen a few things he's said in the last few weeks and I find it hard not to agree with him. If a player is under contract then no one should be allowed to talk to him until he's out of contract full stop otherwise what's the bloody point of having a contract at all. Also this business of a player "retiring" and then 2 or 3 weeks later signing for a new club needs to be stopped if you retire you should have to wait 6 months before you can sign for another club.
Lastly Mahon is right about the current 2 league system not working because it isn't.

**dfx-** · 23/08/2010, 11:25 AM

I shudder to think how Mahon will be like if Pats recent form continues down the table..

He'll be able to clear a room with a glance.

**Dodge** · 23/08/2010, 11:36 AM

Our form is OK (bar the bray game).

**Macy** · 23/08/2010, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Bernard Brennan

If a player is under contract then no one should be allowed to talk to him until he's out of contract full stop otherwise what's the bloody point of having a contract at all. Also this business of a player "retiring" and then 2 or 3 weeks later signing for a new club needs to be stopped if you retire you should have to wait 6 months before you can sign for another club.

But that's international football rules, not LoI rules. There's a thread on the "retiring" issue - the club could've prevented that from happening by holding on to the registration, so why bring in a new rule?

**passinginterest** · 23/08/2010, 11:54 AM

Let's face it the league of Ireland is such a small, incestuous, cess pit, when it comes to the club, player and coaching pools that it's inevitable that "tapping up" will occour.

I only heard today that Mahon has half the UCD first team and some of the coaching staff lined up for Pat's next season, so he might be guilty of some double standards himself.

**Dodge** · 23/08/2010, 12:13 PM

Unless he contact Martin Russell about those players first. In the programme article mentioned above he talks about being in negotiations with the current sqaud and that they have "identified" possible targets for next year.

**juan** · 23/08/2010, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by passinginterest

Let's face it the league of Ireland is such a small, incestuous, cess pit, when it comes to the club, player and coaching pools that it's inevitable that "tapping up" will occour.

Is that you Pete?

**passinginterest** · 23/08/2010, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Unless he contact Martin Russell about those players first. In the programme article mentioned above he talks about being in negotiations with the current sqaud and that they have "identified" possible targets for next year.

True enough Dodge, but where's the excitement in that?

**pineapple stu** · 23/08/2010, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by passinginterest

only heard today that Mahon has half the UCD first team and some of the coaching staff lined up for Pat's next season, so he might be guilty of some double standards himself.

Umm...is that you making a joke? Cos I hope so!

**Mario** · 23/08/2010, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

My heart bleeds for poor little Michael working on bread'n'water. Not like he's signing mercenaries like Turner, Murray, Stewart

Dogde,

I think you are clutching at straws.

Yes Turner has been around the houses so to speak, as have many players in this league. But Tommy Stewart has played for fewer clubs in this league than Shane Gutherie. Dan Murray has played for fewer clubs in this league then Conor Kenna. Are Gutherie and Kenna mercenaries also?

Re Fenlon the complaint from Rovers fans was that running the u23 team alongside a club team was a potentially advantageous / conflicting position. Its not right that any manager from any club also runs the u23 team. I wouldnt like to see MON running it for the same reason. I am glad to see Doolin running it now, but would expect him to step down if he gets another club job.

Mario

**Dodge** · 23/08/2010, 1:05 PM

Originally Posted by Mario

Are Gutherie and Kenna mercenaries also?

Yes, all players are. Your point about Fenlon siging mercenaries and Rovers not doing so was ridiculous (and untrue).

The key is whether players try for their clubs while they're there. Doesn't matter if its their first club, or tenth club.

**passinginterest** · 23/08/2010, 1:07 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Umm...is that you making a joke? Cos I hope so!

No, a colleague was told that UCD might be better off getting relegated, by a current member of the coaching staff, due to the fact that best players and coaches were going to Pat's at end of the season.

**Macy** · 23/08/2010, 2:54 PM

The vast vast majority of players in the league are mercenaries. Same as the vast vast majority of people who work - we all weigh up jobs based on the overall package! Why would (even semi) professional players not move for more money!

**Charlie Darwin** · 23/08/2010, 5:38 PM

I'd imagine few of the players in this league actually grow up supporting a LOI side - and few will come through the youth system at a club - so there's no in-built loyalty to clubs the way there is with English players in England (and even that's been eroded in recent years). The fact is that football is a job and LOI players are as entitled as the rest of us to hunt for the best financial deal possible.

**osarusan** · 23/08/2010, 5:45 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I'd imagine few of the players in this league actually grow up supporting a LOI side - and few will come through the youth system at a club - so there's no in-built loyalty to clubs the way there is with English players in England (and even that's been eroded in recent years). The fact is that football is a job and LOI players are as entitled as the rest of us to hunt for the best financial deal possible.

Agree with the part about loyalty (or lack thereof) but players not 'as entitled as the rest of us to hunt for the best financial deal possible', or at least not in the same way we are. There are rules in place to prevent or punish 'tapping up', which aren't in place for very many other jobs. They're free to get the best deal possible (as are the clubs who want them), but within the rules.