LOI Series 23 & 20

**roversforever** · 03/08/2013, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

Thats always a good rumour to peddle when a player departs your club. I doubt many believe that Sligo wanted to keep Dillon but were outbid by a club who nearly went to the wall last season. Do you?

The Sligo budget probably somewhere between 2.5 to 3 times that of Dundalk.

Dundalk budget definitely "shoestring" in the context of league title challengers.

No i don't believe Baraclough was particularly bothered about keeping him but he was still made an offer as far as i know,presumably he would have been a squad player.You're right the Dundalk budget is a lot less than the other title challengers but to me a shoestring budget is what Bohs,Shels, etc are working with,not Dundalk.Anyway I wasn't getting a dig,Dundalk's budget appears reasonable and fair play to them.Some people are very defensive on this forum!!

**White Horse** · 03/08/2013, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by roversforever

You're right the Dundalk budget is a lot less than the other title challengers but to me a shoestring budget is what Bohs,Shels, etc are working with,not Dundalk.

Fair point.

It just shows what can be accomplished with a good manager and a highly motivated group of players.

**MiniMourinho** · 03/08/2013, 1:19 PM

Dundalk are 7th in the league table of budgets. No guessing, they are. Honestly think at this stage Dundalks will to win could make up the gap in supposed talent of the supposed bigger teams at the top. Stephen Kenny gets the praise for winning and rightly so, but if you think he is on a tiny budget and not squeezing the board for every penny he can get you are wrong. Managers love to come across in public as prudent and nice, but they are a different breed behind the scenes when it comes to money and would screw any club unless a board is strong and able to say no.

**Dodge** · 03/08/2013, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by hoops1

To put it simply Croly is a manual coach. Very good at organising,knows all the formations puts on good training sessions. Don't ask him to think on his feet. If it can't be planned for before the game he's lost. That's why we have had so many draws. He doesn't know what players are needed or how to change the game in our favour. He can't tell when its the system failing or the players not performing

It's the reason for years he's been touted as the best coach in the country and no club has ever been willing to give him a shot at managing.

Good win for Sligo last night. 3 wins from 3 over Derry is excellent. Dundalk flying too.

Pats were poor for most of the game. There was 3 excellent chances in the game (2 for Drogheda, 1 for pats) and all saved. Decent game though

**jinxy lilywhite** · 03/08/2013, 2:13 PM

fantastic performance from Dundalk last night. it was magnificent and the lads all put in a great performance. I was slightly confused with rovers set up and how they played. even their supporters were so quiet and they couldn't get behind their team.
some people are surprised with us this season but not me. when we hired Kenny I knew we would be nowhere near the bottom. Mid table I thought.

budgets are smudgets and I don't believe they bear any real significance in this. Kenny has a smaller one than McCaffrey had but Kenny is definitely getting paid more than he was so they both balance off.
Are we getting value for money this year? Of Course.
By paying the extra premium in having a manager like Stephen Kenny he is able to bring in players on lower money than what McCaffrey could offer because the majority of players in this league want to play under him and will take a cut to be with a winning manager and a winning team. whereas if mccaffrey wanted this team our wage bill would of been over 30k.

title challenge
I don't really care anymore about what the media say about us whether we can maintain it or if Sligo and Pats fans just believe it is between them. We will still use the criticism and the negativity towards us into a powerful energy like we showed last night and take it one game at a time and we wont be writing ourselves off until it is mathematically impossible for us to do it.

There is still a long way to go and in a 4 horse race rovers could still creep back into it but they also need to go and win all of their matches. This league isn't pats or sligos to lose, it is wide open

**monkey9** · 03/08/2013, 2:57 PM

Originally Posted by White Horse

Fair point.

It just shows what can be accomplished with a good manager and a highly motivated group of players.

And with the fans right behind that good manager and supporting the team

**pineapple stu** · 03/08/2013, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by Dave77

went up to dalymount coz shels weren't playing, really enjoyable game, UCD full value for the win. bohs certainly tried but looked very average especially the two front players.

i know its said a lot but it's a pity UCD don't have more support because they are a very good side to watch, always play through the midfield and in Walsh & benson have 2 very good players.

Funny, I didn't think we played all that well last night. Particularly in the second half, after Morrison went off (injured, I assume; he was our best player in the first half) and we resorted a lot to lumping the ball forward to Benson.

For the first half hour, though, it was a superb game. Didn't quite manage to keep the tempo up for the entire 90, but have to be happy with the three points really. Tempting to say something like "Another two wins and we'll be safe", but there's a long ways to go yet!

Also good to see Burke and Creevy back in centre-mid together; we've badly missed that partnership in the past few games.

**White Horse** · 03/08/2013, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite

title challenge
I don't really care anymore about what the media say about us whether we can maintain it or if Sligo and Pats fans just believe it is between them.

If a team is one point behind with 10 games to go, they are IN the race.

**Nesta99** · 03/08/2013, 3:23 PM

Sligoman was on a wind up, and happily didnt get the fireworks he was hoping for

**oriel** · 03/08/2013, 3:24 PM

I think last night was probably the best Dlk performance since we either beat Rovers 5-1 in 2012 or 5-3 away to Linfield in 2011. The difference with last night was the momentum that is building is probably better than any of the other sides now in the league.

We were poor in M/F v Bray last week, but last night this area was just controlled by Towell & O'Donnell, this was the key area in winning the game. Another was the important signing of Gartland who slotted in so easily with Boyle in central defence. If he hadnt joined, with Rossiter out, Chris Shields (who did very well at left full) would have had to slot in there.

How far can we go? I still can see a 3rd place finish, but if we keep building the momentum, and we appear to be every week, we surely have every chance of challenging to win it, we may fall a little short, if we do it wont be for the want of trying.

**Ezeikial** · 03/08/2013, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by roversforever

Anyway I wasn't getting a dig,Dundalk's budget appears reasonable and fair play to them.Some people are very defensive on this forum!!

I didn't think you were having a dig.

Originally Posted by roversforever

No i don't believe Baraclough was particularly bothered about keeping him but he was still made an offer as far as i know,presumably he would have been a squad player.

Barraclough was not particularly bothered about whether Dillon stayed or not? Generally players who sense that they are not wanted tend to leave for playing opportunities elsewhere.

Originally Posted by roversforever

You're right the Dundalk budget is a lot less than the other title challengers but to me a shoestring budget is what Bohs,Shels, etc are working with,not Dundalk.

I appreciate perceptions of the term "shoestring" is subjective, but this is not the issue.

What Kenny is achieving by mounting a title challenge with a modest budget is obviously the point being made.

**White Horse** · 03/08/2013, 5:07 PM

Apparently, Jason McGuinness was sent off after headbutting Richie Towell after the final whistle.

**Nesta99** · 03/08/2013, 5:12 PM

Originally Posted by White Horse

Apparently, Jason McGuinness was sent off after nosebutting Richie Towell after the final whistle.

He wasnt able to get the head in that close!

**Sean South** · 03/08/2013, 6:40 PM

I was at Wexford vs Longford. Both teams were cat. It was the most depressing 90 minutes I inflicted upon myself in a very long time. Horible, horrible stuff.

**Town Legend** · 03/08/2013, 7:06 PM

Now you know what we've had to put up with all season even when winning under Cousins. We tried to play a bit of football unlike for most of our games this year when all Cousins wants to do is go from Bennion to O'Sullivan and leave out the defence and midfield!

**Martinho II** · 03/08/2013, 7:29 PM

it says it all that athlones two best players are ex town players of ours aidan collins and james o brien! have no time for cousins any more!

**sheao** · 03/08/2013, 7:42 PM

Went to Thomand last night, first Limerick goal was a cracker. 2nd city should have done better with. Good finish from Danny Morrissey for us aswell.

The game was similar to many for city this season in that basic mistakes proved to be our downfall.

**Redzer** · 03/08/2013, 8:04 PM

Originally Posted by White Horse

Apparently, Jason McGuinness was sent off after headbutting Richie Towell after the final whistle.

Is Richie Towel black??

**Ezeikial** · 03/08/2013, 8:13 PM

Originally Posted by Redzer

Is Richie Towel black??

Lilywhite

**patrickccfc** · 03/08/2013, 8:43 PM

More drama at st colmans park mervue come from 2-0 down and equalize in the 86th minute before cobh get the winner in the 91st minute. If cobh could only reproduce some of their home form on their travels they could be fighting for promotion