Silly season started when Cooke was sacked.
As for him and Roddy failing in 2014, there were financial circumstances that restrained Cooke at Athlone, and also when he was at the Drogs it took some time before he made an impact, so while I accept the results at Athlone were dire, my understanding is that performances were actually okay, at least that is what one of the players tells me.
As for Roddy the best that can be said about his time in Derry is that old Scottish legal term 'Not proven'.
Some fans were up in arms but again being very fair to him he hardly had time to get things straight before he was gone.
He has a proven track record of cajoling/ bullying whatever, but ultimately ensuring teams don't get relegated.
As for what I said about Dermot McKenna mea culpa, but if as you point out he is the liason officer on who's behalf was he liasing with Cooke.
Now there's a question.
Of course they are and I hope they both enjoyed it.
Well on second thoughts I suspect neither of them did.
Barring some sort of arrangement, Davy Jeffrey won't manage a LoI club as he'd have to manage on Sundays. Besides, rumour has it he's being courted by UUP and DUP to enter politics.
Though I'm sure he'd relish the chance to have another go at the ungracious, big-headed, pathetic people of Cork.
About time somebody put those hallions in their box.
I don't understand what all the fuss is about. This has been a record breaking season for the Drogs. They should give the man the job for life.
Well I am basing this on two things.
Jeffreys track record up there, and the hope that history could repeat itself.
Arguably the best manager we ever had was from the Irish League.
Jimmy McAlinden take a bow.
Back in the mid 70s the former Glenavon gaffer came down and brought players like Martin Donnelly, for me the best ever to wear the Drogs shirt, Brendan Tully, Ray McGuigan, George O'Halloran, Danny Treanor and Gerry Brammeld, to help form a side that finished runners up in the Cup in 1976 and the league a year later.
Mind you he also brought a goalie called Peter McCarron who didn't help too much.
Trevor's track record wasnt too shabby up north either, and we hoped he'd bring some success and stars to Oriel (take a bow Baba Issaka). Jim McLoughlin did a decent job for us too in his days. Pity history doesn't repeat itself that often, otherwise i'd have taken a young welsh player manager hoping to see a Fox like team that unfortunately I never had the privilage to see play, seeking the elusive success of recent years.
Drogs 4-1 victory over Dundalk on the opening day of the season seems incomprehensible now. Subsequent collapse is extraordinary. I'd brink Cooke back.
Honestly, there is more chance of Roy Keane becoming a future Drogheda United manager than Mick Cooke.
That's almost 100% accurate as long as the current board stays in place.
It does not mean it's right, just that the statement MM makes is accurate.
The board requested Horgan to step aside last night and he refused.
He stated he would if his contract was paid up in full and the club continued to pay for him to finish his Pro Licence.
As they cannot afford to do either of those things he's going nowhere unfortunately.
However there may be fresh developments tonight as there are rumours doing the rounds that some people with a few bob may have been persuaded to get involved.
If these rumours prove to be accurate it would see a new board in United Park as well.
And at that point do NOT rule out a Cooke return, or Roddy making an appearance either.
Now MM will probably come on here and deny all the above, but I have a well placed source who keeps me in the loop.
Why would Horgan step aside without a pay-off?
If there is money in the kitty, the club would have to think hard about whether it would be better spent sacking Horgan or recruiting a player or two.
How long is his contract for? A bit ridiculous of the club to think he'd just resign.
I would love to see new people come in with money and thus a new board. However, i also know the current board will never hand over to anyone with alterior motives that do not put the club first. So i am unconcerned about that. Any new board or change also has to be run past and approved by the members club who own the club, as it is they who decide these things not the board.
Im confident that if a well meaning new board was identified, they would be adequately appraised of the past Mick Cooke situation (which we wont regurgitate again!), and therefore would not even consider it an option. Its a non-event for me. Roddy might get a look-in in that scenario, but not Mick Cooke. The past is the past.
The drogs stock has sunk since last year, but Micks stock hasnt exactly rallied based on his Athlone performance. Even if the past was forgotten, Im at a loss why Mick would be a sensible replacement.
I am extremely biased tough, of course.
Whatever about the circumstances of his leaving the club and the Athlone slump, Cooke did incredibly well at Drogheda. To finish second in the league and reach several cup finals is pretty impressive considering the club's meagre resources. Mick leaving the cub has proved both disastrous for the team and him personally.
Since Horgan has obviously lost the dressing room and the board want him to resign, it's pretty 'bullish' of him to want to stay on. Must be an extremely uncomfortable situation for everybody.
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