League of Ireland in Europe 2017

[Ezeikial]

There is no necessity for 52 week contracts for 2 year or 3 year deals.

Rovers have been signing players to 40 week per season / 2 years deals for some time now

As others have pointed out the top player prospects have no desire to sign long term deals and limit their bargaining power if a UK club comes in for them. This applies to almost all the recent high profile transfers - Sean Maguire, Daryl Horgan, Andy Boyle, Richie Towell & Patrick Hoban ( I dont know the contract positions with Chris Forrester or Kevin O'Connor)

Their only risk is of a major injury, as even if a UK clubs does not come in for them, they know that they are in a position to negotiate top money on a new LoI contract

[legendz]

Cork and Dundalk are benefiting themselves from the top performances of these star players so it's working out reasonably well for them, though they naturally would prefer to get more reasonable transfer fees.

Is playing for the top 4 or 5 teams in the League of Ireland Premier Division now better than playing in England's League One for securing a move to the Championship?

[sbgawa]

Rovers are 52 wks now

[Charlie Darwin]

Best prospects only. How much did dundalk lose out on horgan and boyle.....and with maguire and delaney heading over other English clubs are bound to start looking.

They didn't lose out on anything. They made millions because they signed them up to short-term deals and they made the Europa groups because of it. As long as clubs can't offer six figures a year, which they shouldn't and can't, 1-2 year contracts are it.

[Charlie Darwin]

Are players entitled to social welfare payments during the off season? It might be in there best interests to be paid their annual wage within the 40 weeks or so of the season.

It depends on their earnings. A guy on €50k won't get SW but someone on €200 a week obviously will.

[sbgawa]

They didn't lose out on anything. They made millions because they signed them up to short-term deals and they made the Europa groups because of it. As long as clubs can't offer six figures a year, which they shouldn't and can't, 1-2 year contracts are it.

That's true Charlie but Dundalk last year were the exception and with the changes UEFA have made it is even harder now to repeat what Rovers and Dundalk did.
Transfer income if English clubs start shopping here more often could be vital.
There is no right 100% answer here but if you have a couple of youngish players <24 who are key men in your team how much of a risk really is it to offer a 2 year contract rather than a one year one and protect yourself.

[outspoken]

Biggest problem is any player who thinks he has half a chance of getting a move to England will only sign a one year deal

[Charlie Darwin]

That's true Charlie but Dundalk last year were the exception and with the changes UEFA have made it is even harder now to repeat what Rovers and Dundalk did.
Transfer income if English clubs start shopping here more often could be vital.
There is no right 100% answer here but if you have a couple of youngish players <24 who are key men in your team how much of a risk really is it to offer a 2 year contract rather than a one year one and protect yourself.

Clubs do offer two-year deals.

For the most part, the top players say "hahaha no, I'll have a one-year deal thanks".

[osarusan]

I thought I read somewhere that it wasn't legal to have a contract that pays a player say €600 a week during the season and say €250 in the off season.

[pesky]

Just wondering, does anyone know what kind of money the top players at say Dundalk Rovers and Cork would be on, ballpark figures.

[Ezeikial]

I thought I read somewhere that it wasn't legal to have a contract that pays a player say €600 a week during the season and say €250 in the off season.

Not just is that legal, as outlined earlier a club could pay nothing in the close season and still have the player contracted for the following season

[ToberonaTornado]

Dundalk potential opponents in Europe.(Not my work - via https://twitter.com/niallnewberry )
Draw next Monday.

[Longfordian]

Clubs do offer two-year deals.

For the most part, the top players say "hahaha no, I'll have a one-year deal thanks".

Do two simultaneous one year contracts count as a two year deal? Asking for some Northern friends.

[seand]

Dundalk potential opponents in Europe.(Not my work - via https://twitter.com/niallnewberry )
Draw next Monday.

Not sure why Legia and BATE are considered less likely opponents that the other northern European teams, unless the poster knows something I don't

[El-Pietro]

Wishful thinking perhaps?

[PartySaint]

Red Star and BATE were in Dundalks group last season in the second round draw but the Swedish champions weren't seeded, they will be this year so it'll most like be one of Legia, Salzburg and BATE who will make up the other place in that group

[Yossarian]

Red Star and BATE were in Dundalks group last season in the second round draw but the Swedish champions weren't seeded, they will be this year so it'll most like be one of Legia, Salzburg and BATE who will make up the other place in that group

I would imagine it will be Legia or BATE as they like to spread the seeds in each group so that there is a mix of high and low seeded teams, and the same for the unseeded teams.

[legendz]

Dundalk potential opponents in Europe.(Not my work - via https://twitter.com/niallnewberry )
Draw next Monday.

Difficult potential opponents in that group. One slight advantage from next season is the Europa League safety net.

[sparky12345678]

the Europa League safety net.

has that been confirmed?

[legendz]

has that been confirmed?

I thought it was. Following your question, I went looking further.

I can't find any official access list for 2018-19. A usually good reliable source has the following: https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert...sList2018.html