Roddy 'Viking' Collins

**Snatch** · 19/01/2002, 8:43 PM

What do members think about Roddy Collins expressed intentions to plunder the Eircom League of the cream of its talents and take them across the seas?

If I were a Carlisle fan I'd probably be disenchanted with the takeover of their club by foreign forces. Imagine if an English manager came to one of our clubs and brought in a hoard of English men and strove to get their National flag flying over the grounds (as Roddy has said). It's bad for the EL too as all clubs now have Roddy's cheque book looming over our star players.

**�anna** · 21/01/2002, 12:26 PM

roddy is a prat, everyone knows that, but i find it hard to believe that eircom League players would actually go to carlisle- the club is a mess. foran was one thing, because he just wanted out after all the red cards, but i don't know if many others will follow.

**sorbothegreek** · 26/01/2002, 12:40 PM

The standard probably isnt as good, The wages will be higher and there's more chance of a bigger English club spotting them.
I'd say if they start making any progress at all, it might become a much more tempting prospect for anyone this side of the sea. Allmost like representing your country in a strange type of way.

**�anna** · 26/01/2002, 11:03 PM

Originally posted by sorbothegreek
Almost like representing your country in a strange type of way.

so that's why roddy was tryin to get them to raise the tricolour in carlisle's ground!

**sorbothegreek** · 27/01/2002, 6:44 AM

Lets just call it the Carlisle Ground.

**�anna** · 27/01/2002, 7:58 AM

that could get confusing.

**pete** · 28/01/2002, 10:45 AM

Personally I can't think why any player would want to go to the english 3rd division except maybe for the money.

For the bohs players linked to Roddy I predict:
Crowe may leave for england at the end of the season but not for Carlisle or the 3rd division.
Molloy may possibly leave for Carlisle for money.
Shelley won't leave as Carlisle won't pay the mnoney for him to leave.

Bohs may need euro football to help the players stay.

Good to see Shaun Maher last summer snubbing the english 3rd division & doing ok in the 2nd. Even Darren Kelly & Kevin McHugh snubbed Carlisle already this year!

eL clubs wouldn't ahve a hope in english division 1 but are better than division 3! eL will continue to improve while lower englidh divisions are likely to get worse due to financial constraints.

**Snatch** · 30/01/2002, 6:06 PM

Are you sure that EL clubs are better than English 3rd Division. I know it would be great to say that they were but how do attendences match up, amount of full time players, playing style etc?

I remember seeing Cork City playing Swansea in a pre season friendly a couple of years ago. I think they were a 2nd division team them but they looked like an awesome outfit compared to us. They were stronger and faster and had a much more compossed style. There hairstyles were pure professional too.

While some individual players would make it at that grade I'm afraid that I don't think that our clubs would be up to standard over there.

**pete** · 31/01/2002, 10:25 AM

I've never been impressed by Swansea or Wrexham on their visits to the cross.

Sure they fitter & stronger but definitely not more skillful. Remember they arrive with a couple of weeks training whereas it was usually for citys first game. I don't think a visiting 3rd division team won a game in ireland last summer.The 3rd division seems to be full of 6'2"+ strong physical players but not very skillful.

Crowds & stadium are bigger but that doesn't mean the players are better. They pay higher wages but they hugely inflated due to tv monies (won't last long). BTW it costs 20euro to see a Carlisle game!

eL is somewhere between english 2nd & 3rd divisions. Hopefully the eL will be here in 5-10 years but i'd be surprsied if there still 4 pro divisions in england by 2010.

**Xlex** · 31/01/2002, 10:33 AM

You can't compare the eL with second division or even the third at the moment because ours is predominantly part-time......

Take the towns loan signing.... Daniel Spiller from Gills... He played against rovers and looked superbly fit compared to the other players.. even in the heavy surface at Flancare......

We can't really compare, until our players have the fitness levels full time footballers enjoy.......