LOI In Europe 2020

[Ezeikial]

All others ? Who else is going to match the wages he is currently on at DFC? Now he might want to go home to Derry but they will need a huge budget increase to sign him, plus not sure they will make Europe.

Rovers? They might be able to afford to offer wages, but they have big outlays already on big players, 2-3 in particular, besides he seems settled in Blackrock LH, group stages and a confirm on perm manager would help swing things in our favour, but as always with out of contract players, nothing certain until its signed.

Just on recent recruits, I think the squad from say 1-15 is quite good, 16-22 not so, so depth is not there, and I would release them as soon as possible, some we are stuck with Patching on a 2 year contract, has offered nothing, Odawu, Gatt, Flores even, he can score great goals, far too injury prone though, again offers little when stuck into deep end, all these players out of their depth as seen last Sunday.

There is no doubt DFC need to strengthen for 2021, that's obvious, as for group stage 2020, also obv the squad not as strong as 2016 but this is where we are now, so have to embrace it and try and challenge with what we have. Arsenal will run away with the group.

If we can target points at home to Molde first, then Rapid who knows, but its a big ask, a very big ask, then again the group could have been a lot lot worse.

Michael Duffy could easily decide to have another crack at it in the UK and could well get worthwhile offers in lower Championship or League 1

While it does not necessarily follow that players in contract will automatically be retained (Will Patching for example is at risk) some of the out-of-contract players are likely to be resigned

These players are out of contract

Michael Duffy,
Brian Gartland,
Gary Rogers,
Jordan Flores,
Sean Murray,
Sean Hoare,
Georgie Kelly,
Aaron McCarey,
Daniel Kelly,
Lido Lotefa,
Dane Massey
John Mountney.

Josh Gatt
Nathan Oduwa

Out of the 14 players listed Michael Duffy is probably the only one that every Dundalk fan would be eager to see resigned.

Personally I would also like to see Brian Gartland, Gary Rogers, Sean Hoare, & Daniel Kelly resign, although obvious that view could change depending on the quality of potential replacements

[Charlie Darwin]

Never got the McKee signing

Had to look up McKee there. I have absolutely no memory of him.

Chvedukas is now playing in the Maltese regional leagues. Mad descent for an established international.

[The Lilywhites]

Had to look up McKee there. I have absolutely no memory of him.

Chvedukas is now playing in the Maltese regional leagues. Mad descent for an established international.

McKee is Andy Burton's mate.

Even after our injuries early last season, Perth played Hoare in midfield ahead of McKee. He never got a chance. Total waste of money that signing was.

[oriel]

Michael Duffy could easily decide to have another crack at it in the UK and could well get worthwhile offers in lower Championship or League 1

While it does not necessarily follow that players in contract will automatically be retained (Will Patching for example is at risk) some of the out-of-contract players are likely to be resigned

These players are out of contract

Michael Duffy,
Brian Gartland,
Gary Rogers,
Jordan Flores,
Sean Murray,
Sean Hoare,
Georgie Kelly,
Aaron McCarey,
Daniel Kelly,
Lido Lotefa,
Dane Massey
John Mountney.

Josh Gatt
Nathan Oduwa

Out of the 14 players listed Michael Duffy is probably the only one that every Dundalk fan would be eager to see resigned.

Personally I would also like to see Brian Gartland, Gary Rogers, Sean Hoare, & Daniel Kelly resign, although obvious that view could change depending on the quality of potential replacements

Sean Gannon is also out of contract end of 2020. Players in bold, I'd have no interest in keeping, and for that list, add in Patching, pay him off for 2021, an absolute waste of space.

[Charlie Darwin]

What's the story with McCarey? He was in the extended Ireland squad a couple of years ago.

[Ezeikial]

Sean Gannon is also out of contract end of 2020. Players in bold, I'd have no interest in keeping, and for that list, add in Patching, pay him off for 2021, an absolute waste of space.

It was an oversight to omit Sean Gannon from that list. If he has the hunger and does not need a kitchen sink I would also like to see him stay. He has been the top right full back in the country by some distance over the last number of years, but there are young guns emerging that will challenge that status - Andy Lyons and Tunmise Sobowale being the most obvious.

In order to rebuild the squad there will need to be more than six players released - but few would argue about those you highlighted

[Ezeikial]

What's the story with McCarey? He was in the extended Ireland squad a couple of years ago.

He officially signed up Jan 2019 after Stephen Kenny brokered an arrangement for him to play with Warrenpoint for the early part of their 2018/2019 season. He was called into the senior squad lhe previou March by Martin O’Neill for a friendly against Turkey.

Most would have expected him to claim the No 1 jersey from Gary Rogers, but a combination of fine performances by Rogers and his own form meant that he did not manage to achieve this. Perhaps a lack of game time hit is confidence and has left it doubly difficult to take his chances when presented.

It is probably in the interests of club and player that he gets a fresh start next season. He is 29 years in January - time is still on his side

[Ezeikial]

Whatever about ages the quality in the squad beyond the first 11 is poor and I would have always thought that was the key advantage dfc had for a couple of years lately. Big squad overhaul needed and integrating players isn't easy. The players on 52 week contracts that the club are running the clock down on will not be happy bunnies as new contracts are handed out to those staying on. In those circumstances some marginal calls get made to give extensions to keep the dressing room happy. But overall it's still a nice problem to have given the alternative was lose to Ki and lose 2m + this year.

I didn't mean unwanted players EZ I meant marginal call players may be kept as the manager is bound to want to have as many happy players as possible in the dressing room..
Regards the strength in depth of the team the only players on the pitch against rovers I would say are positive to the dfc squad are shields, Colovic and maybe oduwa if he could be persuaded to track back. I'm probably forgetting someone obvious as I haven't gone looking for the tea.sheet but that was my take.

There appears to me to be a very thin line between what you term 'marginal call' and 'unwanted' players. Of course it often happens that a particular player is not the managers first choice signing - where he can't sign the player he wants.

But the notion of signing someone you don't want, in order to keep that player 'happy' sounds pretty madcap and straight out of the Sean Connor school of management

[sbgawa]

Its not that hard to imagine , i would say Duffy , Hoare and Murrey are the only players on that list + Gannon that would be Automatic 1st choices.
Several more if resigned at the moment are blocking potential better players coming in but expediency might be to resign players who are "good enough".
FG never having had to manage a professional team with the pressures that come with that (Players concerned about paying their mortgages in January with a contract running out and talking to other clubs) will not help either.
It might not happen but it is tempting to resign players rather than risk dressing room unrest when you are trying to keep players motivated and engaged.

[Scrufil]

If Dundalk were to go for another keeper, would it be Talbot? I've not a notion who the top strikers are but there must be someone in the first division or Irish league worth a punt for the current LoI champs? Looking at Daniel Kelly I'd say bring in a rugby coach to build up his upper body strength - that or have him train at GAA county level for Dublin.

[sbgawa]

Brian Murphy at Waterford is the best keeper in the league...... excluding Alan Manus naturally
If i was running DFC that's where i would be looking.

[wonder88]

Agree that Daniel Kelly needs a bit of GAA training. If he gets that, there is something definitely about him that indicates he can play at higher level than LoI.

I know Sloggett was at UCD, I take it he is from Dublin.

[CorribsideSteve]

If Dundalk were to go for another keeper, would it be Talbot? I've not a notion who the top strikers are but there must be someone in the first division or Irish league worth a punt for the current LoI champs? Looking at Daniel Kelly I'd say bring in a rugby coach to build up his upper body strength - that or have him train at GAA county level for Dublin.

It's shocking how skinny and lightweight Kelly is. But it's not just him. Several players throughout the League are spindly stick insects. The lack of upper body strength among different players, even the top sides, plays a role in how easily they are knocked off the ball in Euro games.

[pineapple stu]

I know Sloggett was at UCD, I take it he is from Dublin.

From Meath apparently. So close enough.

[Scrufil]

I find it impossible to take Sloggett seriously with his pouncy hair. Gives the impression that he is above his station. (And that is mild - I give out to my son all the time about his 'gob****e' hair too. It is a pet peeve of mine.)

[paul_oshea]

Yes his contract is up this year. I agree to some extent but he might just fancy moving on either way or trying his luck in England. So it might not necessarily indicate a lack of ambition on the side of the owners. Having said that I think it's crucial to resign him. When he resigned 2 years ago it was right at the end of the season if I remember correctly so I assume he was continuing to keep his options open.

He's nowhere near good enough this year, on current form at least to make a move to England.

[paul_oshea]

It's not a massive gap, but I suppose the difference is that Rovers have the players coming through, whereas Dundalk don't. It's that recruitment that's going to be an issue for Dundalk in the coming couple of years.

It's hard to really compare international and club teams (because club teams can sign players), but let's do it anyway to try put the figures in perspective. Ireland's squad at Euro 2016 was the oldest at 29.4 years. To aul fellas like you and me, that sounds quite young, but for a football team it's very old. It was 0.6 years older on average than any other squad for example. It was really obvious at the time that our squad was over the hill, and we can see the effects in the years since.

Eight of the 24 Euro 2016 squads were older than 27.8 (Dundalk's squad), while only four were younger than 26.7 (Rovers' squad), which gives an indication that maybe Dundalk's and Rovers' squads are at either end of normal. But Dundalk's is at the wrong end of course.

Again, that's not a massively scientific comparison, but I think it's an interesting indication.

On elder statesmen - ye both have ancient keepers (less than a year between Mannus and Rogers), so it doesn't change things if they both get discounted

The best way to explain average age differences, is by taking the general career of a senior player, I think given injuries and form and other things 22-32 creates a 10 year player lifecycle. If you base it off 10 years then you can say that the average age from 27.8 t0 26.8 is about 10%, that's quite significant especially if its two players contributing mainly to that number.

[paul_oshea]

It's shocking how skinny and lightweight Kelly is. But it's not just him. Several players throughout the League are spindly stick insects. The lack of upper body strength among different players, even the top sides, plays a role in how easily they are knocked off the ball in Euro games.

Was thinking the exact same thing, and then thinking thats why Colovic ended up there. Its a bit of a concern for byrne as well. Plenty of time in the off season, to go and sort yourself, with or without a PT/S&C coach.

And as ive said many times before no excuses in this day and age. It's mad to think that the GAA were well ahead of the LOI in getting this right 15 years ago or so.

[sbgawa]

I find it impossible to take Sloggett seriously with his pouncy hair. Gives the impression that he is above his station. (And that is mild - I give out to my son all the time about his 'gob****e' hair too. It is a pet peeve of mine.)

Mountney and his ponytail !!
although unless my eyes were deceiving me the other night he has had a haircut.

[Ezeikial]

Its not that hard to imagine , i would say Duffy , Hoare and Murrey are the only players on that list + Gannon that would be Automatic 1st choices.
Several more if resigned at the moment are blocking potential better players coming in but expediency might be to resign players who are "good enough".
FG never having had to manage a professional team with the pressures that come with that (Players concerned about paying their mortgages in January with a contract running out and talking to other clubs) will not help either.
It might not happen but it is tempting to resign players rather than risk dressing room unrest when you are trying to keep players motivated and engaged.

Marginal (unwanted) Player: Hey boss, do you intend to offer me a new contact?
Boss: No you are not in my plans for next season
Marginal (unwanted) Player: That's going to make me very unhappy 'cause I have a mortgage to pay. Micky and Paddy will also be ****ed off
Boss: OK so, will a 2 year deal keep you happy?