LOI In Europe 2020

**sbgawa** · 05/10/2020, 6:34 PM

No worries, I'm sure FG won't have any difficulty with 15 or 16 players with the clock running down on them.
His vast experience will undoubtedly work in his favour here.
What did you think of his team selection against Harps ?

**Ezeikial** · 05/10/2020, 7:07 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

No worries, I'm sure FG won't have any difficulty with 15 or 16 players with the clock running down on them.
His vast experience will undoubtedly work in his favour here.

We don't know what if any role Filippo is likely to have in recruitment

Originally Posted by sbgawa

What did you think of his team selection against Harps ?

Wojus

**Martinho II** · 05/10/2020, 7:20 PM

As for GKS for Dundalk based on his performance the other night Micheal Schlingermann was immense for Galway Utd and if you get the chance see his superb save on twitter from our game the other night. I was behind the goal stewarding in 2nd half. He never stops bossing the players and has great organisational skills. I cant believe that hes not in the top flight imo!

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 05/10/2020, 9:04 PM

He was poor enough with us

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/10/2020, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

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.

I had this discussion with someone here a few years and it gave me a different perspective. A lot of GAA players, to me, look too bulky to play soccer. Hoban and Gartland are probably the exceptions, Gartland in particular being massive, but they've probably sacrificed speed for size in a game that values speed over size more than GAA does. Look at the wingers in the Premier League and there's plenty of lads built like McClean or Antonio, but also plenty of Willians as well.

**CorribsideSteve** · 06/10/2020, 7:13 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I had this discussion with someone here a few years and it gave me a different perspective. A lot of GAA players, to me, look too bulky to play soccer. Hoban and Gartland are probably the exceptions, Gartland in particular being massive, but they've probably sacrificed speed for size in a game that values speed over size more than GAA does. Look at the wingers in the Premier League and there's plenty of lads built like McClean or Antonio, but also plenty of Willians as well.

I accept that, but to my mind, someone like Kelly, when compared with the likes of Gartland is comparing day and night. I just worry that there's too many guys in the LOI that only weigh 9 stone.

**Nesta99** · 06/10/2020, 1:03 PM

Rugby is probably the best example for this debate. So many follow after New Zealand thinking, but tend to be behind the curve of what they do. They became massive, even at scrum-half and everyone followed. They then adapted and brought slightly smaller but much faster lads in then so the big lads could barely get near them. Total rugby followed where everyone was basically interchangable in most positions but still huge. Now we have the issues around contact, or more apt would be collision, and head injury. The really bigs guys are going out of fashion again, and if they are in a side the ball is just kept away from them unless they get isolated by a speedster. Basic stuff here from a different sport but I started to think that by 2015 some of the Dunalk players had overdone the strength side of conditioned and slowed them as players. Different for players like Garts who has a massive fram anyway. I dont think you'd ever get Gannon or Kelly to seriously bulk no matter if it was tried. Gannon is surprisingly strong on the ball than he looks as while his is stringy it is all muscle. Kelly needs to mature but he will be similar to Ganno and anyway why lose the turn of pace that earns him so many fouls when he is in, around, near the box. Hoban never had real pace so it mades sense that he built strength to hold up the ball but also still be relatively mobile. Barrett could barely turn his neck he became that built, seemed to be all upper body work.

One stat I read a while back and it is probably relevant to most team sports as they developed over the years. The Ireland U18 rugby pack now, weighed more than the entire Lions squad that toured in 80's.

**paul_oshea** · 07/10/2020, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I had this discussion with someone here a few years and it gave me a different perspective. A lot of GAA players, to me, look too bulky to play soccer. Hoban and Gartland are probably the exceptions, Gartland in particular being massive, but they've probably sacrificed speed for size in a game that values speed over size more than GAA does. Look at the wingers in the Premier League and there's plenty of lads built like McClean or Antonio, but also plenty of Willians as well.

No i wasnt saying to compare the two what i was trying to say is the focus changed in GAA and the professionalism involved with it did too. They realised the need for bulking up and fitness would gain an advantage as some teams got ahead of others they all caught up. In europe LOI sides didnt seem to fathom this but i can remember having the conversations on here and offline with LOI heads saying theres no excuse for not having fitness and strength and i was laughed off, and now look where we are, the average joe down the street is bulked up and has a BMI of a semi professional athlete from their spare time gymming. Anyway the point being that you dont have to be massive but you have to be at the level of your peers across Europe. Which was there with Dundalk from about 2015 onwards, under kenny i assume this became a focus with the backroom team he had in. You had players no longer getting outmuscled and thrown off the ball far too easily. But i see it creeping in again now with a lot of very skinny lads. Skinny in Gannons case isnt the same thing you can be very light but full of muscle and most importantly core strength. Its just about targeting the right areas for football players.

Also on Gartland, i wanted to reply on this before anyone else, having stood beside him (had a good chat with him sound fella) hes more naturally big boned than anything else. I was thinking hed be much bigger in person but he wasnt really.

**sbgawa** · 07/10/2020, 4:23 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Also on Gartland, i wanted to reply on this before anyone else, having stood beside him (had a good chat with him sound fella) hes more naturally big boned than anything else. I was thinking hed be much bigger in person but he wasnt really.

I'm always a bit shocked how small footballers in general are when you meet them in person compared to your impression of them from TV and even from watching matches live compared to actually standing beside them.

**nigel-harps1954** · 07/10/2020, 9:31 PM

LOI players bulk up very differently to GAA players. Their bulk is more akin to a rugby player.

Attitudes and professionalism has come lightyears in the LOI in the past decade or more.

Some of the players might look a little light, but the majority of them are built like tanks.

**Yossarian** · 09/10/2020, 11:43 PM

So Dundalk’s first Europa League game was moved to Tallaght because the IRFU wanted the stadium empty on the Thursday for kicking practice. Good to see the FAI have some control in the stadium that they are supposedly co owners in. Dundalk now apparently trying to move all the games to Windsor Park.

https://independent.ie/sport/soccer/...-39607083.html

**John83** · 09/10/2020, 11:56 PM

Kicking practice overrules an actual competitive match? I imagine the FAI have diminished clout since they shat the bed at the end of the Delaney junta, but that sounds like some fairly messed up priorities.

**The Lilywhites** · 10/10/2020, 1:58 AM

What a joke. Can't see UEFA allowing us to play in the North though, so probably all 3 games in Tallaght.

**Charlie Darwin** · 10/10/2020, 3:57 AM

UEFA would only allow it if there was no suitable venue in the 26 counties, which is clearly possible in Tallaght, so the only possibilities are the IRFU's terms or all games in Tallaght. You'd hope the FAI would be able to talk the IRFU around and have all the games in the Aviva but, if not, I'm not going to complain about SDCC getting some extra money to invest in the stadium!

**Calcio Jack** · 10/10/2020, 1:37 PM

Originally Posted by Yossarian

So Dundalk’s first Europa League game was moved to Tallaght because the IRFU wanted the stadium empty on the Thursday for kicking practice. Good to see the FAI have some control in the stadium that they are supposedly co owners in. Dundalk now apparently trying to move all the games to Windsor Park.

https://independent.ie/sport/soccer/...-39607083.html

The reality is that the IRFU had that Thursday slot booked way in advance of Dundalk qualifying and knowing they’d have a home match that evening- stamping your feet (if true) like a petulant child and threatening to move to Windsor is not just a silly over reaction but also shows a either a complete ignorance of local politics as that I assume would anger your fans or simply Bungalow Bill ( or whatever his name is) and P6 simply don’t give a crap about the feelings of the fan base..... anyway much ado about nothing methinks

**sbgawa** · 10/10/2020, 1:45 PM

The north stand has to be paid for if we can get 10000 in for next year's euro run for rovers.

**Ezeikial** · 10/10/2020, 2:36 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

The north stand has to be paid for if we can get 10000 in for next year's euro run for rovers.

I thought you kept up with developments at SDCC about ground rental

SDCC confirmed the 2,000 seater development of a North Stand last June - there was no caveats about it being dependent on rental income in interim.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020...-7-7m-upgrade/

Is there any indication yet of Rovers paying increased rent when the upgrade is complete?

**sbgawa** · 10/10/2020, 4:32 PM

Apparantly council are reducing the rent by whatever they get off DFC on the basis it's LOI income. Fair play to them I say

**Yossarian** · 10/10/2020, 5:59 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

Apparantly council are reducing the rent by whatever they get off DFC on the basis it's LOI income. Fair play to them I say

The sad thing is some people on this forum will actually believe this.

**sbgawa** · 10/10/2020, 6:31 PM

It's half true tbh Sdcc have a bottom line to hit when it comes t ok the stadium in terms of local economic benefit so things like dfc chipping in or the fai with u21 games contributes. Rovers have an excellent relationship with the council so it all helps. If I had to guess why peak 6 want to play in Windsor I'd say one of the reasons although not the major one is they appreciate help in g out SDCC is helping rovers