Yeah another centreback makes sense .....
Casey from Bohs?
Finn wouldn't be getting dropped for Gannon and Marshall looks like he will be a really good player for us, so we're covered at rwb. Another CB is probably needed considering we play three but only have four. Can't see us signing more than one or two players over the off season unless we lose a few.
Yeah another centreback makes sense .....
Casey from Bohs?
You are seeing my Dane Massey annual rumour and raising me the Rovers LB story....
The super kid is John Ryan he plays for our u17's as well as the second team and in my view is ready for the first team.....wouldn't be surprised to see him make a few appearances next seasonHas been superb this season playing against first division teams
Cant see any room for Massey tbh , no chance he gets in a head of Kavanagh and Lafferty has been excellent in Kavanaghs absence through injury, Farrugia is more of an attacking wing back but its effectively the same position the way Rovers play
but its a strange league and anything is possible
Careful now, John Ryans tend to be unusual, like the one we had was a defensive striker!!
Can't see us signing Massey and assume it's a wind-up but Gannon is always linked with us when he has a contract to negotiate with Dundalk so can see it! As always, apart from Finn, the players we'd most want from Dundalk are the ones who'd never leave.
Rovers are far more likely to want to sign players on the upslope of their career - e.g. Grant at boez, Waterford left back) than anyone on the downslope(pretty much everyone at dundalk except Leahy).
Is Leahy under contract next year, by the way?
Shamrock Rovers- Where trophies are won and envy is scarce
Best of luck to Dundalk in Europe tonight. Rooting for a plucky 1-0 win.
Good to see the annual transfer rumours again, especially when clubs this offseason have absolutely no attendances or new sponsorships to budget these new signings
The Leinster Senior League needs a strong Bohemians
Gannon to Rovers (dinning table and 4 chairs included)
Players getting dilussions of granduer, kitchen sinks are not enough so dining tables and chairs are now today's currency. Cheeky gits!!
Garden furniture is worth more then gold here days
Rovers have dodged a few bullets , by all accounts we were in for mceleney, mcmillan and boyle all of which have been dissapointing for dfc, gannon might be the next one.
It wouldnt be a surprise in McMillan's re-signing was at least partly to keep Rovers from picking up a striker. Quite a few players have been disappointing but I dont think that means they are finished. There was obviously some issue behind the scenes to have so many players under performing. Id imagine that there would have been plenty of interest from clubs for the players you mention, Rovers being one. McMillan is the only one id be concerned about not getting some form back. Rovers have made enquiries about Dundalk players still contracted but again was considered as some attempt to unsettle players. It would be foolish for top clubs not to try and sign returning quality players and signing a player, no matter who, always carries a risk. Forrester going back to Pats is probably the best example of a quality signing that on paper showed some real ambition but it hasnt worked out so far
As you say Forester must be the biggest and best example of a player not performing at all on a return to a former club.
Mceleney has become to injury prone, maybe mamaged properly during the coming off season he can come back ready.
Patrick McEleney, Sean Murray and Jordan Flores are all players who have suffered badly from fitness/injury issues. It is almost impossible for the regular fan to evulate the liklihood of any of them achieving former fitness levels irresecptive of close season fitness programmes. Obviously the club medical / fitness personnel would have a more informed view. Sean Murray seems to have showing some positive signs recently, but it is far from certain that he will be offered a new contract.
Dave McMillian is in a different situation. He has come back from Scotland not having played since March and also played very few minutes in the months beforehand. Partly for this reason and also because of Pat Hobans form, he has got little opportunity to find fitness and form. There is a view that an additional striker with pace is required to offer a tactical alternative to Patrick Hoban. Easier said than done to find the level of striker that is being touted, but it could be that this is the biggest factor that influences where he plays his football next season
It'd be a lot more worrying is the injury prone players kept getting the same injury over and over as it would be a sign that they're crocked. They havent all been the same injuries The catch 22 is when working back from a long term injury, the player's players body has to readjust again to the forces/impacts of actual games. Some luck is needed but its not uncommon for a player out with a hamstring issue then gets a groin injury pretty soon after resuming playing. All the gym work in the world cant replicate the match enviornment even if fitness is good. I think this was the case with Murray but is now getting over the issues. He played his first full 90mins v KI I think, and is starting to show somthing of his ability-we havent had a midfielder that arrives late and puts the ball in the net since Towell really, Nurray is showing some good signs on this. I think there is a lot more to come and would be disappointing if he didnt get a new contract.
McEleney is also getting over the niggly injuries, he is the sort of player that needs to play in to form and that is hard to do when there are guys in better form. With the way FG is rotating the squad will help McEleney's form and again he has plenty to offer yet. The one full preseason not disrupted, fitter than he has ever been and the league is suspended and is back to not having the game time he needs to build up a head of steam.
McMillan hasnt played much and strikers need games and goals for confidence. There is just something missing compared to his previous time at Dundalk thats more than just match fitness. He is almost clumsy now with not being able to sort his feet out, for example. Id love it if I was wrong and he goes and nabs goals in the remainder of this year and if he is kept on shows that he can push Hogan to start.
Flores has bags of ability but there is somthing amiss there. Asking for a new contract on higher terms when he hasnt played that much and when he has can go awol on the pitch. In recent weeks he looked overweight with a bit of a gut. I get the impression that he doesnt really care and its a pity as Dundalk signed him when others wouldnt, helped with his footballing rehab after a nasty car crash, and of course all players had full wages throughout lockdown. His agent should keep his powder dry until the player is shwing improvement and utting in the performances
The squad is there to get back on top of the heap next season, as Ezeikial mentioned, getting a different type of striker with pace needs to be looked at. If there is nothing in the market maybe we have players that could be converted to play up top. I have no issue with the keepers but at Rogers age brining a keeper in may be needed - the jury is out on McCarey but he hasnt done much wrong when picked. If Gannon goes Dummigan would fill in there but cover is needed and its not Sean Hoare!
McMillan scored some very important goals for us and works his socks off. But he was capable of missing sitters too and his chance to goal ratio imo wasnt the best. Its probably a bit harsh to be critical and good strikers are not common. As said hopefully he needs games and a few goals for confidence. I'd like to see a striker brought in from outside the usual leagues that is more clinical. Hoban can be similar tbh though he offers a whole lot more than just goal goals to the team in a McGoldrick like manner for Ireland. In fairness to Hoban he gets goals even when service to him wasnt great. If he were playing in the 2016 team he'd have been a consistant 20+ striker imo - better than Kilduff whose miss against Rosenborg still haunts.
Last edited by Nesta99; 25/10/2020 at 9:52 AM.
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