2021 Season , Arrivals and departures

**redobit** · 13/05/2021, 11:31 AM

So the big big wages are back I can only assume. Towell heading to Shamrock, he was on €4,250 a week with Salford and there is no way he is moving back to take a big drop in his wages. People saying its great to have him back in the league (and it is great to have top players back dont get me wrong) just concerned now about the inevitable hike across the board in player wages. Must be nice to have a sugar daddy to pay crazy wages after making large loss last year.

**Nesta99** · 13/05/2021, 12:22 PM

A budget is set, the manager gets to allocate it where he wants, but the wage structure is strict and based on financial prudence - its all 4th highest budget stuff and throwing kitchen sinks at players, well thats the mantra of some Rovers fans, and Cork tbh. At least we know Dundalk are burning Euro cash for fun but theres no fan ownership to step in if things start to get out of hand!!! I know Towell would hardly have dropped to L2 unless its was a top offer but how is it known that hs deal was €4250pw. Maybe he knew he wasnt getting a contract much better than what Rovers and Dundalk were but those offers could a lot less than 4k if there wasnt a queue for his signature. You are right though, it just takes one club to splash the cash and tempt others to try and keep up even when the sums dont add up. Usually there is an embaressing high profile readjustment and champions go bang when suger daddies run out of credit or get bored....

**sbgawa** · 13/05/2021, 1:20 PM

I haven't a clue what he was on at Salford but he was out of contract in July so i reckon Salford could have outbid us if they wanted , maybe he just wanted to come home. There is zero chance he is on anything like 5k at Rovers, if Rovers had 5k to splash around Jack Byrne would probably still be there.

**ontheotherhand** · 13/05/2021, 4:29 PM

He was coming home regardless, just a matter of who offered the better deal by the sounds of it. Rovers offered a 3 year deal and a chance to win something. Not sure we had much competition in reality with Dundalk offering 1 year/6 month deals and in a period of turmoil. Where else would he go? Could Sligs have passed another donation bucket around and got him in? Must be nice to have a sugar bucket like that.

**Dalymountrower** · 13/05/2021, 6:48 PM

Hopefully he takes a good chunk of Rovers budget but I suspect he will be on no more than 120 k a year. If he can get Rovers past first round in Europe he earns them 800k.Worth the punt.

**Charlie Darwin** · 14/05/2021, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by redobit

So the big big wages are back I can only assume. Towell heading to Shamrock, he was on €4,250 a week with Salford and there is no way he is moving back to take a big drop in his wages. People saying its great to have him back in the league (and it is great to have top players back dont get me wrong) just concerned now about the inevitable hike across the board in player wages. Must be nice to have a sugar daddy to pay crazy wages after making large loss last year.

Ah look, I'm sure he's a very good LOI wage but there's no way he's getting paid 4x what Ronan Finn is getting. Be real.

Even at their most insane, Dundalk were paying Colovic max 2k a week. Salford wages are ridiculous for the English fourth tier, he was never getting close to that anywhere in England and especially not here.

**Charlie Darwin** · 14/05/2021, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

A budget is set, the manager gets to allocate it where he wants, but the wage structure is strict and based on financial prudence - its all 4th highest budget stuff and throwing kitchen sinks at players, well thats the mantra of some Rovers fans, and Cork tbh. At least we know Dundalk are burning Euro cash for fun but theres no fan ownership to step in if things start to get out of hand!!! I know Towell would hardly have dropped to L2 unless its was a top offer but how is it known that hs deal was €4250pw. Maybe he knew he wasnt getting a contract much better than what Rovers and Dundalk were but those offers could a lot less than 4k if there wasnt a queue for his signature. You are right though, it just takes one club to splash the cash and tempt others to try and keep up even when the sums dont add up. Usually there is an embaressing high profile readjustment and champions go bang when suger daddies run out of credit or get bored....

Salford were paying more than anyone in L2 and probably more than anyone in L1 too. Towell didn't drop down two divisions for the craic (nor did Gaffney or Rooney when they joined them). Salford may well have the money to maintain those wages but nobody else around them is able to, so Towell will have the choice of a big drop at L2 level or come home for a big drop.

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 14/05/2021, 5:50 AM

Salford certainly wouldn’t have been offering him a 3 and a half year

**placid casual** · 14/05/2021, 6:33 AM

Your right, they signed him on a two year contract.
Is there a point you're trying to make?

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 14/05/2021, 10:22 AM

That Towell, who is 30 a few weeks after his contract starts, is not going to get a 3 and a half year contract off anyone else so will be ok taking a small paycut from his Salford current contract.

**Sonny** · 14/05/2021, 12:53 PM

I love this image of Desmond ploughing money into Rovers paying the wages. This couldn't be further from the reality of the situation, and it's actually not even possible under the ownership structure.

**redobit** · 14/05/2021, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sonny

I love this image of Desmond ploughing money into Rovers paying the wages. This couldn't be further from the reality of the situation, and it's actually not even possible under the ownership structure.

Money can be put in to clubs other ways like sponsorship for example. Or if he helps to clear any debts then it's one in the same surely. No offence but your naïve to think that an owner's money isn't going to pay players in some shape or form. May not be through the channels you expect but it is happening.

**ontheotherhand** · 14/05/2021, 5:08 PM

Originally Posted by redobit

Money can be put in to clubs other ways like sponsorship for example. Or if he helps to clear any debts then it's one in the same surely. No offence but your naïve to think that an owner's money isn't going to pay players in some shape or form. May not be through the channels you expect but it is happening.

He invested an agreed amount of money for a specific purpose in exchange for a share of the club. He isn't reaching in to his pockets again to pay Towell some "crazy wage" as you suggested in your original post. If the first team budget has room for Towell's wage it's more likely down to the sale of McEneff, European money and other departures leaving chunks out of the wage bill.

Out: Byrne, McEneff, Bolger, Marshall, Lafferty
In: Mandriou, McCann, Towell, Hoare, Gannon

Big difference between your original 'sugar daddy paying crazy wages' claim and then your subsequent post describing how clubs use sponsorship and other sources to bring in money.

**Sonny** · 15/05/2021, 2:19 PM

Originally Posted by redobit

Money can be put in to clubs other ways like sponsorship for example. Or if he helps to clear any debts then it's one in the same surely. No offence but your naïve to think that an owner's money isn't going to pay players in some shape or form. May not be through the channels you expect but it is happening.

None of Desmond's companies have any sponsorship deals with Rovers. Desmond bought 25% equity in the club. There are specific provisions in the shareholder agreement which prevent IIU from ploughing money into the club in the way you are describing. Naivety is confidently making wild statements on message boards on issues about which you don't even have the faintest clue.

**Nesta99** · 15/05/2021, 9:54 PM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

He invested an agreed amount of money for a specific purpose in exchange for a share of the club. He isn't reaching in to his pockets again to pay Towell some "crazy wage" as you suggested in your original post. If the first team budget has room for Towell's wage it's more likely down to the sale of McEneff, European money and other departures leaving chunks out of the wage bill.

If the club doesnt have to direct resources in to a particular aspect, that would help free up finances for other areas though surely. He may not be directly investing in the first team but its bound to have some impact. Out of interest, how or where does he get a return on investment, Will he get a dividend of any profits made on the 25% or is it tied to player sales/profit from the academy only?

**sbgawa** · 16/05/2021, 12:12 PM

From memory at the time the agreement was no dividends to be paid out all profits reinvested so the only way he can get a return as such is for Rovers to grow and sell his shares. To be honest i dont think multi billionaire Desmond is too worried about the dividends from Rovers profits

**sbgawa** · 16/05/2021, 12:13 PM

Bolton's promotion from League Two inspired by ghosts of Premier Leagues past - Buzz.ie

Nice article about Bolton and Eoin Doyle,
Looks like he will be Rovers bound at some stage

I always think of Ivan Campo , Jay jay and big Sam when i hear about Bolton

Enjoyed the Banter in the article between Doyle and Towell when Bolton played Salford

**Nesta99** · 16/05/2021, 1:01 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

From memory at the time the agreement was no dividends to be paid out all profits reinvested so the only way he can get a return as such is for Rovers to grow and sell his shares. To be honest i dont think multi billionaire Desmond is too worried about the dividends from Rovers profits

Yeah, I doubt he will be waiting at the door. Sounds more like a benefactor or someone who wants to see an improvement in players potentially developed for the international side.

**Charlie Darwin** · 17/05/2021, 12:23 AM

Desmond, I suspect, sees the link with Rovers as a way to benefit Celtic. The club is still controlled by the non-Desmond directors so any potential for dividends to be paid out would need to cleared by them. Desmond's investment in Rovers is tiny compared to what he's put into Celtic so I doubt recouping his investment is the goal, it's more just what it can do for his real love.

**Nesta99** · 17/05/2021, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Desmond, I suspect, sees the link with Rovers as a way to benefit Celtic. The club is still controlled by the non-Desmond directors so any potential for dividends to be paid out would need to cleared by them. Desmond's investment in Rovers is tiny compared to what he's put into Celtic so I doubt recouping his investment is the goal, it's more just what it can do for his real love.

Good point, if a little sad if its a sneaky way of creating a form of feeder club to Celtic and that thats where is priorities lie - no surprise on that though considering the money he has tied up in Celtic.