The club who paid £55k for Glenn Ferguson. Easy to build revenue and success when you had 15% of gate receipts, tv rights and commercial activity from international fixtures over the years. What’s the agreement now? 200k per year or something? Linfield will always be the exception to the norm in Irish football.Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
As Irishmen we dilute our sense of nation by depending on the English to bring us our balls
As regards the financial stability bit, there were rumours in the media that Larne and Glentoran were also sniffing around Shields.
If true (stress the "if"), then he could have negotiated a very good deal for hinself with Linfield, since those other two clubs are splashing the cash these days.
As i said our board has done well to build revenue.
Do other clubs hire out their grounds for free?
Also while the rental money we get is nice, it's certainly isn't close to our main source of income.
Puzzled why a transfer from 25 years ago has any bearing on today.
Because its unheard of then or now in LOI football. That activity would bankrupt the rest of us.
As Irishmen we dilute our sense of nation by depending on the English to bring us our balls
Its well known McEleney and Duffy are heading off aswell. They will be at the end of the season though.
Any Rovers fans manage to see any of that friendly match last night?
Ye beat Cabo 6-0, Kevin Zefi scored, Richie Towell played. Did Stokes play well?
According to unsubtantiated accounts he stalked the Cabo defence and constantly picked the pockets of the Cabo centre halves. There was some remission of time spent on the pitch due to an unfortunate clash of heads .
Apparently showed a lot of good touch's and ability in the final 3rd but also clearly not anywhere near match fit.
Considering the exodus of players out of Oriel why not throw a cheeky bid in for Hoban. Makes more sense than chancing things with Stokes. Out of contract end of season, short term contract policy means a 2 or 3 year deal could turn heads, budget cuts so offer the 5 months remaining on his contract. Not impossible all things considered. Only for injury a sniff at McMillan too. No loyalty issues when lads not being offered any security on contracts.
Dont blame CS for going up north. When u think about it its common for long term loi players to move to NIFL. Look at Conan Byrne for example. CS only reason he left now was that Glentoran were sniffin around him so made sense for him move to Linfield instead of waitin till end of season as that was CSs wish. Anyway he lives in Carrickfergus I think with his family so it makes sense. Dont forget Pat Fenlons up there too also!
Gary Cronin is he the right man to manage Longford Town?
Hobans not mobile enough for the way rovers play.
I would take Duffy if I had a pick. If we beat slovan (big if) it might be worth a try, we will definitely need more players either way at that point
Was Stephen O Donnell more of an influence in the success of Dundalk? This is the opinion of an outsider so Dundalk fans may have a different view. Stokes would be some signing for Shamrock R and for the league in general. (provided he gets himself fit).
I always had a feeling Stokes could end up at Pats seen as he played at both Arsenal and Falkirk alongside Stephen O'Donnell and Pat Cregg. He does however seem to be the exact opposite type of personality that they like in the squad. They’ve talked a lot about signing the right personality and lads that give their all in training etc which by all reports Stokes is not. If he can get his fitness to a good level quickly then I can see why rovers or pats would take a punt on him to try and achieve their short term aims between now and the end of the season at least
Stokes should not be seen a coup signing for any club never mind LoI. O'Donnell was of course a big influence both on the pitch and then off before heading to St Pats. The bigger loss to Dundalk from the backroom was Higgins imo. He just seemed to have the tactical nous that complimented the manager/head coach. Filipo could well have been a success with a backroom of Higgo/ O'Donnell. They wanted off to do their own thing obviously but O'Donnell seemed to be in the plans for the future, how things ave developed at St Pats seems to vindicate that thinking. Garts would be another that the club should consider for a role behind the scenes, initially with the academy and as an analyst, when he quits playing.
Hoban is able to play as a poacher type striker and could fit in to Rovers system. If anything, his more recent tendency to drop deep for the ball is due to a lack of midfielders driving on - with someone like Towell who would push on, Rovers beaing able to supply balls from width also, I think Hoban would be a fit. Not that Id want him to go to Tallaght, just that Dundalk for a while havent played to his strengths.
One of them will be a fair bit sooner.
Hoban works his b**ls off.A lot of people don't see that.He is one of the hardest working players you'll see.(needs to work on his penos though)
As for Stevie O managing Dundalk? Would have been the perfect fit. And they'll let Garts go as well i bet before they consider him for a job "up stairs".
Last edited by ToberonaTornado; 24/06/2021 at 1:23 AM.
Hoban has probably been the main link man between midfield and attack which shouldnt be his job, he can hardly get on the end of the ball he has just won in midfield. Either midfield need to bomb on ahead of him when it happens or ye need to play a second striker that sticks to running the line. Penos aside, the annual drop off of Hoban's strike rate says more about supply and how he has had to adapt. His finishing has dropped off, but then when you are busting a gut trying to win ball, and then also trying to get on the end of chances when they are created for him, he's having to throw himself at the chance or its a tired effort, finishing is also a use it or lose it skill where a run of scoring snowballs. Missing from 6 yds s criminal in most cases, with Hoban he has become a deep lying forward and has lost some edge because of that - he could go through lean patches like any striker of course too. 2 defensive midfielders and McEleney in front just doesnt click, Fats creates space and chances for himself (not in a greedy manner) unless he is playing with some width and then is providing for the striker and the other wide player drifting inside along with his signature driving in to the box causing mayhem - willing raiding fullbacks overlapping and overloading helps just a bit, offsetting the centrally focused, laboured, predictable, almost static passing it across the back four before clipping it in with zero angle or whip...yawn ball!
Can't ever see Hoban playing for Rovers as I get the feeling neither side would be interested in that move. As stated above we'd take Duffy in a heartbeat, and I'd take Leahy as well if possible - we have no discernible, fit left back atm.
One of our most reliable *cough* local journalists claiming he is off to Linfield.
Leahy has been very disappointing since he came to Dundalk
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