2022 Season, Arrivals and Departures

**ontheotherhand** · 05/05/2022, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Is it though? Or is there an element of comparing big fish in a small pond (Rovers) with small fish in a big pond (Lincoln)? How are Rovers further ahead in development plans? Has the Rovers academy really produced a huge amount so far, Bazunu aside, for example? Moving to a bigger league absolutely is career advancement - especially as doing well in it gives the option of moving up to a higher league again. Rovers is the ceiling of things here, by comparison.

I don't think you can say Lincoln's ambition is low because they're chasing an LoI manager either. The outgoing manager's two previous jobs were caretaker at Leicester (Premier League) and taking Oxford from mid-table L2 to mid-table L1 in three seasons, plus two Wembley Cup finals. Do you redefine a club's ambition each time they change manager?

There were more that went abroad than Bazunu (Zefi being the biggest name) and there's plenty more already playing across the league (Nugent, Williams etc). Sure you have a few of them yourselves. Bazunu is the biggest name but it's been producing LoI level players now for a while. The better cohorts will start coming through soon though as the first age groups who have been there from the start are due.

I agree with you on the rest. Lincoln's a great opportunity. They want to be in the Championship in 2-3 years from what it sounds like. League One is a step up, the Championship would be another universe altogether. It's a huge chance for him and the only type that will likely arrive. Even if we were to get into the group stages this year, his stock likely would never rise high enough for a direct move to the Championship. He'd be looking at an EPL/Championship Academy role or similar. This is a faster route.

**outspoken** · 05/05/2022, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

I wouldnt be surprised to see if Stephen Rice takes the Rovers job he would ask Tony Cousins to come up from Rovers underage structure to assist him. Cousins signed Rice for us in 2014 and stayed for two seasons under him.

Would ya stop haha didn't TC run him in 2016 sure.

**CraftyToePoke** · 06/05/2022, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

People keep talking about Bazunu as he is a headline maker but Rovers have a batch of outstanding kids coming through most of whom are only 14/15 years old as our Academy really only started properly in 2016. Our under 13's were over in Arsenal a couple of weeks ago and beat their Academy team, 14's and 15s are superb The under 15 Irish team has consistently 5-7 Rovers players in the squad.....it takes time but i am confident of the pipeline to the first team.

Interesting, because I did note the recent U16 national squad had six Pats players & just two Rovers ones same as Bohs with Shels having one from the Dublin based contingent. Which did surprise me.

**ontheotherhand** · 06/05/2022, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Interesting, because I did note the recent U16 national squad had six Pats players & just two Rovers ones same as Bohs with Shels having one from the Dublin based contingent. Which did surprise me.

Pat's have a good set up as well to be fair. But the Irish 15s have 5 from Rovers and 1 from Pats from what I know. It's the younger age groups that have been with our set up for longer. I do have a lot of respect for O'Brien and the team at Pat's though. They've done really well.

**elatedscum** · 06/05/2022, 2:06 AM

there's quite a lot of cross pollination between the teams, for example Ben Curtis and Sam Curtis moving from Rovers to Pats, Dara McGuinness moving from Pats to Rovers etc etc

**pineapple stu** · 06/05/2022, 6:21 AM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

Sure you have a few of them yourselves. Bazunu is the biggest name but it's been producing LoI level players now for a while.

Well I suppose if it's being argued that Lincoln is a sideways step in terms of other factors such as player development (and I know you're not making that point) then the academy would have to be developing players better than LoI/UCD level.

That's not to take away from the work Rovers have done at academy level. It's just to be realistic about it.

(Has to be noted I don't think Lincoln's academy has produced many great names either in fairness)

**DCSIL** · 06/05/2022, 8:59 AM

Shamrock Rovers just tweeted "Despite interest from elsewhere, Stephen Bradley is committed to Rovers"

**sadloserkid** · 06/05/2022, 9:02 AM

Statement on their website too.

**sbgawa** · 06/05/2022, 9:09 AM

Roll on the Weekend !!!

**DCSIL** · 06/05/2022, 9:15 AM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

Roll on the Weekend !!!

I think we can excuse you a big win to celebrate, just hope we do the same.

**Nesta99** · 06/05/2022, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by DCSIL

Shamrock Rovers just tweeted "Despite interest from elsewhere, Stephen Bradley is committed to Rovers"

He decided it was a step down obviously!

**WeAreRovers** · 06/05/2022, 9:35 AM

Well that all worked out well! Bradley stays, fully motivated for the rest of the season, and with the succession plan now in place.

**Yossarian** · 06/05/2022, 10:38 AM

I�m surprised that he turned it down. Obviously the chance of making progress in Europe is a big draw but this would have been a good time to go to a new club with a full pre season and time to get to know players and target who he wanted to bring in. If the opportunity comes again he could be going to a club in a mess. And if he doesn�t win the league this year or progress in Europe then his stock may not be as high.
I suppose the extra money that Dermot Desmond is going to throw his way has helped make his decision.

**oriel** · 06/05/2022, 11:29 AM

Then again, and only thought of this earlier, say if he had 3 bad months at Lincoln City, they would have no issues sacking him, out of a job, reputation damage, where to next then?

Yes it was a challenge, but also a gamble.

**total hoofball** · 06/05/2022, 12:18 PM

I think Bradley has a young family here aswell and unless the money Lincoln were offering him was staggering you can see why he would stick with Rovers when things are still going good for him at the club and he his clearly getting backed at all angles at the club

**placid casual** · 06/05/2022, 12:29 PM

😁😁😁😁Oh so near.. And yet so far for SO MANY of the people on here..
You thought the good times were gonna roll on, with Bradser leaving the Champions rudderless..
You'll just have to put up with us dominating (for the rest of the season anyway ☺️)

**ontheotherhand** · 06/05/2022, 2:53 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Well I suppose if it's being argued that Lincoln is a sideways step in terms of other factors such as player development (and I know you're not making that point) then the academy would have to be developing players better than LoI/UCD level.

That's not to take away from the work Rovers have done at academy level. It's just to be realistic about it.

(Has to be noted I don't think Lincoln's academy has produced many great names either in fairness)

I suppose I'm looking at our academy in the same way I would an EPL academy. Southampton's is often praised based on how many players have broken in at Southampton or played for bigger clubs but there's plenty who ended up with smaller clubs. It's really only a handful who go on to much bigger things. I think our Academy has, even this early, provided a fairly good number of players at around our level even if we haven't quite managed to get the right number through to our first team yet. Aidomo is maybe the first to come through who is both not yet good enough to be snapped up but good enough to play for us.

We ultimately started things while the top young players were still going to England. So we were only ever going to get the best of the rest....at best! So getting a decent number of those players through to top level senior football isn't a bad return. Brexit changes things of course. Now we should be able to attract the very best. Of course there's other academies too.

**pineapple stu** · 06/05/2022, 3:50 PM

OK, but there's a difference between producing players who play for Southampton and who play for Rovers in fairness.

**ontheotherhand** · 06/05/2022, 3:59 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

OK, but there's a difference between producing players who play for Southampton and who play for Rovers in fairness.

Of course but that's sort of my point. I'm just saying that, for me, I think it's a bit unfair to say the Rovers academy "hasn't really produced a huge amount so far". If we are judging academies on output we should be judging them on their output relative to their own standard and resources I think. Rovers academy has decent output even at this early stage for the level we are at. I'm just using Southampton as an example of a very well regarded academy that also produces a mix of:

A. A handful of players who go on to bigger things and can be sold
B. A maybe larger group that can play for Southampton for at least a number of seasons
C. A larger group who end up lower down the leagues

We've ticked two of those boxes already and we are now staring to see a few come through who are good enough to make an impact for our first team. Loads more to come though so I understand where you're coming from.