Hull City owners to take majority stake in Dundalk?

**ToberonaTornado** · 09/12/2023, 1:38 AM

Btw Oriel, Hoban should get himself a new agent. Just saying

**oriel** · 09/12/2023, 3:10 PM

Yes heard it was the agent causing a lot of the sh't stirring in this episode with Hoban.

**Nesta99** · 09/12/2023, 10:23 PM

Agents obviously get their cut from players contract terms and transfer fees so may stir for their own benefit, but the player ultimately calls the shots but Its easier to think the agent is the issue rather than than the player and club legend thats is still under contract. Maybe its a bit fickle by me but rarely convinced by players' kissing crests lierally or methphorically.

Dont see how Hoban can say he was told he wasnt wanted at the club if that wasnt the case or is he that naive that he'd believe his agent if he was being an ass - the club could reassure the player problem sorted but were silent on the whole thing with no denial so not so much an agent acting up. Trying for better terms or a contract extension when the club was talking of p/t hybrid and budget cuts wasnt going to fly if that was the aim. It just seems most likely that prior to new ownership his wages were considered too high to keep on the books with club cutting its cloth. Assuming S'OD wasnt trying to offload him either.

New owner, new money and maybe then the agent may now saying put yer money where yer mouth is and prove his player is wanted. The club should hold him to his existing contract and see how things go for an extension in due course. Hoban could show his loyalty and love for the club, a gentlemans agreement with the manager should be as good as a signed contract!! Capitulate and other contracted players may have noses out of joint, pushes up demands from potential signings, it all gets messy and expensive.

Or its all set up for a big Christmas announcement.....

**ToberonaTornado** · 11/12/2023, 2:15 AM

Agree with most of that of that Nesta but my opinion is that Hoban's agent was very aware of a takeover at Dundalk ahead and tried to game that fact for his players advantage. That's his job you could say but bluff got called and it looks like they've quickly backed away from their demands.(Hoban and agent)
Would expect him to still be a Dundalk player for '24 on terms agreed

**oriel** · 11/12/2023, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Agents obviously get their cut from players contract terms and transfer fees so may stir for their own benefit, but the player ultimately calls the shots but Its easier to think the agent is the issue rather than than the player and club legend thats is still under contract. Maybe its a bit fickle by me but rarely convinced by players' kissing crests lierally or methphorically.

Dont see how Hoban can say he was told he wasnt wanted at the club if that wasnt the case or is he that naive that he'd believe his agent if he was being an ass - the club could reassure the player problem sorted but were silent on the whole thing with no denial so not so much an agent acting up. Trying for better terms or a contract extension when the club was talking of p/t hybrid and budget cuts wasnt going to fly if that was the aim. It just seems most likely that prior to new ownership his wages were considered too high to keep on the books with club cutting its cloth. Assuming S'OD wasnt trying to offload him either.

.....

To be clear any talk of going p/t - hybrid / cuts, was only ever in scope if StatSports majority stake owners were still in charge come 2024, hence reason it was vital for the takeover to happen, so DFC could plan properly for the season ahead.

Budget will be similar to 2023 now.

**RealJohn91** · 11/12/2023, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado

Dundalk fans have absolutely no patience,proven time and again.

It's the same around the league. Bohs have 18 players under contract still for next season and going by the reactions of some fans online you'd think we didn’t have enough to field a five a side team. Maddening to witness every year.

**oriel** · 21/12/2023, 1:55 PM

Per this link, it seems Ainscough is stepping down from Boston to fully focus on Dundalk in 2024.

https://x.com/jamesrogersie/status/1...113358988?s=20

**total hoofball** · 21/12/2023, 5:12 PM

Is he assuming CEO responsibilities? I read an article a week or so back he was saying he was assuming the CEO role temporarily before making a decision whether to appoint a CEO, if he is mostly over in Dundalk with feet on the ground rather than remotely in the states just after a takeover you would think it's better for him and the club

**culloty82** · 21/12/2023, 6:34 PM

Certainly suggests at least that he plans to be permanently based in Louth.

**oriel** · 21/12/2023, 8:10 PM

Originally Posted by total hoofball

Is he assuming CEO responsibilities? I read an article a week or so back he was saying he was assuming the CEO role temporarily before making a decision whether to appoint a CEO, if he is mostly over in Dundalk with feet on the ground rather than remotely in the states just after a takeover you would think it's better for him and the club

I think the plan is to keep Martin Connolly in as COO, he is a brother of Andy (fastfix) previous 50% owner SK era and 1/3 with Statsports, also BA wants to hire a commercial manager to be in role as early as Jan, and more office / admin staff, so he seems to be re-vamping things, would imagine if he has all that in place, he will want all to report into him weekly, along with SOD as manager and B Gartland as recruitment / player liasion.

**Louth4sam** · 22/12/2023, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by culloty82

Certainly suggests at least that he plans to be permanently based in Louth.

I think I read that he hoped to be over on average a week out of every month. Maybe this will change now he has no commitments outside of family due to his resignation from the Bolts.

**Buckett** · 12/03/2024, 5:50 PM

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/12419443...ian-ainscough/

**pateen** · 13/03/2024, 7:58 AM

Any figure mentioned?

**mcgonigle** · 13/03/2024, 9:27 AM

Originally Posted by pateen

Any figure mentioned?

https://www.independent.ie/regionals...259006433.html

At least €750K I hope.....

**2 Year Contract** · 13/03/2024, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by mcgonigle

https://www.independent.ie/regionals...259006433.html

At least €750K I hope.....

Wow! That article is pretty grim reading for anyone with Dundalk at heart. I didn’t realise things were so bad off the pitch

**oriel** · 13/03/2024, 11:06 AM

The 550K due from UEFA this summer will also help, but yeah was some mess left by StatSports lead group for the 2 seasons of 2022 + 2023. For all the bad p6 did, they left 1.3M or so in the account end of 2021. Then again they wasted part of the 2016 EL group stage and most of 2020 group stage monies.

**pineapple stu** · 13/03/2024, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

Wow! That article is pretty grim reading for anyone with Dundalk at heart. I didn’t realise things were so bad off the pitch

Crikey - really reads like the worst of the 00s, doesn't it?

**Another Bohemia** · 13/03/2024, 2:22 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Crikey - really reads like the worst of the 00s, doesn't it?

Personally I found this part worrying

"The playing staff and the budget for the first-team has been largely unaffected but one of the main areas of strife in recent months has been around claimed European bonuses for last season which, thus far, have gone unpaid. In this case, the lack of a written agreement remains one of the club’s biggest defences but the matter is seemingly not going away with the PFAI having been consulted on the matter and a representative for at least one of the players who believe they are owed understood to be taking legal advice on the subject this week."

There's something dodgy there as I can't imagine players and their agents agreeing to European bonuses and them not being written into the contract. Maybe I'm naive and it's a pretty normal thing to happen in the football world but strikes me as being something like the dual contract situation in Derry back in the early 10's or late 00's

**Yossarian** · 13/03/2024, 2:54 PM

I would have thought if there is nothing in writing either in the contract or any other document then the players wouldn’t have any comeback.
Either way, looking for bonuses for last years European “performances” made me laugh.

**nigel-harps1954** · 13/03/2024, 3:14 PM

It's almost as if people didn't learn any lessons from previous clubs wildly spending money on their first team instead of investing in club structures.