Originally Posted by
Nesta99
Was as much players from Derry rather at Dundlk than just Derry City FC. It was a point made often by Derry fans that if DCFC kept all their top local players they would be a seriously good side. We signed Duffy for a fee from Celtic for example. Paid a fee or McEleney to DCFC but also tto Oldham to bringing him back, Derry could have done the same no? Higgins was released by Derry before Dundalk signed him up. The club has now, belatedly for some players imo, brought them back in to the DCFC fold. The process has been very basic, sign them up from Dundalk mostly (as Dundalk are a shambles off the pitch) and for good messure throw in Kelly, Patching, Connolly, Dummigan and Hoban none of which are Derry City Football Club 'natives'.
That said, i wouldnt feel too bad about it as Rovers started making their breakthrough as an era defining side after bulking up on few Dundalk era defining players also, a head count of Gannon, Hoare, Finn, Cleary, Towell even Michael O'Connor. Its a real return to the old LoI merry go round and when clubs get a cash injetion they sign a bunch of the previous champions players - Dundalk have done it too, a number of the 88 double winning side were former Rovers players. Could this new period of an old trend of signing up a buch of former champions' teams be part of the reason why there is a bit of a stagnation of the standard of the league? Familiarity of squad members even in a change of shirt taking a bit of that determined edge off?
I dont think either side is built from the total blank canvass, small budget, and initial bunch of journeymen put together by Stephen Kenny as he put together one of, if not the finest League side of all time - finishing runners up in season 1 (Vinny Faherty...least said about his scoring record at Dundalk the better,,, was our marquee striker,, Marc Rossitor the best known defender signed, an unknown Gartland in defence, John Dillon, a maligned Chrish Shields from the McCaffery era).. and winners in season 2.
Bookmarks