2024 Season, Arrivals and Departures

[joey B]

Are Bohs very quiet on the transfer front or is it just me?
Coote,Afolabi,the 2 Polish defenders gone,Buckley out long term with an injury and they’ve signed the Estonian striker,Rooney and Cornwall ?

The Talbot situation in there aswell,they feel like they have alot of work to do…..

[Calcio Jack]

Aaron McEneff joined Shamrock Rovers on loan.

So JB was resigned plus a host of other including Clark and now McEneff….. you have to ask crisis what crisis as reported by Daniel McD in his ‘heresay’ piece in the Indo the day after we won the title last season …. He’s a decent reporter but that article certainly let him down as it was based on comments obtained from individuals who weren’t prepared to go on the record …. Perhaps was a case of the envious fan in him getting the better of the professional journalist

Cue the usual

[SkStu]

Are Bohs very quiet on the transfer front or is it just me?
Coote,Afolabi,the 2 Polish defenders gone,Buckley out long term with an injury and they’ve signed the Estonian striker,Rooney and Cornwall ?

The Talbot situation in there aswell,they feel like they have alot of work to do…..

Yeah - its gonna be a tough year.

[Jack B]

McEneff was fantastic when he was last in the league. Will be interesting to see if he's still the same level of player but I can't see why that wouldn't be the case.

I think it's an interesting one with Rovers where before the off-season you'd have said goalkeeper and I suppose a more reliable goalscorer were what they'd need to really "improve", and they've not really addressed either while still making admittedly good signings in other areas of the pitch. Getting lucky with the fitness of the likes of Byrne and Farrugia this time around will be as impactful as any of the incomings will be.

Still a lot of question makes around Bohs, Dundalk and Sligo right now. Each of them have important areas of the starting eleven still to address, never mind the squad as a whole.

[Thewhitepele]

So JB was resigned plus a host of other including Clark and now McEneff….. you have to ask crisis what crisis as reported by Daniel McD in his ‘heresay’ piece in the Indo the day after we won the title last season …. He’s a decent reporter but that article certainly let him down as it was based on comments obtained from individuals who weren’t prepared to go on the record …. Perhaps was a case of the envious fan in him getting the better of the professional journalist

Cue the usual

Well it was in a heresy column and it turns out that is all it was. Players often moan and groan but when push comes to shove stay where they are comfortable. You are lucky that Dan has an interest in yee. His interest in the LOI outside Leinster is lacking. Blames the 'national' paper for not wanting to dispatch him outside the pale.

[dundalkfc10]

John Mountany confirmed as signed back with Dundalk. Strange considering he barely played now in over 2 years

Still no word on Slogget but hearing hes eager for a move to the UK to be closer with the girlfriend

[dundalkfc10]

McEneff was fantastic when he was last in the league. Will be interesting to see if he's still the same level of player but I can't see why that wouldn't be the case.

I think it's an interesting one with Rovers where before the off-season you'd have said goalkeeper and I suppose a more reliable goalscorer were what they'd need to really "improve", and they've not really addressed either while still making admittedly good signings in other areas of the pitch. Getting lucky with the fitness of the likes of Byrne and Farrugia this time around will be as impactful as any of the incomings will be.

Still a lot of question makes around Bohs, Dundalk and Sligo right now. Each of them have important areas of the starting eleven still to address, never mind the squad as a whole.

We are going to end up getting a young lad from England on loan as centre forward, so he could be great or could be terrible. Big gamble but it is what it is

Young kenny looked good last night though

[nigel-harps1954]

It's been said already, but Shamrock Rovers only glaring weak spots now are goalkeeper and a reliable goalscorer to really push on. You have to feel that Pohls won't be strong enough to sustain a European challenge, and with Graham Burke, Aaron Greene and Rory Gaffney all on the wrong side of 30 now, they really need to be looking at a younger 15/20 goal striker, and someone who can push them on in Europe too. Johnny Kenny probably isn't the answer to that question either, and remains to be seen whether Conan Noonan can be that player either.

I don't see a challenger for the league title. Pat's probably best placed at the minute, as Derry will have their troubles with perennially injured players, a concrete pitch and I am yet to be convinced by Higgins as a manager.

[Calcio Jack]

Well it was in a heresy column and it turns out that is all it was. Players often moan and groan but when push comes to shove stay where they are comfortable. You are lucky that Dan has an interest in yee. His interest in the LOI outside Leinster is lacking. Blames the 'national' paper for not wanting to dispatch him outside the pale.

The point I’m making is that it was pitched as being a serious article in a national newspaper …. There is no such thing for a professional journalist as an article containing statements posing as facts ( i.e. not corroborated or source on the record) and it being labelled a ‘heresay’ article.

Heresay comments/rumours etc. is what we entertain ourselves with here…. A decent journalist writing a two page article based on heresay/rumour is poor and tbh at the time I was amazed that his editor allowed it to be printed …. As for him having an interest in us great but as I said on this occasion I think he let his roots in Dundalk get the better of him…. But overall he does imo a good job on reporting matters related to the LOI

[WeAreRovers]

McEneff was fantastic when he was last in the league. Will be interesting to see if he's still the same level of player but I can't see why that wouldn't be the case.

I think it's an interesting one with Rovers where before the off-season you'd have said goalkeeper and I suppose a more reliable goalscorer were what they'd need to really "improve", and they've not really addressed either while still making admittedly good signings in other areas of the pitch. Getting lucky with the fitness of the likes of Byrne and Farrugia this time around will be as impactful as any of the incomings will be.

Still a lot of question makes around Bohs, Dundalk and Sligo right now. Each of them have important areas of the starting eleven still to address, never mind the squad as a whole.

I can see the logic of that thinking but it would be very much the view from outside Rovers - Pohls performed brilliantly last season, something like 13 clean sheets out of 20 appearances, also we were top scorers last year and have added goals with the new signings. Johnny Kenny to be added again too.

Remains to be seen if we have enough strength-in-depth for Europe which was an issue last year but we are undoubtedly stronger. Fitness and form or rather the lack there of will be the things to knock Rovers off their perch IMO but saying that no one was able to capitalise last year when both were issues.

[RealJohn91]

Are Bohs very quiet on the transfer front or is it just me?
Coote,Afolabi,the 2 Polish defenders gone,Buckley out long term with an injury and they’ve signed the Estonian striker,Rooney and Cornwall ?

The Talbot situation in there aswell,they feel like they have alot of work to do…..

Yeah it has been alright. I'd say there's a few few players on trial for pre-season like Jake Carroll and we're only playing our first friendly tomorrow. Hopefully see more movement next week.

[D24Saint]

Yeah - its gonna be a tough year.

What’s the situation there ? Lack of European money or poor recruitment by the manager. I know the housing crisis is an issue with bringing players in from outside the league.

[Another Bohemia]

What’s the situation there ? Lack of European money or poor recruitment by the manager. I know the housing crisis is an issue with bringing players in from outside the league.

It'd be manager and Fenlon. I'm personally very concerned. If Carroll does sign we have 5 total senior defenders. Buckley's injury isn't as big of a concern as we have McDonnell, Clarke, Flores & McManus to hold the fort their so not a terrible place. Lots of wingers as well, ironically we have more right wingers than left but we need at least 1 more defender (if Carroll signs), a GK and another striker to even survive the season never mind thrive.

[ontheotherhand]

It's been said already, but Shamrock Rovers only glaring weak spots now are goalkeeper and a reliable goalscorer to really push on. You have to feel that Pohls won't be strong enough to sustain a European challenge, and with Graham Burke, Aaron Greene and Rory Gaffney all on the wrong side of 30 now, they really need to be looking at a younger 15/20 goal striker, and someone who can push them on in Europe too. Johnny Kenny probably isn't the answer to that question either, and remains to be seen whether Conan Noonan can be that player either.

I don't see a challenger for the league title. Pat's probably best placed at the minute, as Derry will have their troubles with perennially injured players, a concrete pitch and I am yet to be convinced by Higgins as a manager.

Keeper could be fine. As WAR says, Pohls was really excellent when called upon. Big difference being the main man though so we shall see.

Agree that we need something more up top to progress in Europe. Pace is what we are lacking there. Gaffney isn't slow but he is getting on. How I miss Danny Mandroiu. That said, what really banjaxed us in Europe was the fitness of Byrne, Clarke and Farrugia. If those 3 are playing by the time Europe rolls around I think we'll do a lot better. It's a gamble though.

I think we are certainly strong enough for 5 in a row now even if key players do hit the physio table. Unless Hoban and Derry are a complete match made in heaven or Forrester has another goalscoring spree of a season I can't see either of those kicking on enough to finish first.

[SkStu]

What’s the situation there ? Lack of European money or poor recruitment by the manager. I know the housing crisis is an issue with bringing players in from outside the league.

I'd only be speculating - not close enough at all to the inner workings at all since the forum went away and I'm not on social media at all. I did ask the question before if it was disagreement or even a power struggle between Devine and Fenlon that was getting in the way. To be this far into the pre-season and to have such glaring deficiencies in the squad points to something going wildly wrong. I dont buy the line that it is too difficult to recruit. Pretty much every other team is bringing in what they need. I am majorly concerned like Another Bohemia.

[sbgawa]

I think when it comes to europe you just need to get lucky with the draw and injuries.
Winning the first round match and guaranteeing 3 shots at group stages is the be all and end all.
As someone already said if we had Farrugia , Clarke and Byrne playing in Europe last season i think we do the business.
Without them we looked very ordinary , even in the league.

[WeAreRovers]

Keeper could be fine. As WAR says, Pohls was really excellent when called upon. Big difference being the main man though so we shall see.

Agree that we need something more up top to progress in Europe. Pace is what we are lacking there. Gaffney isn't slow but he is getting on. How I miss Danny Mandroiu. That said, what really banjaxed us in Europe was the fitness of Byrne, Clarke and Farrugia. If those 3 are playing by the time Europe rolls around I think we'll do a lot better. It's a gamble though.

I think we are certainly strong enough for 5 in a row now even if key players do hit the physio table. Unless Hoban and Derry are a complete match made in heaven or Forrester has another goalscoring spree of a season I can't see either of those kicking on enough to finish first.

If our pacy and direct but injury prone WBs are crocked then we are goosed in Europe again but hoping that Darragh Burns can supply some of what we've missed since Mandriou left i.e. direct running at defences. Then again I thought that was what Liam Burt was going to do.

Mind you it took us years to replace Aaron McEneff with... Aaron McEneff so we might just have to wait patiently for Mandriou's return.

[Jack B]

I can see the logic of that thinking but it would be very much the view from outside Rovers - Pohls performed brilliantly last season, something like 13 clean sheets out of 20 appearances, also we were top scorers last year and have added goals with the new signings. Johnny Kenny to be added again too.

Remains to be seen if we have enough strength-in-depth for Europe which was an issue last year but we are undoubtedly stronger. Fitness and form or rather the lack there of will be the things to knock Rovers off their perch IMO but saying that no one was able to capitalise last year when both were issues.

I'm not suggesting Pohls isn't or won't be good enough to be the main man, just that Mannus was first-choice and leaving so a new keeper was necessary, so in that sense you won't have "improved" by just sticking with the second choice instead. Of course it may not play out that way, and the fact that Rovers haven't prioritised those two positions suggests they must not have thought the same either. Just find it an interesting one.

Who knows with Europe, always difficult to say when there's also the element of the luck of the draw, but I'd be very surprised to not see Rovers do it again this season. Derry should be good enough to put up a challenge but at this point I can't see how you can trust them to do so. As good as Pats have done certain business in the off-season, I think we're still a bit off Derry never mind Rovers so would be pleasantly surprised if a real fist of the title was made. Would be happy to see us at least in that mix as opposed to just looking the best of the rest.

[ontheotherhand]

If our pacy and direct but injury prone WBs are crocked then we are goosed in Europe again but hoping that Darragh Burns can supply some of what we've missed since Mandriou left i.e. direct running at defences. Then again I thought that was what Liam Burt was going to do.

Mind you it took us years to replace Aaron McEneff with... Aaron McEneff so we might just have to wait patiently for Mandriou's return.

True, Burns might give us that running beyond Gaffney that we've lacked. McEneff should offer a bit more at both ends than Poom as well, as much as I like Poom.

If we could just bring in one reliable wingback, even one who isn't quite at Clarke or Farrugia's level, I'd be really happy. As it stands....there's a few question marks. But overall good business in a tough market.

[sbgawa]

If our pacy and direct but injury prone WBs are crocked then we are goosed in Europe again but hoping that Darragh Burns can supply some of what we've missed since Mandriou left i.e. direct running at defences. Then again I thought that was what Liam Burt was going to do.

Mind you it took us years to replace Aaron McEneff with... Aaron McEneff so we might just have to wait patiently for Mandriou's return.

Bit like it took us years to replace Manus when he left us in 2011 with Manus

Im assuming Darragh Burns is also going to be available as a WB option when needed.
Farrugia didnt arrive at Rovers as a WB