Ollie Byrne Article

**lofty9** · 19/11/2006, 8:10 AM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...460087,00.html

I’m not paranoid

Michael Foley
Ollie Byrne has endured a turbulent season at the helm of Shelbourne but he is determined to carry on fighting for the cause

In a portable hut behind the goals at one end of Tolka Park, a day before Shelbourne are crowned Premier Division champions, the club’s chief executive Ollie Byrne works in a world made of paper. A pair of glasses are balanced on the tip of his nose as he pulls a letter from a pile of documents. The end of a long season has left Shelbourne scarred from battle but Byrne is preparing for one more round in the bearpit. Last week his lawyers notified the FAI that Shelbourne would be contesting the decision not to suspend Derry City’s Sean Hargan after a procedural ****-up by the FAI and the Eircom League. They will seek a deduction of nine points that could have a big impact on the Premier Division’s final placings. Hargan was due to serve a suspension, having picked up four yellow cards earlier in the season, but failed to observe his ban, with Derry claiming they hadn’t been informed about the suspension.

**Poor Student** · 19/11/2006, 8:17 AM

“Listening to Michael Collins, there were only negative (outcomes) in relation to Bohemians, but there were no positives in relation to the offended club, which has left a can of worms for the League and football in this country. There’s now a decision that says you can play a suspended player and all that’s going to happen is they’ll deduct three points. Hypothetically, if Cork wanted to make sure Derry lose the League, all they’d have to do is play Joe Gamble and Colin O’Brien (both suspended). Cork win the match and all that happens to them is they lose three points. Maybe unlikely, but where’s the defining line between somebody deliberately doing something and somebody innocently doing something?”

I completely agree with Ollie here. However, the league precedent shows that the way it's done here is only to deduct the offending team three points and I don't think we can shift the goalposts in the middle of the season. I'd be fully supportive of a change of the rule in the off season to allow the wronged club a replay as well as punishing the offending club. I really really hope the issues of this season can lead to people sitting down and debating these rules in a rationed way now that it serves no one's interests in particular.

**onceahoop** · 19/11/2006, 8:26 AM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...0087_1,00.html

I'd expect a mass exodus after the comments in todays Sunday Times. After bursting a gut to win the while not being paid he questions their loyalty because they threatened to strike. Rocks for brains. Who'd want to play for him after that. BTW the offending bit is on page two of the web edition.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 19/11/2006, 8:28 AM

onceahoop

They may already have committed themselves to other clubs, and this might be a passing shot by Ollie.

**lofty9** · 19/11/2006, 8:34 AM

Ref the players loyalty - Who are Bohs rumoured to be signing from them? Is Crowe on the wanted list? If I was a Bohs fan I would be disgusted that the board were looking to pay that mercenary after walking out on them. I'm sure players like Kevin Hunt will not be too impressed if these guys walk in and get offered huge sums, whilst his loyalty goes unrewarded in terms of signing on fees etc.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 19/11/2006, 9:27 AM

Ollie has rarely been proved wrong when it comes to the rule book.
Derry City , should have said nothing about the Bohs/Shels controversy seeing as they virtually got away with a breach of the rules. The fact remains there have been blatant inconsistencies this season with the implementation on the rules of players who are ineligible to play, being played in certain games.

Shamrock Rovers were dealt with in a very high handed manner and didn't even get an explanation as to why their appeal was turned down. It doesn't cost �5000 to write an explanation ".. your appeal has been unsuccessful because....".

Derry City got away with playing a suspended player. Ollie is correct they probably should have been deducted 9 points in the circumstances.

The Bohs v Shels situation, at least their was some consistency on this one.
UCD had a similar situation in 1995/96 when Cork City played three players from cross channel whose registrations had yet to be cleared, in a match in Belfield which City won 1-0. Cork were deducted three points,but U.C.D. did not benefit .

The same thing has happened this year in the Bohs V Shels situation, and I was not surprised at that, for the very reason , that it had previously happened to U.C.D.

**onceahoop** · 19/11/2006, 9:29 AM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

onceahoop

They may already have committed themselves to other clubs, and this might be a passing shot by Ollie.

In Nutsy's case that is definitely true and I was going to make that point in my post but had to dash off. A lot of players are out of contract also, but the point I'd make is are there any players out there who'd want to play for Shels with their financial tribulations and a Chairman who can't understand the simple fact that if you can't pay your employees they can walk away.

**Poor Student** · 19/11/2006, 9:55 AM

I'm not too sure about the alleged mass exodus on the cards. Dave Rodgers is saying he has total faith in him and Stuart Byrne took a pop at everyone but the club when he had the chance to get internal issues out in the open. Ollie Byrne has a sheer desire for the club he loves to keep going at the top. He might squeeze another season out of this squad. I never thought they'd hold it together like they did all through this season. At the same time, I wouldn't be shocked if the exodus did happen.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 19/11/2006, 10:06 AM

Poor Student

Being back in the Champions League qualifier rounds again next season may buy Shels some time with some players. But Fenlon probably won't be there next season, heard a rumour that Rico might be on the way back to Shelbourne.

**1Davy** · 19/11/2006, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by onceahoop

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...0087_1,00.html

I'd expect a mass exodus after the comments in todays Sunday Times. After bursting a gut to win the while not being paid he questions their loyalty because they threatened to strike. Rocks for brains. Who'd want to play for him after that. BTW the offending bit is on page two of the web edition.

Originally Posted by onceahoop

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...0087_1,00.html

I'd expect a mass exodus after the comments in todays Sunday Times. After bursting a gut to win the while not being paid he questions their loyalty because they threatened to strike. Rocks for brains. Who'd want to play for him after that. BTW the offending bit is on page two of the web edition.

That article must have been written by one of his relations.

Ollie is no lovable rogue.

He's a crook. and has no integrity and no morals.

And from the independent....

clubs in trouble with the revenue, clubs delaying payments to players, and clubs threatening High Court action

All of those can be labeled at Ollie

**CollegeTillIDie** · 19/11/2006, 11:19 AM

There's very little loyalty among the majority of professional soccer players nowadays, but they are not the only ones.
There's no loyalty among people in general.
The modern Republic of Ireland as a society is a commitment phobic society.

The die-hard EL fan who goes to as many games as possible in society would be an acception in this case. Ollie , to be fair, as been extremely loyal to his club down through the years

**chippie0001** · 19/11/2006, 11:57 AM

In fairness to pro players, why should they be loyal? They have a limited shelf life in which to make money and play as high as they can. If clubs are not paying their players, who can blame the players for leaving. If it was you or I in our own jobs we would leave. Also if a club offers more than another then obviously the player will leave. Exact same as most people with their jobs.

**Anto McC** · 19/11/2006, 12:12 PM

Glen Crowe said in yesterdays Herald

Originally Posted by The Herald

I hope the squad stays intact,I have 2 years left here and i want to do well with Shels again. I want Pat(Fenlon) to stay,he has done a great job here,winning the league 3 times in 4 years hasn't been matched by anyone in the Eircom League. He's a great manager and has proved himself,though he's still young and hungry,hopefully he'll stay at the club

This thread is making a mountain out of a molehill and onceahoop is scaremongoring. I also think that if the situation was,as Ollie put it,he is right!

**higgins** · 19/11/2006, 1:10 PM

If you are to listen to the foot lads, July 28th was our last day in Tolka

and not to forget Ndo signed for Drogheda in the last transfer window

**BohDiddley** · 19/11/2006, 2:00 PM

Wouldn't necessarily say no to Crowe, but wouldn't bust a gut to get him either.
Granted, he scored a great goal against us in 'the final' but his performance since leaving Bohs has been patchy. We'll want a sure-fire, top-flight winner for our purposes. I'd be worried that buying him back would be influenced by ego and nostalgia,and by getting back at Shels, and that we might overlook fresher options.
Crowe has made the decision to be a mercenary playing resource rather than a Bohemian heart and soul like Hunt, even though he also had the chance to become a club legend. At the time, that hurt, as it was intended to.
He should be sought back on a similarly mercenary basis, on a short contract in which he will have to earn the loyalty of the fans he so readily shafted. A tall order, but if that doesn't suit him, that's fine with me.

**pete** · 19/11/2006, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

The Bohs v Shels situation, at least their was some consistency on this one.
UCD had a similar situation in 1995/96 when Cork City played three players from cross channel whose registrations had yet to be cleared, in a match in Belfield which City won 1-0. Cork were deducted three points,but U.C.D. did not benefit.

The Bohs-Shels game may seem unfair to Shels but it has numerous predents within the league.

Ollie tries to make us beleieve he is protecting the league rule book when he has shown in the past he will bend it any direction to Shels benefit. When Pats were deducted 9 points for registration fiasco did Ollie ask for thos egames to be replayed? Did he request Derry get deducted 9 points this year & have those games replayed?

**pineapple stu** · 19/11/2006, 2:18 PM

Originally Posted by Article

Four years had passed since the Tolka river burst its banks and swept through Tolka Park, ruining the ground and tearing the heart out of the club.�In one sense it�s been responsible for everything that�s happened.Everything eventually caught up with us this year.�

When that was kicked out this season, everything started to wobble. Of their first 11 matches in the League, only five were played at home. Money was tight.

What a snivelling git. Is he seriously trying to blame a flood four years ago for his inability to make a working budget? And does the article - presumably noting a point said by Byrne during the relevant interview - really attempt to excuse Shels' financial problems on the fact that they only had 5 of their first 11 games at home - i.e. exactly what you would statistically expect?

**pete** · 19/11/2006, 2:28 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

...attempt to excuse Shels' financial problems on the fact that they only had 5 of their first 11 games at home - i.e. exactly what you would statistically expect?

Its Shels so maybe 7?

The more articles Ollie does in the press the more he sounds like Ronan Seery. The onlt difference is Shels/Ollie own part of a ground & win games. Take those two away & would be same as Dublin City.

**Gareth** · 19/11/2006, 5:05 PM

No one has left yet. Many want to stay and play on for Shels. Fenlon wants to stay as well. These are all sentiments expressed by these people, not a newspaper. You have to remember that, just because a few papers report it, does not necessarily mean its fact. Remember all the Pat to Bohs articles, which had him installed as manager and no doubt whatsoever of it happening? Well all I can say is you never know until it happens!!!

**CollegeTillIDie** · 19/11/2006, 5:13 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

What a snivelling git. Is he seriously trying to blame a flood four years ago for his inability to make a working budget? And does the article - presumably noting a point said by Byrne during the relevant interview - really attempt to excuse Shels' financial problems on the fact that they only had 5 of their first 11 games at home - i.e. exactly what you would statistically expect?

To be fair Cork City were bleating about going weeks without a home game when they were hit with a tax bill in mid season too.