Noel O'Connor

**LFC in Exile** · 31/03/2003, 1:47 PM

I have just heard the news. I don't know what to think about it. On balance Ithink O'Connor was good for the club - we won a trophy under him. He came in at a very bad time in the club's history and held things together well.

I don't know know what goes on inside the club but the impression I have is that O'Connor is a good coach but maybe not good manager. There is a distinction. A good coach will send out a wel-balanced and organised side. A good manager wuill be able to react well to situations on the field, something I think O'Connor struggled with e.g. tactical changes, substituions etc.

On a personla level I wish him all the best with Cork (who must see something in him - Dolan knows more than Lims Fan) and would liek to thank him for what he gave to the club in a difficult time. Maybe this could be good for the club in the long-run, as Noel can only develop as a coach from working with a pro outfit like Cork and in a few years time return to the Blues? Who knows...

On theother hand I think the timing is awful. I think Noel could have been fairer to us. Just a couple of weeks before the start of the season. I suspect that Kerley will get it simply because he is the guy in situ. Calling in someone completely new from the outside is going to be very difficult. That is a shame because if the club had time they could have looked around, but anyone would be reluctant to take over at this late stage. I don't know what Kerley's qualifications are but I would've liked to have seen a manager used to the eL scene. I think the club could do a lot worse than appoint Ray O'Halloran as manager and Kerley as coach. The coach and manager do not need to be the same person. It may also allow us to keep Kerley involved and appoint someone as manager from outside e.g. Decky Daly. I also would not be averse to Tommy Gaynor who has a lot of experience and has doenan excellent job, albeit at junior level, with Peake Villa.

At least Tommy Lunch is out of the equation...

**sadloserkid** · 31/03/2003, 2:28 PM

All good points and I'll join you in wishing Noel O'Connor the best. I can't see how O'Halloran is more qualified than Kerley though. Kerley's been around as well and is a former player of the year with both Cork City and Kilkenny 'City' so I think he knows the eL scene as well as, if not better than O'Halloran. I think that Kerley has as much pedigree as any of those mentioned, more experience at eL management (albeit just a sub-par spell as U-21 boss) and unless somebody knows something I don't his qualifications are far superior to the other contenders you mention!

**LFC in Exile** · 31/03/2003, 3:09 PM

Please forgive my usual ineloquence.

I agree that as a coach Kerley may well be better qualified than anyone I mentioned. I don't know the man and I have very little to go on in terms of how he would fare. However, I think coaching ability can get you so far while experience gets you an extra bit. Experience of reading of a game - seeing how a game is developing and reacting to that. I think Tommy Gaynor, Razor and Decky Daly had that in spades as players (particularly Razor) and Gaynor has played at a very high level. He might have learned his management skills from Cloughie!

I think the best solution might be to have a coach i.e. Kerley and a manager (one of the aforementioned so that you get the best of all worlds). Kerley may not accept that of course. I certainly would not be against a Kerley appointment and would give him a fair crack.

As long as it is not Billy Kinnane!

**LFC in Exile** · 31/03/2003, 3:11 PM

By the way - what are Kerley's coaching qualifications?

**sadloserkid** · 31/03/2003, 3:11 PM

Originally posted by LFC in Exile
As long as it is not Billy Kinnane!

Amen to that! I've heard one of the old guard recommend him as a potential assistant to Kerley but in general the feeling is to snigger guiltily every time his name is mentioned!

Originally posted by LFC in Exile
What are Kerley's coaching qualifications?

AFAIK he has a UEFA coaching badge anyway. After that I'll have to get back to you. My first reaction was a bit uncertain but upon reflection I think it's a good move. Still not 100% of course! (about if the job it definately Kerley's and not his ability to do it)

**LFC in Exile** · 31/03/2003, 3:57 PM

How do you that "quote" thing. Would be handy responding to Lims Fan's rants.

**sadloserkid** · 31/03/2003, 4:00 PM

Originally posted by LFC in Exile
How do you that "quote" thing. Would be handy responding to Lims Fan's rants.

The quote option is given at the bottom right of every post. Just click it and away you go. If you want to put in multiple posts I think you have to copy/cut and paste, I can't think of an easier way anyway.

**A face** · 31/03/2003, 4:11 PM

Is there someone in the running already ... any ideas ??

Lads, the best of luck anyway in the hunt for a new guy.
And City fans know how it is to lose a manager at such short notice.

**ian** · 31/03/2003, 5:32 PM

Lads the best of luck for you to find a New manager and a good one at that.Hope to see you up in the next 2 years.

**LFC10** · 31/03/2003, 6:04 PM

Is nobody else ****ed off at the guy. I think its a bit of a shame. I mean, Limerick gave him the chance as a manager when really he was an unknown-apart from the u21's. Most of us at that time would have been looking for a manager with more experience. I suppose he has not been bad for the club and has done as good a job as could be expected under the circumstances. I give I'm just a bit peeved that we are without a manager when the league is starting so soon.

Also will this mean we may get back the services of Oran Weldrick and other people who Noel wasn't on the best of terms with. Possibly even Derek McC??? Although I suppose that deal is really done??

Anyway I think Ray O'H wouldn't be a bad choice. I think Kerley would be a disaster but I may be influenced by the fact that I didn't like him as a player. Any other suggestions?? We probably should look to the outside.

**sadloserkid** · 01/04/2003, 8:10 AM

I heard last night that Welderick is going abroad for a bit after his degree so I don't know what will happen with that. Derek McCarthy hasn't signed for Kilkenny yet and apparently that's the first thing caretaker boss Mike Kerley has been told.

lims fan · 01/04/2003, 8:31 AM

I'm getting really ****ed off with this club.

3 huge opportunities have come their way in recent months

1. Fans forum - a chance to repair 20 years of damage and bad image with the limerick public and they in turn promise a new forum in january to give concrete answers. The forum never happened and no mention of it ever came about.
2. New ground - The club didn't even pick up the phone to enquire about Thomond park or Markets Field - they took the worst option - then they chose thursday kickoffs - I have had it with these amateurs. How can we keep supporting such morons.
3. New manager - It seems the club will now just appoint kerley or some muppet within arms reach with a local accent instead of seizing the chance to get in a guy of calibre.

Why can't the club fulfill the bohs game? Its so ****ing stupid? Were they all meant to go in O'Connors car or something?

The only local based choices who have ACHIEVED at LOI level as managers would be
NOBODY

**sadloserkid** · 01/04/2003, 8:42 AM

Originally posted by lims fan
Why can't the club fulfill the bohs game? Its so ****ing stupid? Were they all meant to go in O'Connors car or something?

Bohs cancelled it.

**deise deserter** · 01/04/2003, 3:20 PM

Posted by Lims Fan:

How can we keep supporting such morons.

I have often wondered why you are supporting the club. The only time I heard you say anything good about the club was when you said that O'Connor should keep Weldrick. I think your praise of Weldrick had more to do with you wanting tio get a dig at O'Connor, than Weldrick himself. You absolutely blasted him last year, and didn't rate him at all.

If the club actually upsets you that much, maybe you SHOULD stop supporting it.

Posted by LFC10:

Is nobody else ****ed off at the guy.

I can see where you're coming from but I think Noel was right to keep it to himself for the past week until he made up his mind. To be honest I think it would have been wrong of him (for his own career advancement) not to have taken the chance to move up to the premiers - the guy has ambition, and I hope he does well out of it.

Posted by LFC in Exile:

Ithink O'Connor was good for the club - we won a trophy under him. He came in at a very bad time in the club's history and held things together well.

I completely agree with you on this LFC In E. The guy did well for us, when there was nothing for him to work with - you have to give him his dues on that.

**LFC in Exile** · 01/04/2003, 4:53 PM

Have to say I am a bit annoyed at O'Connor dropping us in it alright. He got dumped on two years ago when Lunchbox left and now he does it himself. I am a bit more annoyed at Cork City though. If you take it that O'Connor had to take the chance to go when it presented itself (for his own career) then Cork are out of order for approaching him in the first place.

There are rules about clubs approaching managers and players in contract - did Noel have a contract? Maybe the club let him talk to Cork because he has served them well and it would be petty to stand in his way now. Who knows? Anyway, if Dolan can leave the first division without a club two weeks before kick-off (remember St Francis) then leaving a club without a manager wouldn't bother him in the slightest.

**BlueisBeautiful** · 01/04/2003, 8:45 PM

...... about Kerley taking over. He sometimes seemed disinterested as a player so the manager's job is a strange one to envisage him in. Doesn't look like Richardson or any established names are gonna be approached for the job. This avenue should be explored, ambitious and confident managers would relish a challenge like Limerick! The potential is there, all we need is the right man. It's all about the manager (i.e Keely, Hill getting results with limited resources).

**sadloserkid** · 02/04/2003, 8:13 AM

Somebody told me the other day that Noel hadn't been offered a contract by Limerick, the implication I got was that he's never actually had a contract, he's just been paid on a week-to-week basis. That's why he was free to talk to Cork. As for the replacement anybody should be encouraged to apply for the job and the club should stage an interview process with all interested candidates - local, national or international (Jean Tigana anyone?)

**deise deserter** · 02/04/2003, 10:18 AM

Posted by SLK:

Noel hadn't been offered a contract by Limerick, the implication I got was that he's never actually had a contract, he's just been paid on a week-to-week basis.

I can see this being true. Our players are being payed while the season is running, and go without pay for the remainder of the year. Anyone in a position that is unstable as that would have to be nuts not to grab a good thing like Noel did with the Cork job.

**JohnD** · 02/04/2003, 2:25 PM

I have to agree with Blue is Beautiful. This is our chance to try and get a decent manager..one with LOI experience and some People skills..Apols for not posting too much this week..Championship Manager 4 has me too busy..Maybe after another month I will be experienced enough for the job..I am managing the team already albeit virtually on my PC !!!

**sadloserkid** · 02/04/2003, 2:28 PM

Originally posted by JohnD
Championship Manager 4 has me too busy

I won't get a chance to really tear into CM4 until this weekend. I've gotten Limerick promoted in the last two editions and even established myself in the top flight but aside from a couple of first division titles and Munster Senior cups I've yet to win anything though I lost the League Cup Final once as well. Haven't been blown away by CM4 as of yet, what do you think?