Willie Doyle

[ForzaWexford]

Forgot to say, we're on the lookout for a keeper too. Seemingly!

[Footsoldier]

I think a keeper is the one position where Mick should go out and sign someone from outside the county with LoI experience. I thought Russell and Doyle did a decent job but I just feel that getting someone with experience would add that little bit to the backline. The last few games showed us that the backs were growing in confidence. Rossi looks the biz. Calm as fcuk!

An experienced keeper and Doyle for this year would be great. Doyle could learn bucket loads. I'm basing that on the presumption that Russell isn't coming back though. If he is - Apologies Jayo!

[passinginterest]

An experienced keeper would definitely be a bonus. I've noticed Mick criticising Doyle a few times about his attitude and concentration, he'd definitely benefit from a few seasons as understudy to someone experienced. Most keepers don't really mature until late twenties.

[ForzaWexford]

Yeah he's fairly young, still U-18.

Aside from a keeper, I think we need someone with eL experience to play a holding role in midfield. Someone to slow the game down and try dictate the play a bit. Conor and Patsy did very well last year but if we had a little more cuteness about us a lot of those 1-0 and 2-1 defeats might have ended in draws.

Think it was around 12 games which we lost by 1 goal last year.

[ForzaForth]

Would like to see big centre-half who can dominate in the air. We gave away far too many headed goals last year. Rossi or Anto could sweep behind him. Rossi looks the better organiser.

[oldyouth]

My opinion is that Russell is a better (but not by far) keeper than Pa, but a back line can make a keeper look bad when it is not his fault. We need to sort out the set pieces as a defensive UNIT!!!

[Lim till i die]

I think a keeper is the one position where Mick should go out and sign someone from outside the county with LoI experience.

Just on this how would Wexford fans feel about players being signed from outside the county to bring success

Do you think it would adversly affect the crowds or would they pick up anyway if the team was better

[passinginterest]

Just on this how would Wexford fans feel about players being signed from outside the county to bring success

Do you think it would adversly affect the crowds or would they pick up anyway if the team was better

Personally no problem as long as the players in question are willing to move to Wexford and commit to the club.
As long as it was selective and measures are in place to ensure local players will remain central to the club. It's about finding a balance between community club and competitive league of Ireland team. The team will need to be competitive to keep people interested, more fans will come out to see a successful side with some 'outsiders' than a local side getting hammered every season.

[oldyouth]

Totally agree with passinginterest and the longer you go without breaking your own self imposed rule, the more difficult it becomes to change things. My opinion is that you look locally first but if you don't succeeed in finding a key player, then look outside. However, no journeymen need apply!!!!

[Lim till i die]

It's about finding a balance between community club and competitive league of Ireland team.

That's exactly it.

There's many the provincial side that packed the team full of Dubs and did Ok but no one went to watch them.

You have to tread carefully

[pineapple stu]

Just thinking - Wexford Youths appear very similar to UCD when we first entered the league in 79. Amateur team, all local (or from college, in our case). We had to change to have any hope of competing, and I reckon Wexford will in due course, but we've kept the core focus the same, which I'd imagine Wexford could do too (core of local young players with some experienced heads too). Only difference is that our "locality" isn't as restricting.

[ForzaWexford]

I'd have to agree with everything which has been said so far.

We have a load of 18-20 year olds at our disposal who will hopefuly have come on a bit from last year. I know most of them personally and you can see - in the dedicated ones at least - a complete change in lifestlye. Not just towards their training, but eating properly, staying off the drink, going to the gym etc. They're still foing to be quite "raw" though which is why I would definitely be in favour of bringing 1 or 2 new players in. As I said earlier, someone to try dictate the play a little more from the middle would be ideal for us.

On a kind of related note, disappointing to see Kilkenny's departure from the league. Not only was it "just up the road" as such but they would surely have been good for 9 or 10 points had they stayed in the division! I wonder how prepared Sporting Fingal are going to be. They have a fine set-up and a pretty big catchment area.

[wexfordseagull]

bringing in a goalkeeper i can live with as it is a specialised position

[oldyouth]

Met Willie today at the U-18 game, seems like a nice chap.
€7 to watch the young lads today.... a little steep I think
I heard Cork are coming down on 17th Feb. We seem to have a testing pre-season line up going on, looking forward to it

[Footsoldier]

That's exactly it.

There's many the provincial side that packed the team full of Dubs and did Ok but no one went to watch them.

You have to tread carefully

I totally agree with you
We all know that we'll struggle while we have just the local junior players making the step up. However, I think Mick has it right by getting that "local" mentality into the club.

When Kilkenny City (RIP) won the league in '97, Alfie Hale had the team made up entirely from players from the South-East. Lads from Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow and Wexford. The only player he had from outside the area was Ashley Stephenson, the keeper! An English lad who they had in as a pro. He moved to Waterford and played with them for a few years.

Derry have a good set-up, I believe. They'll sign in players from outside, but they have to move up to Derry. Having said that, it's easier to say that to pro's. Not sure how that'd work for us. They'd hardly move down for the beautiful women!!!!

[kopite]

footsoldier,thought LTID was off yer mailing list? forgive and forget,eh? well you won't when the Lim lads find out we have a PINK jersey next season,yep a PINK jersey.the lads played like pansys last season, now they'll look like one.if the shirt fits.....

[John83]

Derry have a good set-up, I believe. They'll sign in players from outside, but they have to move up to Derry. Having said that, it's easier to say that to pro's. Not sure how that'd work for us. They'd hardly move down for the beautiful women!!!!

I don't know if that's correct. I think I've heard of Derry players training in Dublin. I may be confusing things though.

[pineapple stu]

Stephen Kenny was fairly insistent about his players moving to Derry. One of the reasons Clive left.

[John83]

Stephen Kenny was fairly insistent about his players moving to Derry. One of the reasons Clive left.

Okay - a Kenny thing rather than a Derry thing so.

[pineapple stu]

I think they kept it afterwards though, in fairness. And obviously I'd expect it's back in force now if it did go while Fenlon and Robertson were in charge.