Doolo gone

[John83]

The man who said the following to the Sun:

I’d like a chance to be in charge of a team that’s not likely to disintegrate every season. It’s been frustrating at UCD.

Financially we don’t seem to be in a position to sustain it this season. Virtually every club signed players before last week’s deadline but I couldn’t even get anybody on loan. You are starting all over again and it’s very, very hard.

I just think the club isn’t suited to a professional league any more. That’s the harsh reality of it.

has jumped ship, and is the new Drogs manager. Good riddance! Doolo's team selections were frequently bizarre, he rarely made a good substitution when one was waranted, and he clearly had given up on UCD. Apparently he's also said that it would take a miricle to save UCD from religation. That's not the attitude or the kind of comment you expect from the manager. Good riddance Doolo.

[pineapple stu]

Still think he did a good enough job over the three years, although you do have to wonder about what could have been last season if we'd started better.

Not sure where the new signings comment is coming from though - sure he signed three players before the transfer deadline, all youngsters, but two already First Division regulars. That said, we have to look at how to stop people playing with us for three or four years and then moving on, 'cos we've had two really (or relatively anyway) successful spells in our 25 years in the league (1982-1985 and 1994-2002) and both coincided with fairly few players leaving.

Anyway though - who's next? Theo won't take it. Rico? Noel King (former UCD coach)?! Pete Mahon (Alan's dad)? There's not a lot around really...

One positive thing though is that apparently if we do go down, we're not likely to lose too many players. Given the gap between the Premier and the First, we mightn't be down for that long...

[James]

Liam Murphy for UCD
i know he was a big hit with alot of your fans

[John83]

Originally posted by pineapple stu
Anyway though - who's next? Theo won't take it. Rico? Noel King (former UCD coach)?! Pete Mahon (Alan's dad)? There's not a lot around really...

Roddie Collins?

[pineapple stu]

Don't make jokes!!

Either of you!!!!!

[pete]

Yeah Gunther does better managing kids alright.

Aren't UCD basically a fulltime squad anyway with all those students? I doubt many of those players go to lectures anything, they probably get dispensation for playing foot.ie



Seriously though a year (or 10 ) in the 1st division would probably do ye good...

[Schumi]

Doolin's gone, Boo hoo.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm not pushed about him leaving. That said, I wouldn't have sacked him either. This year, there's not a lot that he could have done with the team (and especially the injuries) that we had. Last season with a good squad, we were bottom of the league for most of the season. Doolo got a lot of credit for the Houdini act at the end of the season, but to my mind, we were capable of that sort of performance all season.

[SÓC]

After seeing ye yesterday I'd say it's a good thing for ye.

The passing football ye played at times was as good as anyone in the league, keeping it on the ground when ever ye could which is all very good but at times hoofs are what is needed.

Look at our goal yesterday, if that was most other teams the throw would have been hoof clear of throw up the pitch for an aerial challange, ye tried to over do it and got caugh.

Will Doolin take his Assistant with him?

[UCD_4_Life]

I just think the club isn’t suited to a professional league any more. That’s the harsh reality of it.

That's the truth. We're not.

It'll remain the truth until we have people involved with the club who want to turn us into a "proper" football club, rather than just "the College team".

I would've liked to see Doolo leave at the end of the season when his contract expired, I don't think it's right just ditching us in mid-season like this, but other than that I say good luck to him. Hopefully he'll get the chance to actually keep his squad together at Drogheda.

[Schumi]

Originally posted by SÓCcfc
Will Doolin take his Assistant with him?

No chance.

[Schumi]

To get back to the original point of this thread, I got this from the text yoke this afternoon!

SPECULATION: Noel King, Harry McCue, Tommy Dunne and Jim Gannon have all been linked with the vacant UCD post in the media today.

[setanta]

Can those who want to debate whether UCD should be in the league or not go to another tread? UCD are in the league and will stay there, for better or worse.

The issue now is who will replace Doolo, but the lack of speculation in the papers does reflect that UCD are not an important club.

Anyway, who's going to get the job? What about that guy in charge of the Ireland under-age teams, Sean something? or Eoin Hand? or Tommy Dunne, with Theo's help? The former Dundalk guy, Martin Murray, could be available. It has to be someone who does not need too much money and someone who believes in grooming players. Or a manager on the way up.

A new manager could give the present players the confidence that they will stay up this season. There are still plenty of points to play for.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Paddy Mulvihill and Stephen Lynch were on Irish scholarships which unlike some of their transatlantic counterparts warrant two things hacking it on the park and in the exam hall. Perhaps one of the two lads fell down on the off the park end of things.

As regards Doolo's replacement, there are a number of attractive options for the club:-
1/ Tommy Dunne with his Dad assisting to him may well be the one we go for. On the plus side would be would save Doolo's wages plus with the compensation Drogs will have to pay us will give us a small fund for the next transfer window to either sign back one of our graduate players from another club or a promising player from another club currently not getting a chance in their first team ( e.g. Robbie Doyle at Bray 2 seasons ago)

2/The other most attractive option is Jim Gannon. A centre-half who may be interested in beginning a career in management in a relatively pressure free environment. He might fix the back four so that we start keeping clean sheets again and would free Tony Mc to play in midfield or alternatively, free Alan McNally to play in midfield.

3/ Noel King or Harry McCue will have to be paid fairly well and might also be frustrated by our lack of budget to sign players.
On the plus side Noel King following his spell at the club 1997/98 knows the lie of the land and if he was interested would be walking in with his eyes wide open and familiar with the club and its ethos. He also knows some of the players who were here then including, Tony Mc, John Martin, Robbie Mc, Robbie Griffin and Mick O'Donnell. That's almost half the team . He has also watched us a fair bit in his role as TV3 pundit.
Harry McCue would require time to get used to the club and the players. We simply don't have that time at our disposal and have to start a run of winning games next time out.

4/ Other options would involve paying out compo to other clubs for taking their managers or else waiting for them to get sacked.

[pineapple stu]

To get back to the original thread topic - i.e. new manager. Four candidates at the moment - McCue, King, Gannon, Dunne

McCue
Pros -
Most experienced of the four.
Cons -
Was sacked for a reason.

King
Pros -
Would get us a higher profile on TV3 probably!
Seems to hate the country teams for some reason, so would be able to get us well fired up for those games!
Was a first team coach with us in 1997/98
Cons -
Those ties.

Dunne
Pros -
Already at the club.
His dad is one of UCD cornerstones for the last 25 years, so he's from a family which understands and respects the way the club is orientated.
Cons -
No experience (apart from the reserve team)

Gannon
Pros -
FA Cup Quarter-finallist (or semis???) in his time with Stockport. Was he in the Chesterfield team which got to the semis?
May have contacts in England for getting youth players.
Centre-back who could still do a job, so he'd be an extra player.
Cons -
No experience in management (although then neither did Doolo)
Is he interested? Can understand where the other three came from, but Gannon's come from nowhere!

Overall, my personal choice would probably be Gannon - much more playing experience than the others which would be beneficial. We've been missing an experienced player since the likes of Doolo, Swaninho, Hanners and Mooners left.

Other names -
Richardson? (Would love to edit his manager's column!!!)
Murray? (Hoof-ball merchant, or is that unfair?)
Mahon? (Doing well at Belgrove, experience at Bohs, son at UCD, refused Kildare job)

[Schumi]

Is Tommy Dunne at UCD? What is he doing here?

As for the others, I wouldn't mind Noel King. At least he'd make sure we didn't fúck up against Waterford again! McCue seems like a right eejit and the Drogs were still $hit after overspending big time. Gannon has no experience but might be handy as a player-manager. Is he still playing for Shels and would we have to pay them off.

[Schumi]

An ode to Doolo

[pineapple stu]

Tommy Dunne's our reserve team manager.

[UCD_4_Life]

Apparently Doolo has been conducting Drogheda United training sessions in his U.C.D. jacket.

Bum.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Paul Doolin the new Drogheda United manager was interviewed on Newstalk 106 earlier tonight. And said leaving UCD was a wrench, that he appreciated being given the opportunity to manage at the highest level by the club. That he had the chance of being able to learn his trade without being under pressure from the board to get certain results, only to stay up.
He was also fed up with losing players at the end of every season ( and although he didn't say it for no fee must stick in the craw).

He also said that having to produce results for a demanding bunch of supporters was going to be something he would have to learn to live with.

So lads ye a re too nice to the management (which is actually a good thing).

Now the good news is Drogs owe us compo, for taking Doolin away while he was under contract. This is money UCD would not have been getting had he left us when the contract was up at the end of the season. Good luck to him and may United lose every game against UCD from now on !

The second potential bit of good news is that Shamrock Rovers have now become homeless and may look to rent Belfield Park from the club. That would be another source of sheckles for the club coffers. Even of only for one or two games .

So with Hoops minority scumbag element having secured their eviction from Pairc na Soilse , Doolo leaving with months remaining on the contract, we may have a small transfer budget at the end of the season with which to hang to or acquire players

[Schumi]

Originally posted by CollegeTillIDie
The second potential bit of good news is that Shamrock Rovers have now become homeless and may look to rent Belfield Park from the club. That would be another source of sheckles for the club coffers. Even if only for one or two games.

I doubt we'll let them play all their home games in Belfield. Was talking to club officials after the Cork game and I don't think they'll be renting Belfield long term. We'll probably play our 'away' match against them in Belfield (as with the league cup game) but I'd say that'll be it. So long as I don't get landed with going to Bray, I'll be happy!