2021 Rumours | Transfers | Contract Renewals

[Ezeikial]

It’s probably well passed time to start a dedicated 2021 season Rumours, Transfer & Contract Renewals thread, especially as the discussion is growing across a number of other threads.

Background / Current Situation
According to James Rogers in an article at the end of March

Amongst those whose deals are up at the end of this year include
Sean Gannon,
Michael Duffy,
Brian Gartland,
Gary Rogers,
Jordan Flores,
Sean Murray,
Sean Hoare,
Georgie Kelly,
Aaron McCarey,
Daniel Kelly,
Lido Lotefa,
Dane Massey
John Mountney.

http://jamesrogers.ie/contract-renewal- ... le-future/

Short Term signings
Since then we have signed players on a short-term deals:
Josh Gatt (end of season)
Nathan Oduwa (not officially declared)

Assumptions
In does not automatically follow that out-of-contract players will move to other clubs or that players currently contracted for 2021 will be part of the squad. Without knowing who will be responsible for player recruitment, the budget, European qualification, attractiveness of management team etc predictions on squad formation is almost impossible

Deficiencies in current squad
Many would point to the defensive frailties as being our current Achilles Heal – 14 goals conceded in 10 league games on top of the 3 Cup goals – seems to strong evidence. While it is an obvious significant problem, I believe our core problem has been our failure to replace key central midfield players such as Richie Towell, Stephen O’Donnell, and Ronan Finn; to a lessor and more recent extent Robbie Benson and Jamie McGrath have left big gaps.

Solutions
To reverse the midfield issue – it did not just start this season - where we lack attacking creativity and penetration, along a diminished ability to control the tempo and defensive aspects, in my view we need a minimum of 2-3 of the quality mentioned above to complement fit and functioning players Patrick McEleney and Chris Shields (Greg Sloggett has the potential to replace him as first choice no 6 for next season)

I think all the defence is under pressure. Brian Gartland may make it as part of the back-up team, squad member and captain, but Dane Massey and Daniel Cleary are the most likely to be released. Sean Gannon is likely to be in the top 2-3 right backs in the league next season but if he is at Oriel Park probably depends on attitudes, interests and cost - ditto Cameron Dummigan.
Sean Hoare and Andy Boyle have places to play for between now and the end of the season while Daragh Leahy is the most likely defender to be here.

It’s well possible that neither Aaron McCarey nor Gary Rogers will be re-signed but a keeper of the quality of Brian Murphy (Waterford) James Talbot (Bohs) or ex St Pats & Peterborough Conor O’Malley can be recruited

Michael Duffy re-signing is critical and a striker with pace and movement to provide an alternative attacking option to Patrick Hoban.

Current Squad
Apart from the players mentioned above as likely departures, I really can’t see how Sean Murray, Jordan Flores, Will Patching, John Mountney, Lido Litofa, Will Patching, Gary Rogers or Georgie Kelly will be here next season and surprised (if not amazed) if Nathan Oduwa and Josh Gatt are also here. Daniel Kelly has a shout

One to Watch
Tunmise Sobowale, 20 year old right back at Waterford Utd

[Ezeikial]

Other Young players to watch

Andy Lyons (Bohs) - 20 year old right back
Luke McNally (St Pats) - 20 year old Centre Half
Ciaron Harkin (Derry City) - 24 year old Defensive midfielder
Eoin Toal (Derry City) - 21 Year old Centre Half

[niall_hearty2000]

Other Young players to watch

Andy Lyons (Bohs) - 20 year old right back
Luke McNally (St Pats) - 20 year old Centre Half
Ciaron Harkin (Derry City) - 24 year old Defensive midfielder
Eoin Toal (Derry City) - 21 Year old Centre Half

Bohs nó longer need to sell players to balance the books.

[Peak11]

I would expect the under contract players to be kept. Like Patching, for example. Otherwise what was the point?

A team where all the OOC players leave and the rest stay looks like:

New GK
New RB-Cleary-Boyle-Leahy
Shields-Sloggett
Colovic-McEleney-Patching
Hoban

Of the players that are OOC, the only one I'd really push the boat out for would be Duffy. Based on what was said about Gartland in Dan McD's big piece, I could see him staying. Maybe take Norton's role! I'd like to see Massey get an extension too, even if he's no longer first choice. He's clearly one of our most positive club players. I'd also be happy to see Hoare and Daniel Kelly stay. We've all been waiting for Gannon to up sticks and go to Rovers. Maybe this is the year he does it? It certainly feels like he's on his way out. But if he can find his appetite for us again I'd like to keep him, too.

As has been obvious for three full seasons now, it's the number 8 position that jumps out as our big problem area. Add to that number 10, seeing as McEleney can't stay injury free and never recaptured his 2016-17 form. So just the two most influential positions on the pitch, then - no biggy!

[Ezeikial]

Other Young players to watch

Andy Lyons (Bohs) - 20 year old right back
Luke McNally (St Pats) - 20 year old Centre Half
Ciaron Harkin (Derry City) - 24 year old Defensive midfielder
Eoin Toal (Derry City) - 21 Year old Centre Half

Bohs nó longer need to sell players to balance the books.

It tends to be the case that clubs always try to hold on their better contracted players. The good ones are obviously the most difficult to sign

[Ezeikial]

I would expect the under contract players to be kept. Like Patching, for example. Otherwise what was the point?

A team where all the OOC players leave and the rest stay looks like:

New GK
New RB-Cleary-Boyle-Leahy
Shields-Sloggett
Colovic-McEleney-Patching
Hoban

Of the players that are OOC, the only one I'd really push the boat out for would be Duffy. Based on what was said about Gartland in Dan McD's big piece, I could see him staying. Maybe take Norton's role! I'd like to see Massey get an extension too, even if he's no longer first choice. He's clearly one of our most positive club players. I'd also be happy to see Hoare and Daniel Kelly stay. We've all been waiting for Gannon to up sticks and go to Rovers. Maybe this is the year he does it? It certainly feels like he's on his way out. But if he can find his appetite for us again I'd like to keep him, too.

As has been obvious for three full seasons now, it's the number 8 position that jumps out as our big problem area. Add to that number 10, seeing as McEleney can't stay injury free and never recaptured his 2016-17 form. So just the two most influential positions on the pitch, then - no biggy!

I suppose it is conceivable that all of the under contract players you mention would be here next year, but I don't see anything remotely near what we need in the 3 key centre midfield positions between the current iterations of Shields, Sloggett, Colovic, McEleney and Patching.

Rovers have build a decent squad, we need a serious inject of quality at 6, 8 and 10 (especially 8 & 10) to have a resonable expectation of surpassing them next season

[Peak11]

I have no idea of the details, but I would imagine some of the Rovers players must be out of contract this season too. They have no income either. I wonder if SDCC is letting them off their rent of Tallaght?

[Peak11]

This isn't a dig at Peak 6 exactly, more a comment that we didn't benefit from all their supposed connections one bit. The below is a list of everyone signed starting with the 2018 season - a whole squad! And it doesn't include Jarvis, Folan and Hoban (who were signed before the takeover), Adorjan or Flores (who were identified and agreed in principal before Peak 6 came in).

It's probably not fair to judge some of these - they haven't had much of a chance. But has any of them had a big impact? We keep hearing how we have the best squad since whenever... how many of these would you take over the 2016 squad? How many of them are evidence of a next level?

2020 David McMillan
Greg Sloggett
Darragh Leahy
Nathan Oduwa
Will Patching
Stefan Čolović
Cammy Smith
Josh Gatt
2019 Andy Boyle
Seán Murray
Aaron McCarey
Cameron Dummigan
Daniel Kelly
Joe McKee
Aaron McCarey
Ross Treacy
Georgie Kelly
2018 Patrick McEleney
Daniel Cleary
Sam Byrne
Karolis Chvedukas
Ronan Murray
Marco Tagbajumi

Daniel Kelly might be the only one, in flashes. Cleary before his dreadful August. Sloggett, Čolović, and Leahy all look good so far and could all turn out well. But is that it?

[Shoco]

I don’t see how any team is ina position to give contracts for next season.

We have no idea what is going to happen over the winter with Covid 19,
We have no idea if spectators will be allowed to games if next season goes ahead as planned,
We halve no idea if a financial package has been discussed with the clubs for next season if there is no/reduced fans.
Sponsorship deals that end this season are going to be a hard sell next season, sponsors themselves may not even have the money.

It’s practically impossible for any team to budget for next season at the minute, let alone try and offer the top players deals that they don’t know if they can honour or not. I’d imagine a lot of new contracts will have clauses built in to cover the clubs regarding Covid. I can see it being a mess in the off season with the current info we have

[Ezeikial]

Am I the only one who feels that Stephen Kenny was a major factor in players signing for Dundalk instead of going elsewhere?

Stephen Kenny's involvement in signings from 2013 were still impacting positively on the club as late as 2019.

Everybody has been going on about how the manager should be entitled to decide who he (re-)signs and which team takes the field. Under no circumstances should the board - or the owners father - be making those decisions.

So who do people expect to make those decisions now? Or is it the case that - with one win against a 1st Division team and one win against a newly promoted side - big Fil deserves the job permanently?

It does not have to be the manager doing this job, it could be a Director Of Football, or a shared tied responsibility role, but certainly not a job for a hobbiest or enthusiast in Florida

Pat Fenlon could be an interesting option in this DOF role but could handle the full manager & recruitment job combined, although he could be too strong a personality for Bill

[Peak11]

I don’t see how any team is ina position to give contracts for next season.

We have no idea what is going to happen over the winter with Covid 19,
We have no idea if spectators will be allowed to games if next season goes ahead as planned,
We halve no idea if a financial package has been discussed with the clubs for next season if there is no/reduced fans.
Sponsorship deals that end this season are going to be a hard sell next season, sponsors themselves may not even have the money.

It’s practically impossible for any team to budget for next season at the minute, let alone try and offer the top players deals that they don’t know if they can honour or not. I’d imagine a lot of new contracts will have clauses built in to cover the clubs regarding Covid. I can see it being a mess in the off season with the current info we have

I agree with you. The Rovers players took a voluntary (so they claimed) 25% pay cut. I wonder did they expect that to go on this long? Do they expect their pay to be restored?

The newspaper articles about Perth's exit spoke about players being angry about contract offers or the lack of, but that's one of the few things in the whole shitshow Peak 6 have got right while everything is still in a heap.

To take oldfogey's question over from the Shels thread, maybe we should be going down the Director of Football / Head Coach route, with the former doing the signing (and overseeing the underage) and the latter putting the team on the pitch.

[oldfogey]

"not my role" says Fil "but I'm sure the club will do the right thing". Has Abu Dhabi filled him in on

The history of Dundalk FC: Jan to Aug 2020

https://amp.independent.ie/sport/soccer ... ssion=true

[Peak11]

The line in that about players having offers from elsewhere... if that's supposed to be clubs in Ireland, north or south, I would think that their agents are spoofing. If our best players want to go to the anonymity of League 1 then best of luck to them.

[Sneachta]

It may be anonymous EP but it's more money and that's the bottom line. Even though the standard can be as muck as a November night in Finn park.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6000 using Tapatalk

[niall_hearty2000]

The line in that about players having offers from elsewhere... if that's supposed to be clubs in Ireland, north or south, I would think that their agents are spoofing. If our best players want to go to the anonymity of League 1 then best of luck to them.

Careers are short. Money talks. Medals are fantastic but won't pay the mortgage. I won all Ireland gold medals and competed internationally for Ireland in athletics, great at the time, something to proudly tell the child about, but ultimately didn't and hasn't paid my mortgage. Salford might be a crappy suburb of greater Manchester but Towell is raking the cash in. Would 4 more league titles in Ireland buy him a house and leave him mortgage free? No. But 3 seasons in Salford more than likely will. And that's all that matters.