2022 Rumours | Transfers | Contract Renewals v2

[mike]

I think fans need to get onside with the way the new DFC club is being run, I said this before and I`ll say it again now.

At the last game of last season v Derry, just when SS and AC were announced as new owners, I had a chat with a club official, it was made clear that for the next few seasons, players would not be coming in on previous big big money, and this meant before Mad Bill started handing out huge deals to unknowns in 2021.

The challenge we have is, we are not even at the SK level of attracting / paying top quality players never mind the overpaid rubbish from 2021, and we have to accept we are 3rd in the pecking order now for recruitment, but that doesn't mean we just don't accept 3rd place, we are currently 2nd !!

They said the new owners would have a budget, and a competitive one at that to try and qualify for europe, they could make the odd exception (I`m guessing Hoban was that), but overall it would be min 2 year contracts and on decent to LOI market wages but at the upper end of the scale, this would not be to win leagues though. They said the mess left by p6 was big, but sure we knew that. Taking this into account, we would never be in the running to pay Dundee Utd a fee and to offer better than what Derry gave to Connolly, he probably got 50% more going there, and good luck to him also, he was outstanding during his loan period

Translated and in summary, they have delivered exactly on what they set out to do, I said start of season if we got 3rd and or qualified for europe by any method it would be an amazing turn around and a brilliant season.

We are on target for just that.

[Martin Lawlor80]

I think most fans issues over how the Connolly deal has ended up are twofold.
1. We’re not talking about signing a player from another team or who has never played in the league, what I mean is, it’s not someone we’re taking a gamble on. I think fans agree that Connolly is worth what he’s looking for,( he’s been fan’s POTM and the league’s POTM) but the board won’t pony up. Fans either agree with that decision or don’t . Most fans seem to agree (and I can see why) but I don’t .
2. The fact that such a good player has gone to what are in essence our closest rivals.
These are the 2 annoying things. If he went to say Linfield, it would have been a lot more palatable of course. It would be interesting to know if the likelihood of him going to derry girls played any part in the board’s decision

[muppet]

Should Dundalk have paid the 100k plus fee to Dundee United that Derry did? On top of his wages for the next 3 seasons.
Everyone would have preferred if he stayed but there comes a point we’re you have to say the money is too much. What would happen then when players look for contract renewals knowing he is getting “whatever he wanted”.

[Weelilywhite]

I heard that his wife did not want to settle in Dundalk. While he would have been a great signing, we gave to consider the effect on morale in the dressing room if one player is bring paid wice what the others are being paid.

[seand]

I heard that his wife did not want to settle in Dundalk. While he would have been a great signing, we gave to consider the effect on morale in the dressing room if one player is bring paid wice what the others are being paid.

Jeezus, I take it she's never visited Derry then. Or Dundee for that matter

[Martin Lawlor80]

I heard that his wife did not want to settle in Dundalk. While he would have been a great signing, we gave to consider the effect on morale in the dressing room if one player is bring paid wice what the others are being paid.

I heard the opposite! That he was looking to buy a house in town.
Actually, what I believe is, his wife and kids stayed in Scotland. I presume they’d be happy to live wherever Mark got the best deal.

[Martin Lawlor80]

Should Dundalk have paid the 100k plus fee to Dundee United that Derry did? On top of his wages for the next 3 seasons.
Everyone would have preferred if he stayed but there comes a point we’re you have to say the money is too much. What would happen then when players look for contract renewals knowing he is getting “whatever he wanted”.

I watched an OTB interview with a football agent during the week. It’s on their YouTube channel if anybody wants to check it out. Anyway, he made it clear that there was only a handful of L1 clubs who could afford to pay 100k for a player and these were clubs who should actually be in the Championship. I doubt derry girls could pay that. Where’d you get that figure from?

[Richie87]

I put the link up here last week. .In fairness Derry have an owner who is from the area and wants the Club to do well. He sold his business for over 2 billion last year,so if they really wanted to pay 100k, they probaly would..

[oldfogey]

None of us really know the figures involved and, to be honest, I don't give a fkcu. It's done, I back the decision by the club, and no amount of crying or trying to play the blame game is going to change what has happened. I believe we are bigger than any one player. I will be encouraging the team on Friday night, not booing any opposition player.

[Pepsi]

Lads, Derry didn't pay anywhere near €100k to anyone for Connolly, that's from a journalist close to Dundee. They made an attractive offer to both club and player and the lad signed the contract. We couldn't / didn't want to match what they offered .. very simple. The sh1te about his wife not wanting to come, is just that, no further comment needed.
Dundalk ... where everyone loves a gossip.

[mike]

There is no way a club could sell a 31 yo for 100k with one year left, id say the transfer was quite low, maybe 30k tops, but the bigger side is the 3 year they offered.

When you add all of that in, and bonus you'd probably be looking at 350-400k total package. That is just too much of a gamble for one player, its also more than one round in europe, gross payment.

Excellent player now don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't pay up for that if I was paying the bills.

[oldfogey]

There is no way a club could sell a 31 yo for 100k with one year left, id say the transfer was quite low, maybe 30k tops, but the bigger side is the 3 year they offered.

When you add all of that in, and bonus you'd probably be looking at 350-400k total package. That is just too much of a gamble for one player, its also more than one round in europe, gross payment.

Excellent player now don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't pay up for that if I was paying the bills.

Higgins probably sold the outlay on the basis that Rovers can be overhauled if they make the group stage of the Europa League or Conference. Because of the World Cup, the 6 Group Stage match nights are squeezed into 9 weeks, finishing up the same week as our league. They will be 2 games behind after Friday's postponement (Shelbourne & UCD). The game on the 12th against Derry may go ahead that weekend, but our visit to Tallaght on the 19th clashes with the playoff 1st leg. I thought we had problems.

[Richie87]

I wouldn't say it's a problem. Shamrock Rovers have been aiming to get into group stages for a few years and have built up a experienced Squad.

It would be a failure from here if they don't at least get group stages of the Conference League, with 2 bites of the cherry to go.

[oldfogey]

I wouldn't say it's a problem. Shamrock Rovers have been aiming to get into group stages for a few years and have built up a experienced Squad.

It would be a failure from here if they don't at least get group stages of the Conference League, with 2 bites of the cherry to go.

Getting there won't be a problem, especially after today's draw. It's trying to juggle both the league and group stages at the same time will be the issue. They might well have a big enough squad to rotate, but everybody travels to the away games and there is, after all, only one management and backroom team. With league back fixtures to fulfil, Rovers could conceivably end up playing twice a week from now to the end of the season.

[Richie87]

It will be a challenge b,ut I suppose Stephen Bradley will have to prove himself now by being able to manage both. The first 2 League titles he won , he could focus mainly on the league. Now it's a sign can he manage in Europe and do well in the league

The league is always important, but its added importance now for the smaller Nations with the Conference League an alternative route.