Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

kksaints

artanevilla wrote: »

Anto Breslin goal of the season. Ronaldinho like.

Ugh, fecking wind curled it perfectly. Bohs have been better since tho.

kksaints

Dreadful from us. So slow in possession and such limited creativity. For all the talk over Georgie Kelly, he's been disappointing so far and compared to Wright today looked an inferior player. Far more to worry about that, than just him though.

Richard Hillman

tastyt wrote: »

Interesting interview from vinny Perth on radio 1

Says he was under pressure from above to pick certain teams and that contributed to him losing his job

That’s a slippery slope

I was watching the Champions League game on Wednesday and noticed the players were not passing it to Nathan Oduwa when he came off the bench. He was completely open, right beside his team mates and they just wouldn't pass it to him. I found it really really noticeable.

I wonder is he one of the players and the players were protesting in not pass it to him. He did get some ball but it was plainly obvious at times that they were not passing it to him.

Oat23

artanevilla wrote: »

*are going to win the league.

Wouldn't suprise me at all. Shams bottled it last season and to be honest whenever I've seen them recently they've been fairly average despite on paper having a great squad.

Looked good against Harps in the first half and won 3-1. Since then they've robbed 3 points in Derry and drew with Pats & Shels, failing to score in both.

Looking forward to the derby in a few weeks to see how Bohs do against them.

c.p.w.g.w

Who is the commenter on WatchLOI, for the game silgo Dundalk

kksaints

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Who is the commenter on WatchLOI, for the game silgo Dundalk

That's Darragh Maloney. RTE football host.

c.p.w.g.w

kksaints wrote: »

That's Darragh Maloney. RTE football host.

Cheers sounded so familiar

Oat23

The league is so close. We've gone from 2 points above relegation to what will likely be a European spot with that goal.

The condensed season is a b*stard because any team who has a poor/unlucky run of 2-3 games could end up going down when in a normal season it doesn't really matter.

kksaints wrote: »

That's Darragh Maloney. RTE football host.

He must be on a 'staycation' in Sligo and said he'd cover it because I don't think he was on the list of WatchLOI commentators.

Ohmeha

What a peno save that by McGinty

Oat23

Ohmeha wrote: »

What a peno save that by McGinty

I think it hit the bar as well.

Only a matter of time before Dundalk score you feel. It's like their game vs Waterford except we still have 11, not 10.

joeysoap

I make that the 3rd penalty save for him against Hoban. Dundalk wouldn’t score in a brothel.

Oat23

joeysoap wrote: »

I make that the 3rd penalty save for him against Hoban. Dundalk wouldn’t score in a brothel.

6 misses in his career. 4 against Sligo Rovers and 3 of them were against McGinty according to Maloney. Mad stat.

joeysoap

Cobh must be quacking in their boots.

shanec1928

Dundalk are muck

Dillonb3

Dundalk's collapse is absolutely shocking . I'd be very worried about holding onto a European spot at this stage

Oat23

I know he's tall but how in god's name does an attacker like Oduwa end up as the one marking Junior from a set piece? He looked clueless.

Peter File

Dillonb3 wrote: »

Dundalk's collapse is absolutely shocking . I'd be very worried about holding onto a European spot at this stage

They have no chance of making Europe on current form which is relegation form. A nice team to bet against at the moment

Oat23

Looked back at that penalty decision and it seemed seriously harsh. Callan-McFadden didn't do a whole lot to Hoban. Fell over shouting and the ref hands them a lifeline.

Oat23

Great win. According to Darragh Maloney, 4th is the highest position we've held in the league since 2014 when we finished 5th. Six bloody years

Charliebull

Oat23 wrote: »

Great win. According to Darragh Maloney, 4th is the highest position we've held in the league since 2014 when we finished 5th. Six bloody years

Christ it only seems like yesterday we were top of the pile

Dr. Bre

Robbie Keane linked to Dundalk . Owners looking for a big name

Wuff Wuff

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Robbie Keane linked to Dundalk . Owners looking for a big name

He'd do a better job upfront than Hoban anyways 😉

joeysoap

Only 2 points since the break, relegation form. 12 points before break should save them

Irishmale0399

joeysoap wrote: »

Only 2 points since the break, relegation form. 12 points before break should save them

The squad needs a good kick up the hole.....pack them into the old dressing rooms, no canteen, no warm showers.....let them know what it was like before the money came in. 15-20 odd divas in there. Players look a yard off the pace, some of them look like they are carrying too much weight/muscle......others just look like they couldnt give a sh1te and are going through the motions. Hard to believe 15-17 of them are out of contract at the end of the season.....they all look like they are on lifetime deals, as none of them seem to be trying to prove they are worth a new deal. 2 fingers to the owners and fans alike after them getting paid during the lockdown.

Oat23

Irishmale0399 wrote: »

Hard to believe 15-17 of them are out of contract at the end of the season.....they all look like they are on lifetime deals, as none of them seem to be trying to prove they are worth a new deal.

Maybe your problem is half the team has already been told or know they won't be getting a new deal and can't be arsed anymore.

That and repeatedly starting Gartland and Rogers who both need to call it a day in all honesty.

Irishmale0399

Oat23 wrote: »

Maybe your problem is half the team has already been told or know they won't be getting a new deal and can't be arsed anymore.

That and repeatedly starting Gartland and Rogers who both need to call it a day in all honesty.

If that is the case they should have the balls to walk now and stop insulting the fans, let alone the owners who have paid them over the last months. Would also say a lot about them professionally.....if they were out of contract I certainly would be worried if I was the chairman of another club trying to sign them.



Rogers seems to have lost his reactions if he has to go low or has he been doing too much weight work during lockdown?? Personally feel some of them need a week or more with an athletics trainer. Gartland is he really much worse than Cleary at the minute???



The joys of being an armchair manager.

joeysoap

Problem is they are too loyal to too many players.take Rogers should have been dropped 3/4 matches ago, and if McCarey isn't good enough then why is he here? fwiw I think hes good enough, but I thought Treacy was OK too. Kenny dropped Rogers during the europa league matches,

Irishmale0399

joeysoap wrote: »

Problem is they are too loyal to too many players.take Rogers should have been dropped 3/4 matches ago, and if McCarey isn't good enough then why is he here? fwiw I think hes good enough, but I thought Treacy was OK too. Kenny dropped Rogers during the europa league matches,

2 points there...


1. Vinny was very loyal to certain players, was almost as if he was picking his mates in the school yard. Maybe that is why the interferance was taking place....maybe the owners were asking why isnt signing Joe Bloggs getting a chance when Midfielder Smith is playing badly.



2. Vinny was too nice. Dont think he has that selfish streak needed to make it at the top. Dont get me wrong, he is a lovely guy, great supporter of the club, community and town....however that selfish streak seemed to be missing. Kenny showed it....dropped players if needed, walked when the FAI came and never looked back. Will be interesting to see if Kenny makes a move for Vinny now he is free....or is there more to it that Kenny didnt take him with him??

dfx-

Paz-CCFC wrote: »

Not to mention the numerous cup finals won against Stephen Bradley.

but alas, not the semi final:)

Oat23 wrote: »

Looked back at that penalty decision and it seemed seriously harsh. Callan-McFadden didn't do a whole lot to Hoban. Fell over shouting and the ref hands them a lifeline.

The real difference is they were putting those lifelines away last year, late penalties and tight wins. They'd have won the Waterford game, scored the penalty today

joeysoap

dfx- wrote: »

but alas, not the semi final:)



The real difference is they were putting those lifelines away last year, late penalties and tight wins. They'd have won the Waterford game, scored the penalty today

Season before last - two 90+ minutes ogs - wateford and city
Last season - two 90th penalties - both bohs

Connahs quay and linfield will be lighting candles :eek:

Ohmeha

Irishmale0399 wrote: »

Hard to believe 15-17 of them are out of contract at the end of the season.....

I'm not excusing the performance of most of the Dundalk players but for a club setup with a clear business model of needing to win the league every season and also needing to progress to at least the 2nd stage of the champions league qualifications every season then it's negligent for the club to have exposed themselves to this situation (pandemic or no pandemic) where some players may 'down tools' following the restart due to almost two-thirds (16/25) of their current squad going to be out of contract staring at no job security in 3 months time

The poor quality league with Dundalk comfortably securing those 2018/2019 titles papered over the squad being decline through ageing and underwhelming recruitment and with the resurgence of Shamrock Rovers Peak6 have come to reality they gave out too many big contracts and that the squad requires significant reconstruction in a last attempt to salvage their business model and those 16 out of contract players know that too and most won't get new contracts

joeysoap

I have no doubt that the league has declined in quality theses last few years.

The Dundalk sides of 2015 and 2016 and the (earlier) City side of 2017 would have beaten Celje. Dundalk were very unlucky against Legia (home and away., against Az and against Zenit.) They might have been unlucky last Wednesday night, but they were poor against poor opposition.

Smell the glove

Can anyone tell me how long you have to wait to be able to watch a match on the watchLOI site after a match has been played?

Irishmale0399

Ohmeha wrote: »

I'm not excusing the performance of most of the Dundalk players but for a club setup with a clear business model of needing to win the league every season and also needing to progress to at least the 2nd stage of the champions league qualifications every season then it's negligent for the club to have exposed themselves to this situation (pandemic or no pandemic) where some players may 'down tools' following the restart due to almost two-thirds (16/25) of their current squad going to be out of contract staring at no job security in 3 months time

The poor quality league with Dundalk comfortably securing those 2018/2019 titles papered over the squad being decline through ageing and underwhelming recruitment and with the resurgence of Shamrock Rovers Peak6 have come to reality they gave out too many big contracts and that the squad requires significant reconstruction in a last attempt to salvage their business model and those 16 out of contract players know that too and most won't get new contracts

I suspect the owners have been working on a change for some time, hence Vinny only having a contract to the end of the year and so many players (many of whom he spent 6-7 years with at the club) being out of contract at the same time........sure makes it look like they have something in the hat.



1.
Odd are the paper rumours that Burton was brought in to help get ready for European games. Other papers reporting he was in as a type of consultant...supposedly gave the owners a 60 page report on everything from training methods to individual player reports with Europe in mind.
Where his recommendations the basis for interferance in team selection???

2.
Talk of signings....Peak6 buying players above Vinnys head. Where they planning for the next man. Do they know who it will be and has he been telling them who to get???

3. And very telling....Reynolds post match comment:

"Whatever is best for Dundalk Football Club is what needs to happen. You know, if that means new change everywhere, leave it happen. Because I think something needs to change...."
What was Rennie trying to say....
-Vinny was doing something wrong??
-Peak6/Club is the problem??


All in all something is not right, it is either a case of Peak6 being villians and auld Bill being too involved telling Vinny what to do or Vinny and players (on big contracts) deep down knowing their time was coming to an end and the owners were going to look at another model for the club to operate.

joeysoap

In fairness John Gill wouldn't be there if Vinny had his badges. Rennie is a puzzler though. Maybe to replace Vinny?

Irishmale0399

joeysoap wrote: »

In fairness John Gill wouldn't be there if Vinny had his badges. Rennie is a puzzler though. Maybe to replace Vinny?

Hearing this morning that players were very impressed with Reynolds and Burtons training methods. There seems to have been tension internally over the last few weeks and I dont mean between Peak6 and management. Hearing certain players (not new ones) were not happy and the manager knew it.


One player (at the club many years) can be quoted as asking "Why is Vinny saying there was interferance when he stated many times over the last few months we have the best owners one could wish for?".


Personally, feel we will see an appointment from outside the LOI, Reynolds as asisstant for the LOI input. I suspect they are looking at someone who can take them to Europe. The number of players out of contract certainly indicates they are leaving themselves open for a new start, very few payoffs will be needed.

Ferris_Bueller

Interesting points Irishmale, definitely the appointment of Reynolds seems like a strange one if the owners were having doubts about Perth and it would make you think he will be involved in some way with the appointment of a new manager. I think your suggestion that they go for an outside manager and keep Rennie on as his assistant seems plausible.

Regarding the players who are out of contract, surely it would be an almighty gamble allowing most of them to leave and having to build nearly an entirely new squad for next season? We have seen over the years how unpredictable overseas signings can be. For every Joey Ndo or Bastien Hery there are ten Tagbajumis or Rohan Ricketts. From the bits of Dundalk I have seen so far, it is unclear if any of the foreign signings over the last two years or so have the potential to be successful. Colovic seems talented and Oduwa looks to have something about him from the cameos he has made, but even the likes of Flores or Murray haven't exactly been brilliant.

If they are going to go down the route of hiring from outside the league and mainly recruiting from outside the league it will certainly be interesting but it definitely seems like a high risk strategy that could fail altogether.

dfx-

joeysoap wrote: »

I have no doubt that the league has declined in quality theses last few years.

The Dundalk sides of 2015 and 2016 and the (earlier) City side of 2017 would have beaten Celje. Dundalk were very unlucky against Legia (home and away., against Az and against Zenit.) They might have been unlucky last Wednesday night, but they were poor against poor opposition.

If Dundalk have the same core of players five years later, then of course, they're worse with a stale squad.

The league is probably at the most competitive and difficult and open since 2014. It's usually wrapped up by the final series which doesn't say much for its quality.

Irishmale0399

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Interesting points Irishmale, definitely the appointment of Reynolds seems like a strange one if the owners were having doubts about Perth and it would make you think he will be involved in some way with the appointment of a new manager. I think your suggestion that they go for an outside manager and 1.keep Rennie on as his assistant seems plausible.
2. Regarding the players who are out of contract, surely it would be an almighty gamble allowing most of them to leave and having to build nearly an entirely new squad for next season? We have seen over the years how unpredictable overseas signings can be. For every Joey Ndo or Bastien Hery there are ten Tagbajumis or Rohan Ricketts. From the bits of Dundalk I have seen so far, it is unclear if any of the foreign signings over the last two years or so have the potential to be successful. Colovic seems talented and Oduwa looks to have something about him from the cameos he has made, but even the likes of Flores or Murray haven't exactly been brilliant.
3. If they are going to go down the route of hiring from outside the league and mainly recruiting from outside the league it will certainly be interesting but it definitely seems like a high risk strategy that could fail altogether.

1. Very odd indeed, however Reynolds did a good job at Waterford and could be the perfect man to have at the side of a European experienced trainer, to keep the LOI in check. Maybe Vinny has known for a long time what has been going on and said nothing, being under contract etc. Maybe he expected to get to the end of the season and knew it was over.


2. Very big risk indeed. However you could also ask the question....are foreign players failing because they are not good enough or because Irish managers/clubs dont know how to deal with then....why does it work everywhere else??
Flores and Murray have had injury issues and havent ripped the LOI apart...would they play better in a different system?? Oduwa, we have not seen enough of and Colovic seems to be at a standard needed for Europe again is the system right for him???


3. It is a very big risk, however Peak6 is built on risk, that is how you make money on investments, calculated risk. They look at everything, calculate....and take a risk. Maybe they have seen enough since coming in to realise Irish players, Irish managers and the Irish setup has to be changed to get to where they need to go. I assume they have consultants advising them.....Bournemouth, Roma and links to FSG at Liverpool have been made public, links to the American Football Fed., some of the owners have a club in Scandanavia. Who do they have on the Peak6 payroll saying this is what you need??? These are the things we do not know.

ACitizenErased

That is awful from Waterford. Awful.

Irishmale0399

ACitizenErased wrote: »

That is awful from Waterford. Awful.

Hear John Sheridan fancies a big of the American money....trying to get sack so he can take over another Pub team who pay over the odds. :P:P

overshoot

ACitizenErased wrote: »

That is awful from Waterford. Awful.

Both dreadful first half... We actually started playing for the last 10-15mins when we brought 2 forwards, delap and Tony on. Why a central defender was floating around the left wing and left wing floating up top before that... God knows. Massive confidence boost, hopefully we can push on again like last year.

Strike one for the pub league

ShamoBuc

Some finish in waterford. Draw would have been very nice. Only 4 points separate bottom 6.

c.p.w.g.w

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Some finish in waterford. Draw would have been very nice. Only 4 points separate bottom 6.

Went answer the door@2-1 got back and it was 2-3

Oat23

Waterford's past 3 games.

Concede in the 83rd & 91st Vs Dundalk. Draw 2-2
Concede in the 91st minute Vs Sligo Rovers. Lose 2-1
Concede in the 87th and 90th minute Vs Harps. Lose 3-2

Poor John. Who knew that shouting abuse at your players and repeatedly telling them they're sh*te isn't a good motivator.

Smell the glove wrote: »

Can anyone tell me how long you have to wait to be able to watch a match on the watchLOI site after a match has been played?

You can watch it whenever. Click watch now if it's still listed in the live section and then rewind. After a few hours it'll be moved to catchup.

joeysoap

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Regarding the players who are out of contract, surely it would be an almighty gamble allowing most of them to leave and having to build nearly an entirely new squad for next season? We have seen over the years how unpredictable overseas signings can be. For every Joey Ndo or Bastien Hery there are ten Tagbajumis or Rohan Ricketts. From the bits of Dundalk I have seen so far, it is unclear if any of the foreign signings over the last two years or so have the potential to be successful. Colovic seems talented and Oduwa looks to have something about him from the cameos he has made, but even the likes of Flores or Murray haven't exactly been brilliant.

If they are going to go down the route of hiring from outside the league and mainly recruiting from outside the league it will certainly be interesting but it definitely seems like a high risk strategy that could fail altogether.

Patching only looks ok. Jury’s out on Gatt. Cameron Smith was only on loan.
None a patch on Benson or McGrath.

Irishmale0399

joeysoap wrote: »

Patching only looks ok. Jury’s out on Gatt. Cameron Smith was only on loan.
None a patch on Benson or McGrath.

Do you think the players could operate in a different system??? Was Vinny maybe too fixed on one formation???

Gavin "shels"

Richard Hillman wrote: »

It was a very decent performance from Shels. They made them look a bit toothless. Shels just lack that bit of quality up front.

Was the main point a lot of fans mentioned at the start of the season, lacking goals. We've about 15 midfielders!!

On the match itself, heart in mouth stuff at the end for that corner but we'll take that point big time. Definitely not a game that would have enticed a neutral at all!

joeysoap

Irishmale0399 wrote: »

Do you think the players could operate in a different system??? Was Vinny maybe too fixed on one formation???

Maybe.

I think just as importantly was Kenny’s knack of signing players before we needed them.ie Hoare as one example .over the years Kenny lost Towell, Hoban, Horgan, Finn (that one was sore) and McMillan, with no (apparent )loss of momentum. He let Seanie go (mistake).

FWIW I think we have enough quality players to come 2nd or 3rd.

Ferris_Bueller

https://twitter.com/jamesdundalk/status/1297783003331145728

Will be interesting to see who this is.