Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

dreamers75 · 03-09-2021 11:48pm

OMFG I found the soccer forum.

pats blowing at this point, shocked we still 2nd but then 3rd have lost 7 games in a row and are still 3rd....

joeysoap · 03-09-2021 11:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844677#Comment_117844677

But they were always there.

hardybuck · 04-09-2021 12:08am

While Dundalk were hanging on a bit at the end I think both teams probably deserved a draw tonight.

Great to see a vocal crowd back in the RSC, it definitely helped to spur Waterford to get into the game in the second half and grab an equaliser.

Based upon the form shown by Waterford and Finn Harps over recent weeks I think a number of sides including Dundalk, Drogheda and perhaps even Derry could find themselves in a relegation playoff if they aren't careful.

ShamoBuc · 04-09-2021 12:13am

Good win for City tonight v Athlone and McGlade got an absolutely cracking 3rd goal for City.

hardybuck · 04-09-2021 12:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844841#Comment_117844841

City?

NIMAN · 04-09-2021 2:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844828#Comment_117844828

There was me looking at us in the table thinking 3rd might be a possibility.

Thanks for bursting my bubble!

hardybuck · 04-09-2021 8:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844973#Comment_117844973

Well if ye get third we might get fourth then!

Looks like the best group of players ye've had for a few years though in fairness.

ShamoBuc · 04-09-2021 11:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844898#Comment_117844898

Correct.

Nose bleeds all round for us as we rise to the lofty position of 6th!

04-09-2021 2:52pm

I see on FB that Rovers fans have covered the cost for the damages done at Finn Park.

ShamoBuc · 04-09-2021 3:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117846238#Comment_117846238

Nice to see the Majority show the minority how it's done.

overshoot · 04-09-2021 3:55pm

Indeed, just seen that a short while ago, fair play to them.

Nuts that the toe rags would travel so far to smash up a portacabin to begin with

RedCardKid · 04-09-2021 4:38pm

Was in Waterford last night and prior to the game got talking to a few Dundalk fans in the pub. They were telling me Peak6 are on their way out and that there are hot rumours going around Dundalk that StatSports / Fyffes / Goodman family / irishify lads have all been linked with a takeover. Replacing Vinny and a new ground would be their priority. Certainly, interesting times up there over the new few weeks / months. If Peak6 end up staying, will be some upset people.

04-09-2021 5:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117846418#Comment_117846418

A day out from their mundane **** lives i'd imagine. Donegal is beautiful though so maybe they were sight seeing before the game🙂

joeysoap · 05-09-2021 1:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117846238#Comment_117846238

Fair play to them.

topmanamillion · 05-09-2021 11:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117846527#Comment_117846527

The phrase they had their chance springs to mind. The time to do it was when the Euro money was rolling in. Redeveloping/rebuilding Oriel would be a massive project for a private owner to undertake.

Sligo rovers recently costed a 6000 seater and a training ground. €17 million minimum. Something similar would be required with Oriel and nothing like that has ever been done by private owners in this country. Id doubt theres much appetite there by local council/government to stump up more cash after the GAA stadium.

Dundalks main job now is to try and stay up this year which will be touch and go with the way they are right now. Personally wouldn't put any money on them getting past a dogged Caulfield side in a relegation play off if that's what it came down to. Far too many players there that won't be around next year for that.

RedCardKid · 05-09-2021 12:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117848958#Comment_117848958

100% with you on the ground. Rebuilding Oriel will be like putting money into a dark hole, few lads I spoke too were sure it would be done with €3-5 million, sure I had to agree and laugh. If they are to do a decent ground I feel it will have to be a new build on a greenfield site.

As for the GAA ground, sure isnt the Louth GAA chairman an former FG TD who left the party very quietly only to run as an independant TD. Knowing Irish politics as I do, I would suspect there was a deal done in Louth .. were Dundalk every really in the running, having a hedge fund as their owners. The poor mouth and political pull seems to have won that. Have the council ever finacially supported the Dundalk FC, Oriel hasnt changed much from the 70s or 80s?

If they stay up, lessons will have to be learned. Will be interesting to see how they move forward .... their sponsorship seems to be working well .... more partners than goals / wins this season. As a neutral, it is very sad to see.

joeysoap · 06-09-2021 1:26am

Could be totally wrong:

irishify have no ‘real’ momey

Fyffes are Japanese now and have severed their connections to the town.

statsports are Newry based

the Goodman ‘family’ wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire. (Fair enough, member one family has bought a lot property in the Blackrock area - but it’s all to make more money. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. There’s no money to be made in Dundalk fc)I agree a lot more than €5m is required. As for Louth Co Council, it’s how much they take from rather than give to the club.

.

the heathen · 06-09-2021 11:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117851794#Comment_117851794

Statsports are NI based but owned by Dundalk men. Alan Clarke is a Dundalk supporter for sure and I think was with them as a player as a youngster. Sean O'Connor is the son of the late great football-man Michael O'Connor in Bellurgan - I'd be surprised if Sean doesn't have an interest in Dundalk FC. Doesn't mean they're crazy enough to put money into the LOI mind you!

NIMAN · 09-09-2021 2:47pm

Our chairman at Derry has been incredibly generous over his stewardship, always clearing our debt at the end of each season.

Now that he's destined to become a billionaire, I wonder will he have any aspirations to plough any more money into the club!

topmanamillion · 10-09-2021 9:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117868366#Comment_117868366

Its only fair he clears the debts, seeing as its him as the chairman that runs them up in the first place!

Finishing off the Brandywell and 2 or 3 million into a training ground would be smart. There's crazy money knocking around football up north at the moment with there even being a 6 figure transfer a few weeks ago. This being the League of Ireland id expect Derry to ignore the smart options and spend similar on mediocre players.

overshoot · 10-09-2021 11:32am

He has spoke of wanting Derry to be self sufficient but I kind of see that as catch22. When a sugar daddy will hang around it's not fan owned in the same way, the habit of fundraising isn't kept. Why make the effort when someone will write a cheque down the line?

His wealth has rapidly increased the last few years too while he's made the self sufficient comments, he was he at 400million before the sale?.. But I guess he's in a different stratosphere now.

Deery and co were let go (officially) for cuts this year but then Parkhouse was signed on 3 years, whose been a bust. Then again the likes of Boyce has stepped up this year. Just never know with LOI

HerrKapitan · 10-09-2021 8:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117873952#Comment_117873952

It's been 50 minutes of hearing lads swearing blind in the crowd/ on the sidelines. Its no wonder they don't show more games.

10-09-2021 9:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874194#Comment_117874194

It is a football game not ballet

kksaints · 10-09-2021 9:26pm

Ref is brutal. Missed a clear foul on Lewis before the 2nd goal and missed a clear foul on McCormack in the box. We have been poor in the 2nd half.

kksaints · 10-09-2021 9:47pm

Disappointing result. 2nd half was poor from us and Sligo controlled the tempo of the game too much. I'm not going to mention the ref again except to say that my earlier post still stands.

HerrKapitan · 10-09-2021 10:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874281#Comment_117874281

I've no doubt every and any game has the same that we can't hear, i would be one of them. It's just if you had kids watching to try and get them interested all I hear is **** and pricks. Perhaps they could dub it down or reposition the microphones as it seems to be common.

Didn't think it was a free kick for Sligos 2nd but Pats were robbed a penalty later on.

overshoot · 10-09-2021 10:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117871674#Comment_117871674

After an article in the examiner... Looks like he will pump money. Hopefully starting with the stream quality haha

Mental game in Derry, we were probably lucky to go in 1-1 at half time, dominated the start of the second half and took the lead. Had been a few hard hits over the game and Derry snatch it at the death for chaos to begin when sadiki keeps hold of the ball and everyone bails in. Our keeper and the goal scorer sent off and a few others booked. Dunleavy goes in goals to see out the game as we'd made 3 separate changes during the game. Proper derby.

10-09-2021 10:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874468#Comment_117874468

Ah I know. I had to clean up my own act when I started to bring my nephews. The odd time it would slip out and i'd feel terrible. The refs are just humans and humans make mistakes.

NIMAN · 10-09-2021 11:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874472#Comment_117874472

Really enjoyed the game tonight.

Had a bit of everything .

As for swearing, had a great moment tonight when a wee mad about 7 in front of us shouted "fcuk off ref". Had half the block in stitches.

Oat23 · 10-09-2021 11:38pm

Of all the people you could push to the ground during a post-match scrap you don't push the ould FAI observer, but that is exactly what Melvin-Lambert did tonight 😆

https://twitter.com/SoccRepublic/status/1436432568845541378?s=19

Tom2 · 10-09-2021 11:55pm

in any other league, the officiating we saw in Sligo tonight would be shocking. Unfortunately it’s the norm for our league.

Peno given that wasn’t. Peno not given that was. And that’s only half of it. Result totally determined by officiating errors.

Again.

Ferris_Bueller · 11-09-2021 12:38am

The decision to give Rovers a free (and the defender a yellow) for Mandriou's first goal was a shocker too. It didn't look like a free in real time and having seen the replays I don't think it looks like a free kick then either. Greg Halfords has some interesting tweets up about what the referee allegedly said to one of their players.

https://twitter.com/GregHalford15/status/1436445846636216324

topmanamillion · 11-09-2021 9:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874468#Comment_117874468

Agree with this. If the microphone was at the Treacy avenue side that's families and older fans so you don't get it that side. Where as where the microphone was on the Jinks side is away fans and the Forza lads who've been on the sauce for the day. The downside to that is the main stand side tends to be subdued so the microphone won't pick up on the atmosphere from the Jinks.

The TV gantry is on the Jinks side and presumably the TV equipment is that side so maybe its not as straight forward as just putting it the other side.

NIMAN · 11-09-2021 9:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117875184#Comment_117875184

What did he allegedly say? That link doesn't seem to show it?

Ferris_Bueller · 11-09-2021 9:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117875650#Comment_117875650

Ref apparently said "you should put it on twitter" in reply to Wordsworth asking how it wasn't a free. Wordsworth had previously complained on twitter about some refereeing decisions. Halford goes on to say in the thread that he feels the referees are holding this against them and are having this bias in games.

It's probably a bit of a sour grapes from him, but I do think the referee made one or two questionable decisions towards Waterford in fairness. But that's probably just down to the poor standard of refereeing in the league more than a bias!

NIMAN · 11-09-2021 9:49am

Yeah I honestly don't think there is some great conspiracy in the league wrt refs. They are just poor.

But it seems very strange that the league doesn't have some sort of check that a Rovers season ticket holder shouldn't be reffing Rovers games.

RedCardKid · 11-09-2021 9:51am

LOI refs are great, they always tell the truth, have an open appeals procedure and admit to mistakes made. Great professional bunch of lads, as for yous ... you are all bullys, leave the poor refs alone 🤣😂🙄

artanevilla · 11-09-2021 11:23am

The standard of refereeing in the league is so poor that it's starting to affect my enjoyment of the games. I don't think it's ever been so bad.

dfx- · 11-09-2021 11:43am

Excellent stuff from Rovers last night, incisive with plenty of shots. They looked much better without Burke and sight of Farrugia on the bench.

If Waterford spent as much energy on going forward as they did on the ref, they might've got somewhere. Setting their stall out with a booking for a centre back kicking the ball away after 5 minutes. Never a good sign trying to delay the game after 5 minutes.

joeysoap · 11-09-2021 1:22pm

I didn’t see the match or ‘see’ the decisions in real ‘time’ but it not the first time LOI referees showed how poor they are and it’s not the first time referees favored Rovers. Harvey in particular. McGraith is another one. Anyone can make a mistake but the LOI seems to draw them .its like a magnet or a light to a moth.

Pawwed Rig · 11-09-2021 1:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117875931#Comment_117875931

You get what you pay for I reckon

joeysoap · 11-09-2021 9:14pm

Cork were dire last year

dundalk are dire this year

hard to believe they contested 4 cup finals between 2015 and 2018

DvB · 11-09-2021 9:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117876266#Comment_117876266

Just Rovers? Take a day off mate FFS... the Rovers complex is getting tired.

dreamers75 · 11-09-2021 11:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117875072#Comment_117875072

Pats were poor and have been since Benson was injured, ref was piss poor for both teams and he will be again next week.

topmanamillion · 12-09-2021 9:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117878824#Comment_117878824

Its not all that insane. Their recruitment has been dire. The management both coaching and administrative has been/ still is a circus so they are where they deserve to be. The table doesn't lie. Same goes for Cork. 2 p1ss poorly ran clubs. A well run club like Harps with the right man in charge eeking out every last drop from a shoestring budget should put those other 2 basket cases to shame.

Ferris_Bueller · 12-09-2021 10:41am

I would agree with Johan Slow Vision in thinking it is insane how poorly this Dundalk squad are doing. If you go through their squad it has some real quality in it - Duffy, Hoban, McEleney, Boyle, Gartland are all players who've been hugely successful with Dundalk in the past and would walk into most teams in the league (or should at least). Leahy, Kelly and Sloggett were some of the of the leagues best young players before coming to Dundalk and seemed good signings on paper.

Then obviously you have the foreign gambles: Abibi, Zahibo, Nattestad, Jurkovskis, Stanton, Han, etc. This seems to be where they have been really let down, but again some of them seemed decent signings on paper. It is obviously a gamble when you bring in players from abroad but more often than not, it seems to go badly for our clubs. On the otherhand, if you restrict yourself to bringing in players from within the league it is very hard to step up and push on to the next level.

The off pitch stuff must have had an impact, because for me they have the 2nd strongest squad in the league and with Perth back a manager who has won a league title. They are seriously at risk of being in the relegation playoff now.

hardybuck · 12-09-2021 11:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874194#Comment_117874194

That's part of the reason why you don't see more families and women attending games too.

Oat23 · 12-09-2021 11:51am

Looking at the teams from last night on Flashscore and Dundalk only had 7 on the bench including 2 keepers and 3 teenagers. The only experienced outfield players on the bench were Han & Duffy.

What is going on there? I expected Perth to steady the ship but they're still sinking.