The Commentary Box: Kilduff is the man to lead Dundalk next season

Article written on 2nd November - certain information may have changed following developments

It's been a terrible week for Dundalk as reports swept through the national media that manager Ciaran Kilduff had left the club on Thursday.

The news came as no surprise, as the manager looked on to see the internal strife as the three American shareholders attempted to oust the owner, John Temple.

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The manager had been left totally frustrated as he sees his contract at the club was expiring today, Tuesday.

With his own future not guaranteed, out-of-contract players at the end of November, who the manager wanted to stay, were becoming more and more uneasy about the way the club was heading.

Ciaran Kilduff had to seriously look at his own future as well. He has a wife and two young children. He delayed a decision on his future for as long as he could. It was no surprise to me when the news broke that he was gone, shortly before midday Thursday.

The Irish Examiner reported that he had gone after he had let the powers that be in Oriel know, he was departing his post. But now it seems Kilduff never resigned at all.

Dundalk neither confirmed nor denied the story. They remained silent until a tea-time statement on Friday evening, which said that the American shareholders and John Temple would be entering into mediation talks to resolve their differences.

Dundalk also said that they were hopeful of keeping Ciaran Kilduff as manager despite what they called the speculation that he had departed his position on Thursday.

But with the uncertainty over a new contract for himself, his playing budget, and the genuine worries over the club's ability to obtain a Premier license for next season, the manager did well to stall a resignation move, but the rumours were enough to bring things to a head.

But the manager was also very disappointed at being left in a no man's land situation, not knowing what players he could sign next season and what players he could keep. 

The fact that John Temple had indicated that Dundalk would have a budget that would be an increase on the 2024 Premier Division budget was still of concern to the manager, as it seems a final figure had not been confirmed.

The manager delayed his decision on his future at Dundalk for as long as he could. Speculation abounded that he was heading to Waterford. That was at the beginning of last week.

The manager was still hanging on at Oriel to see if he could stay, given the right circumstances. However, that never happened, and apparently, he was off by Thursday. But that was not the case.

The statement from the club on Friday left hope that Ciaran could be persuaded to stay. It seemed to ease the pressure the club was under for the entire week.

The news that American-based shareholder Chris Clinton held talks with Kilduff on the Friday also seemed to lift some of the gloom that was hitting the club.

Ciaran Kilduff did not want to go. Without doubt, he feels he has a strong connection with the club because of his time here during the Kenny era.

His success as manager last season, leading Dundalk to the First Division title and his love for the supporters contributed to his unwillingness to leave. The talks he had with Chris Clinton would have eased his worries.

His contract, his players' contracts will have to be agreed. The manager would also be happy to see an end to the dispute between the chairman and the shareholders, which would also, of course, add much needed stability at Oriel.

The issue of the doubts of the pitch being installed in time and the correct floodlight system being in place would also have been a big issue for the manager.

Last Tuesday, the owner, John Temple, said the new pitch will be laid in time for the start of the Premier league season. I accept that.

But the fact there is a technical issue with the floodlighting being installed in time for the new season is a major matter for concern. The owner suggested this could lead to 5pm kick-off times for the new league season for home games.

This, I believe, will result in a lower attendance at games next season. It's just not acceptable. The pitch and lighting must be ready for the start of season 2026. The FAI must see this in Dundalk's license application.

I am worried about the doubts over a proper lighting system being delayed. One of the other shareholders is responsible for the installation of the lights. He just has to ensure they are ready.

Dundalk must also decide as to whether they remain part-time or resume being a full-time outfit. This is another huge issue for the manager. I am sure he wants the club to go full-time again. This must also be resolved.

The club owner went on the Town End Podcast for the second time in a week. He said he was not leaving.

He was referring to moves by the American-based shareholders and the executive of the Dundalk FC 1903 supporters club calling for him to step down.

Mr Temple said that the information the American-based minority shareholders put in the media was incorrect. He says they have not much finance at all.

He also stated that he was staying on and that the club was in good hands. The Dundalk owner says that the ownership structure of the club had remained unchanged.

He refuted claims that the FAI have refuted Dundalk's application for a Premier license. He also said the FAI were not demanding a handover to the minority American shareholders.

On the downside, playing at Oriel could become an issue unless the government grant for floodlights and the pitch is fast-tracked. The owner accepted that Ciaran Kilduff was a manager in demand.

He was also very much aware that his contract comes to an end this week. The chairman said that he always had a good relationship with Ciaran Kilduff.

Mr Temple says that when there is infighting upstairs, nobody likes it downstairs. He says it creates nothing but uncertainty. John Temple says that there are ways of doing things and that he would have preferred mediation.

He pointed out that even though the American shareholders said they would walk away, two of the three had contributed nothing last season. He added that he would have preferred mediation rather than what they did what they did.

He says he does not understand how anyone would think the club was going to collapse if the Americans were going to walk away, given the amount of contributions they had given last season.

Mr Temple says that they should have been sitting down the day of the podcast and announcing a new contract for Ciaran Kilduff.

He says that Kilduff should, at this stage, be moving on picking his players. He also stated that the third American shareholder only contributed a third of the week's wages.

He added that he fully understood why the manager was not happy with the situation. John Temple says that if the Americans wanted to leave, then that was that.

But he did emphasise that one of the American shareholders did play an active role in the affairs of the club. That was Chris Clinton. He says that there is a perception that the Americans were paying millions.

Mr Temple says that the other three shareholders did not like the business plan he has for the club. He revealed he was given a monetary offer by Chris Clinton last Saturday week.

John Temple says the FAI stepped in and said it was not even a proper offer. They said that the Americans would have to agree that if Dundalk get their Premier Division license, Mr Temple would be paid so much. He said the offer just was not a legal one.

He added that if they wanted him out, it would be on the basis that they would pay him an amount of money yet again if they get another license the following year.

The Dundalk owner says that there were rumours that the Americans had two million euro at their disposal. He says if that were true, then they should buy him out. Chris Clinton flew in from America and arrived in Dundalk on Thursday evening.

The next day, Dundalk FC issued a statement that changed the whole mood music around the club. It emerged that Mr Clinton held talks with held face to face talks with Ciaran Kilduff.

It was clear from the statement that Kilduff had not departed Dundalk at all. He was still waiting for something to happen, which would keep him at Dundalk. Mr Clinton also met with John Temple for talks on the future of the club.

The statement from Dundalk FC confirmed that mediation talks between the two had commenced. The talks may take a number of days. But then again, they might not last as long as that.

It may lead to either Mr Temple departing the club or the three American investors leaving. But it could also mean the Americans and John Temple work out a new deal that will strengthen their alliance within the club.

It's been mooted locally that if it is the Americans who stay and John Temple leaves, that former owner Andy Connolly may be involved in any new set-up that occurs regarding the ownership.

Mr Connolly owned the club from 2012 until 2018 along with Paul Brown. They then sold it to Peak6, the multi-billion-dollar company, for a nice profit. Andy Connolly returned to Dundalk as the owner in 2022 along with STATsports.

Their reign at Oriel was one that ended in the club being handed over to Brian Ainscough in 2024. The club were in serious financial difficulty.

But that was not known publicly until September 2024, when Brian Ainscough announced that Dundalk would cease to exist unless somebody or a consortium would come in and save the club.

Following negotiations, a local Barrister, John Temple, took over the club. He owned 65 percent of the shareholding, which were previously owned by Brian Ainscough.

The three Americans who came in as shareholders under Brian Ainscough held on to their 35 percent shareholding.

But the club was insolvent and even though John Temple had come in the as a majority shareholder, he had to work very hard with his financial advisers to get the club a First Division license for the new season.

He appointed Ciaran Kilduff as manager. It was a master stroke. Kilduff saw his side run away with the First Division by ten points. Dundalk were back in the big time.

Or were they? If they were to get the Premier Division license, they needed to upgrade the pitch. They also needed to replace the old flood lighting system and put down a new astro turf pitch.

The cost would be around half a million euro. The Sports Capital grant was worth around 445,00 euro, leaving the club with a shortfall of 55,000 euro. The pitch was to go ahead, but there was a problem installing the lights due to a technical issue.

Mr Temple told his first appearance on the Town End podcast that the club might have to go for 5pm kick offs for a time next season because of this issue.

Meanwhile, the Dundalk FC supporters club, the 1903, issued a statement the day after the podcast to say they had no confidence in Mr Temple. The three American shareholders also issued a statement of no confidence in Mr Temple.

Like the 1903, the Americans called on John Temple to stand down. He refused. John Temple urged Dundalk to learn from the mistakes in the past. When Brian Ainscough left, the club had operating losses of 2,852,834 euro.

I have no idea what the new figure is yet. But Dundalk needs a multi-millionaire investor if it is to have top success in the Premier Division.

The club will have to continue to operate with a sensible economic approach and ensure that money is not wasted under the current owner. And it was wasted so much looking back over the past seven years up to the time of John Temple.

The three minority American shareholders do not appear to have the money to keep Dundalk in the Premier Division should John Temple decide he has had enough. They would need to have an English or European club behind them to take control.

This is the only solution. John Temple may well decide to stay. He has steadied the ship at Oriel somewhat. But the task he has been left with task is almost insurmountable.

The lights and the pitch are vital for Dundalk to continue to progress. There is no reason why they cannot be done. But time is running out.

To the executive of the 1903 supporters club and to Chris Clinton, I would like to ask you if you have the capital behind you to run Dundalk FC and continue to pay the debts.

Your move against the chairman created more uncertainty and destabilised the club even more. There are ways of doing things. And there are ways of doing things.

Moving against a chairman and owner in public in a club that nearly went to the wall a year ago is not, in my eyes, the smartest of moves.

John Temple has made mistakes since he took control of the club. One was his refusal to do business with the Dundalk FC trust.

As I said last week, this organisation was formed in a matter of days by ordinary supporters. Its function was to help the club in a matter of different ways. It collected 100,000 euro in a matter of weeks.

The Trust has an executive made up of people of the highest integrity. Whatever the differences the chairman had with the Trust, they would and still could be powerful allies. 

On Thursday, the impasse worsened with reports that the manager had stepped down. All of the national and local media went with the story that he was leaving Dundalk. But they were wrong. Kilduff had not handed in his resignation.

Dundalk neither confirmed nor denied the reports. They indicated that the Dundalk boss was on his way to Waterford. But late Friday evening, Waterford said they had not been in contact with anybody.

They have to delay their decision until they see the outcome of their promotion relegation game next weekend. There is no doubt that the Dundalk boss was very frustrated that he could not start planning for the season ahead after the Finn Harps game.

At the time, he had a two-week start over all the clubs regarding pre-season planning. By midweek last week, he must have been very frustrated.

Players and backroom staff would have been on to him about their futures at the club. Wednesday must have been the day he decided he had had enough.

Yet he had to have second thoughts as he never stood down. Dundalk supporters should be forever grateful he did not quit. Chris Clinton's arrival did break the impasse with John Temple.

The two have agreed to work together along with the other shareholders to ensure Dundalk are in the Premier Division next season. They have also said that Ciaran Kilduff is the man to lead Dundalk next season.

When I heard the news on Thursday that Kilduff was gone, I was stunned. I knew it was going to happen. But I still did not want to believe it. This man had come in when the club was on its knees.

He had worked miracles using a team consisting of mainly young players interspersed with experienced players. He was a leader. He was also very cooperative with the media.

Down in Kerry and Limerick, and indeed in all venues, he would be out after the games to talk to the press. He knew we all had homes to go to.

My feeling was that I had travelled all around the country to see Ciaran weave his magic and clinch point after point. Now, to me, when I heard he was gone, I felt that last season was a complete waste of time.

I felt that Dundalk would be in the First Division for years now. But now to learn that the chairman and the shareholders are in mediation talks brings hope.

And the fact that Ciaran Kilduff remains at the helm at least for the moment brings more hope. The owner and shareholders must give him a new contract immediately. 

Vinny Leonard and Sean Spaight jetted out to Qatar on Saturday morning for the U17 World Cup competition, with the rest of the Republic of Ireland squad and management team.

Their first game is tomorrow, Wednesday. Let's hope the Dundalk players have a successful competition. They will certainly learn from their experiences. Have a safe week. Look after each other, and please be careful out there.