Dundalk FC issue pre season update as players return for collective training

With the festive and New Year celebrations now behind us, attentions are quickly turning to the sporting year ahead with an action-packed SSE Airtricity League and UEFA Europa Conference League to look forward for followers of Dundalk FC.

It has been a couple months now since the Lilywhites finished the season strongly to grab an impressive third place finish, all while being level on points with second place Derry City.

But after working on fitness in smaller groups in December, the players finally got back together for their first collective session of 2023, as pre-season training resumed at Oriel Park earlier this week.

“It’s not like the way it used to be in that the first day of pre-season was the first time you’d see lads in six or seven weeks” Dundalk FC head coach Stephen O’Donnell explained when giving an update on his squad to Dundalkfc.com.

“We’ve all had regular contact with each other through November and December, so it was just a continuation of that. Obviously, we’re back properly now and there are no breaks in between.

“It’s been very good, the application has been great, and all of the players are on the right path. The ones that had injuries and niggles carried over from last season are doing well with their rehab and the ones that were on the pitch have been working very well.”

The Galwegian’s news that all players are set to be fit, as things stand, ahead of the start of the league in February will give some supporters solace, however he understands they may be a little worried over the lack of new signings.

It has been a tough window so far for Dundalk, but O’Donnell stressed that huge work was going on behind the scenes to build a meaningful squad for next season. News is on the way, but fans just need give them time to find the right options.

“We could have had bodies in by now, without a shadow of a doubt, but would they be players who I believe can improve us and take us on this season? The answer is no. Things can take time. It’s a tricky enough market we’re in but we just have to be patient.

“There are a lot of people doing everything they can behind the scenes to make things happen, but I’m not willing to shoot the gun too early and be very unsure about a player just for the sake of getting a body in.

“That’s where we’re at. We’re trying very hard and hopefully, we’ll have lots of news to announce in the coming days and weeks.”

Of course that worry has come due to the club missing out on many big targets in the Irish market, who were all snapped up by the likes of Derry, Shamrock Rovers and St Pats to name just three. They have continued to rebuild, while the Lilywhites have remained quiet.

But Dundalk has done well to keep many of their big names from 2022 at the club, the likes of Pat Hoban, Darragh Leahy and Nathan Shepperd as well as many others.

O’Donnell also spoke about the fans needing to remember the guys that are already there, with the club prioritising stability and a long term vision, after years of poor management and budgeting under the old owners Peak6.

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“We’re trying to get to a level where we are stable again, where we can tie down everybody we want to tie down and only have to make the odd addition or two” he stated.

“I think this is the natural follow-on from last year when we had such a big turnover of players and so many loans. Logically, it’s going to take more than one or two windows before you have a settled squad of 17 or 18 players who are under long contracts and you build from there. That takes time.

“What we shouldn’t forget is that we already have a very good spine and core of first-team players at the club. We’re in a really healthy position in that department.

“I’m well aware that numerically, and from a quality point of view, we do need to add to the group, but I’m delighted with the calibre and the standard of players we have here. It’s just about adding to that now.”