Squad depth the key if Dundalk are to challenge at the top

Dundalk will start their new season later this evening and will have plenty of confidence that they can have a successful season. Their preseason campaign was a success notching up three wins and two draws.

Stephen O’Donnell told the media at the league launch in Dublin last Tuesday that he was very happy with the preparations for the new season. He said the team had put in a significant amount of hard work, preparation and training for the season ahead. He just wants to be successful in every game and hopes that his team goes out and plays good football.

He stressed his main aim is to be involved in the shake up for the European spots at the end of the season. If he is able to do that, then it would be indeed a great success.

O’Donnell was hoping to have two players in on loan for the game against UCD on Friday. The fact that these players had not been tied up by last Tuesday is a matter of concern.

Yesterday week, the photographers were down to take squad photos of the team. There were four goalkeepers in the photo. One was the academy keeper. There were only 18 outfield players in the photo. This is a matter of huge worry.

The squad is simply just not strong enough to endure a whole season. Dundalk at the very minimum need the two players that the manager is seeking.

One wonders why he has not been able to get them. Are the owners being hesitant about giving the manager the necessary funding or is it the case that the players have gone elsewhere?

John Mountney

John Mountney is awaiting news of a second opinion on the injury he sustained on the pitch at Oriel two weeks ago. John missed most of last season with an ACL injury he sustained at Oriel while playing the season before with Pats. There are fears that he may have sustained the same ACL injury.

This time it’s on the other leg. If the injury is confirmed as an ACL injury, then John may well miss most of the season. It would mean that Dundalk only have 17 outfield players for the start of the new season. It’s simply not a strong squad as the season goes on.

The owners must also deal with any players who will be out of contract at the end of this season. They must give them a new contract for next season. Otherwise, the two big clubs Shamrock Rovers and Derry City will be approaching some of them with pre contract deals for the following season.

Dundalk lost five top players to Derry City by this method. I do not want to see either Derry or Shamrock Rovers calling to Oriel mid season and getting them for next season.

Nathan Shepperd

One player Dundalk must secure for next season is Nathan Shepperd. Nathan's agreement to possibly play for Dundalk this season beyond his initial 12 month deal was triggered by the club. He is without doubt one of the best keepers to walk through the gates of Oriel in a long time.

Last season he was awarded Dundalk’s player of the year. The Irish soccer writers had him in the top three keepers of the year. But to my knowledge, he was not offered a new contract for next season yet. He must be given this. Otherwise Shamrock Rovers will be in contact with him to do a pre contract deal in mid summer.

For Dundalk, Nathan is worth his weight in gold. Not only is he a terrific player, If Dundalk can get him to agree to a new contract then the club will be getting millions from any clubs that come calling for his services.

Dundalk ownerships in the recent past have been very careless about this issue. The club has notched up very little from players going to other clubs. They must talk to Nathan’s agent and get this issue resolved.

Now maybe they are working very hard on this. But they must keep Nathan at Oriel, no matter the asking price. The money they will get in return for a transfer fee for him when he does go to another club will far outweigh concerns the owners may have about their playing budget.

The Irish Market

It’s absurd that Dundalk failed to get any of the Irish players they were in for during the close season. The club failed to get the players because they did not come up with the money that was needed.

Dundalk failed to compete with Derry or Shamrock Rovers for any of the signings. This was a matter of surprise to me. I know Derry and Rovers are the millionaires. But Dundalk should have been able to compete for even one of the players.

The loss of Mark Connolly last July sent out the wrong message when he went to Derry. The Lilywhites should have gone toe to toe with Derry in the bidding war.

Instead, he walked and Dundalk’s season nearly imploded. They were only two points behind Shamrock Rovers at the top when Connolly left. They fell away totally and nearly lost the European spot as well. That they got it was down to the great managing and leadership skills of Stephen O’Donnell.

He is a top class manager. He had to finish last season without ten of his first team who sustained injury, including club captain and goal machine Pat Hoban.

The Title Race

I expect Derry City and Shamrock Rovers to break from the group in the league and fight out for the title as the season gathers pace.

Shamrock Rovers are going for their fourth league title in a row. Derry are going for their first league title since 1998. I think Ruaidhri Higgins will lead Derry to that title. City have already one key trophy under their belt in winning the FAI cup last season.

Ruaidhri learned his management skills from the master boss, Stephen Kenny during their times at Dundalk. Ruaidhri is now the master. He has a top class squad that play lovely football.

Watching Derry now is like watching Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk team of a few years ago. He has the right owner behind him. I think a golden era is about to begin at the Brandywell.

Shamrock Rovers will be very difficult to stop. Like Derry, they are now a millionaire club. Despite this, I just think the success they have had may be going a bit stale.

Chief Soccer correspondent at the Irish Star Mark McCadden told me in an interview that he feels Rovers and Derry will dominate. But he believes that the men from Tallaght will win out in the end and get the fourth title in a row. I’m sorry Mark, the title will be going north west to Derry.

The Presidents Cup

The two teams played out an exciting game in the President’s Cup Final at the Brandywell on Friday. Derry were outstanding and won the game 2-0. Two former Dundalk players, Will Patching and Michael Duffy, got the goals.

President Michaell D Higgins presented the trophy to Derry captain Will Patching. How crazy were the Dundalk owners at the time to let Will out on a long term loan to Derry?

Dundalk were falling apart as a club and a team at that stage. Patching went on to sign for Derry when his loan spell ended. Dundalk of course lost Michael Duffy when he signed a pre contract deal with Derry two seasons ago. He is the real gem in Ruaidhri Higgins’ armoury.

But the President’s Cup game was marred by a bomb alert caused by people who wish to drag the country back into the dark days of the troubles. How dare they.

A device was found near the ground as the match progressed. Fifteen minutes into the second half, an announcement came over the tannoy that a suspect device had been located in nearby Celtic Park.

The game continued as it was judged nobody in attendance at the game was in any danger. The North’s Secretary of State, who was attending the game, was advised by his key security staff to leave the Brandywell.

He was shepherded away. The president Michael D Higgins stayed and presented the trophy to the Derry captain.
The British army were forced back on to the streets of Derry to deal with the device. It turned out to be an elaborate hoax.

But the alert caused considerable delay for people leaving the game. How dare the people behind this cause so much upset. How dare they even dare to think that the people of this country support an aim of dragging us back to the dark days of the troubles.

The people of Derry suffered more than most in the troubles, which killed thousands. They do not want a return to the dark days.

There are many in this country who do not remember the troubles, thank God. I do, as do many of my generation. Society must reject these people. A man from Derry lay the foundations of the Good Friday Agreement, whose 25th anniversary is coming up.

This deal has brought peace for 25 years. Yes, it’s a fragile peace. But the people of the entire country voted for the deal. The terrorists must not drag us back to the bad old days.

European Ambitions

I think Dundalk will be in the shake up for the European spots. But they must show good home form like last season. And they must win a lot more away games as well. Last season Dundalk’s away form was shocking. Their home form was top class. They went an entire season unbeaten at home.

Pat’s look very strong this season. They have signed a very strong side. Sligo Rovers will also have a very strong and competitive season. They signed well in the close season.

Sligo have a very good ground that is much better than Oriel. The club are in the process of putting together plans for a brand new state-of-the-art stadium. The directors have gone into the community and have raised thousands of euros through draws throughout their area.

The current Dundalk owners have yet to do anything like this. It’s impossible to understand why. Peak6 did nothing either regarding fundraising in the community, nor did the previous owners.

Bohemians and Shelbourne will be knocking on the European doors as well. Both have strengthened their squads and their backroom staff. Rule either club out of the chase for Europe at your peril.

First Division Champions Cork City are an unknown quantity. But again I think they will, as expected, be very competitive. UCD will be very good as well. Everybody says they are the favourites to go down. I do not think so.

They have lost a lot of talented players poached by the bigger clubs. But they have an unlimited supply of talented young players. They will cause a few shocks along the way.

And if anybody thinks that Drogheda United will finish in the bottom two, think again. I think Drogheda will be very hard to beat at United Park. They will also pick up points away from home.

To be honest, it will take at least the first six games to see what shape the league will take. There will be two teams chasing for the league title. There are maybe four or five teams chasing the European spots.

At least one or two of these teams will battle to stay away from the bottom two spots, along with two other teams. There may be three competitions within the one league.

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Players Thoughts

Daniel Kelly and Alfie Lewis are very confident that Dundalk will be up there challenging for the league title. Daniel, who missed the last thirteen weeks of last season, says that at last he is returning to full fitness.

He says it’s been a long hard road to recovery. Daniel expects to be on the bench for the game against UCD. He is one of the most exciting prospects in the league. If he can keep injury free it will be a huge boost for Dundalk. He stressed the manager has been a great help to him.

Daniel says that Dundalk did so well last season. He is adamant that Dundalk will be with the top two. He says he does not mind what the media says. I would love to think he is right.

Alfie Lewis also believes Dundalk can win the league title. The central midfield player was in Stephen O’Donnell’s team that won the cup in 2021 with Pat’s.

He arrived at Oriel at the beginning of August. He is a terrific player. Alfie says the team underwent a rigorous but hugely valuable training programme in the build up for the new season. He is happy that the season is only days away. Again he says the team believes they can win the league. He was also full of praise for manager Stephen O’Donnell.

Andy Boyle is also very confident that Dundalk will be there or thereabouts near the top at the end of the season. He is very confident that Dundalk will be in strong contention for the European spots.

All three players I spoke to have appealed for supporters to come out in their droves tonight. They say the supporters were the reason why Dundalk had such a good home record last season.

They hope the supporters will attend all home games in the same numbers this season. They also say it’s so important that Dundalk get off to a good start against UCD and in their opening games. They feel the UCD game will be tough and that they must not be taken for granted.

Final Thoughts

The Dundalk U19 academy team took on the Republic of Ireland U19 team in a friendly last Saturday in Oriel.
Four of the Dundalk team played for the Republic. They are Senan Mullen, Eoin Kenny, Callum Bonner and Aiden Russell.

The Irish team play in the U-19 Centenary Shield games in March against Scotland, Wales and the North. The Irish team also had a great, great grandson of former Dundalk chairman Peadar Halpin. He attends school in Drogheda and is in fifth year. He also plays in the UCD underage teams.

Former Dundalk striker Johnny Breen has returned to the club. He is the strength and conditioning coach for the six Dundalk FC academy teams.

Dundalk stadium announcer Mickey Duffy was planning to retire at the end of last season. He told me at the time that he felt that he had done his stretch. But Mickey had a rethink over the close season. He is staying on. And he says he is not going anywhere, even if Derry City come looking for him.

Have a safe week. Look after yourselves and please remember to be careful out there.