Greatest League in the World 2026 [LOI Thread]

Ferris_Bueller · 22-02-2026 07:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257467#Comment_124257467

It's a weird article for a number of reasons and just has a feeling of being 'off' when you read it, also strange that none of the usual LOI journalists have commented on it at all from what I can see. I was under the impression that Noonan and his family had a very good relationship with the club but obviously could be wrong on that. Hard to understand where rules would have been broken when it sounds like he was the one to turn down Hoffenheim, it mentions he favours a move to Celtic and you would think the club would be happy to send him there given the links to Desmond and the fact that we've done deals before for Scales and Kenny.

artanevilla · 22-02-2026 07:58PM

Inevitably it will have been about money.

Quitelife · 22-02-2026 08:03PM

The thuggery at Dundalk & Drogheda Friday night is the main reason many people will never attend the league of Ireland . Shamrock rovers , Bohemians , Derry city all that same shite, Until someone tackles all these wannabe scumbags it will never draw big numbers of people , lot safer and less hassle for people to attend Rugby or GAA

Big crowd at Louth v Tyrone today in Louth .no hassle.

artanevilla · 22-02-2026 08:04PM

Nonsense.

Oat23 · 22-02-2026 09:59PM

Bohs doing their fellow community club a service by giving us McManus back on loan before the deadline 🤝

Might've saved John Russell's bacon with that (although we are still short a few)

artanevilla · 22-02-2026 10:08PM

Great lad, look after him please. Again.

kksaints · 22-02-2026 10:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257833#Comment_124257833

Got McHale on loan from us also. He'd a good season on loan at Dundalk last year. Considering we're playing 3 at the back atm and Hoare is a near permocrock at this stage I'm surprised we let him go.

pgj2015 · 22-02-2026 10:33PM

Just say some young striker 18, breaks onto the scene in the LOI this season and scores 30 goals, what is the most a team could get for a player like that?

CSF · 22-02-2026 10:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257900#Comment_124257900

If the new Messi arrives in Dundalk, I would think the maximum fee would not depend on the LOI and rather depend on how intense the bidding war gets between all the best teams in the world.

artanevilla · 22-02-2026 10:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257900#Comment_124257900

It's unlikely a player like that wouldn't have been on radars for a number of years but I'd guess if it was someone really quite talented and they had a decent long contract, between 2-5 million maybe plus significant add-on clauses.

A lot of assumptions being made there including that he doesn't play for a team who can't afford to turn down a bag of balls for a player.

Oat23 · 22-02-2026 11:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257890#Comment_124257890

It looks like Shane Blaney might've re-injured his hamstring on Friday night in his first start back since injuring it at Livingston in October, so he might get a lot of minutes playing LCB.

Russell put a bid in to sign him permanently a few weeks ago but that was rejected.

pgj2015 · 22-02-2026 11:03PM

Ya never know, lots of players are late bloomers. Id say it will happen at some stage, a player who blows the rest out of the water for a year, the way David Clifford was playing minor football for Kerry. Unplayable.

dfx- · 23-02-2026 01:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257900#Comment_124257900

It appears to depend on how much Celtic are interested.

Quitelife · 23-02-2026 10:24AM

Some interview on Radio 1 radio this morning with Minister for sport Patrick O Donovan where all investment in LOI Astroturfing of pitch’s is suspended until something is done about the thuggery and burning of Oriel park on Friday night .

Another article in yesterdays Sunday world about Waterford fans been attacked the previous Friday night in Drogheda really paints drogheda in particular as a club with serious scumbags following them .

DireD · 23-02-2026 10:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258500#Comment_124258500

shouldnt be astro turfing any pitches in the top two divisions anyway.

CSF · 23-02-2026 10:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258500#Comment_124258500

Doesn’t take too much reading about Patrick O’Donovan to know he’s not a man whose opinions are worth listening to.

ben.schlomo · 23-02-2026 12:08PM

GUFC confirm the signing of Pierrot. Happy with that if he can get fit and firing.

CSF · 23-02-2026 12:15PM

Does anyone fully understand the Michael Noonan investigation and what exactly is being accused?

MrMusician18 · 23-02-2026 12:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258520#Comment_124258520

He's the minister in charge of sports funding ultimately.

The behaviour was disgraceful and a new publicly funded facility needs significant repairs, 20mins after opening. Why should the state continue to fund this when no effort has been put into dealing with pyro and thuggery at loi?

artanevilla · 23-02-2026 01:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258889#Comment_124258889

Why should a whole sport be punished for the action of a small number of individuals? No other sport in this country is treated in this fashion. Thuggery is lauded in other sports that get money pumped into it with zero eyebrows raised.

MrMusician18 · 23-02-2026 01:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258899#Comment_124258899

It's not. Vandalism is not acceptable in other sports and they don't get rewarded for it. It's high time LoI got its house in order and finally sorts out and bans the thugs that surround their games.

What's worse is this **** was fully expected with the fire brigade in attendance on standby. Where else does that happen?

CSF · 23-02-2026 01:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258954#Comment_124258954

Alright there Maud Flanders.

MrMusician18 · 23-02-2026 01:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258965#Comment_124258965

That's all you have, personal attacks. You can't engage with the issue because you know I'm actually right. The league has had a long standing issue with thugs aping the "ultras" they see abroad.

I hope finally the consequence for the clubs have finally come home to roost and they see their funding cut until they deal with this.

artanevilla · 23-02-2026 01:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258980#Comment_124258980

We see lads bating the head off each other every week in the GAA, on and off the pitch, who are they aping? Where's the call for their funding to be cut?

MrMusician18 · 23-02-2026 01:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258987#Comment_124258987

That's always the way, looking to other sports for justification for loi supporters own **** behaviour.

So you think it's ok for a publicly funded facility to be wrecked minutes after it's official opening. That the government should continue to fund astro when the clubs have been shown to be unable or unwilling to control destructive behaviour?

pjohnson · 23-02-2026 01:47PM

Tbf I thought flares had been completely banned by FIFA and/or UEFA after the Dida incident.

Theres no need for flares in a stadium as nothing good would come of it. It shouldn't be controversial to just ban flares.

pjohnson · 23-02-2026 01:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124258763#Comment_124258763

Yep striker was the biggest weakness left in the squad by some margin.

MrMusician18 · 23-02-2026 01:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124259015#Comment_124259015

They are banned but they bring them in anyway. No enforcement, no bans, no one cares. Result here is a public facility wrecked and a child burned in the face.

deisedude · 23-02-2026 01:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124259015#Comment_124259015

They are banned its just not well enough enforced. Points deductions is the only way to stamp it out

Tom1991 · 23-02-2026 01:51PM

they hit a garda with a flare at Richmond last year also , a section of ours shut over the flares last year also , moronic behaviour altogether it will take people getting criminal charges for possession for it to stop , and drogheda should get 4/5 games of behind closed doors imo

Greatest League in the World 2026 [LOI Thread]

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