Limerick FC 2014

I've been looking forward to the season starting, and even i didn't fully realise that it was starting back on Friday. I knew it was either this week or next week, but there's been very little hype about it.


And if I didn't know, people with a very casual interest are hardly going to.


It would hardly cost too much to put up a few posters around town, get some mention on the front of local papers + maybe a radio ad. Possibly offer a discount to local clubs in the area if they bring a few underage teams or something..... there was a big crowd for the first day last year, and I know it was the first year back in the top flight, but there was a lot more buzz.

Preview by backpagefootball of the season ahead today. What is the latest on Dave O Leary?

http://backpagefootball.com/league-of-ireland-preview-limerick-fc/71063/

O'Leary will be the biggest loss of all... is it just a case of being outbid? We should get compensation in that case?



Anyone know why Coughlan hasn't been given a squad number, he was announced as signed? Think it'd be a mistake to let him go again, think he'd be more suited to Premier Division football than Sheedy.

I hate to say it about the lad but if Murray is in goal I can see him costing us the game.

Taylor said we wont be signing Ebanks the striker that was on trial so hopefully he is still looking at other options to add another striker.

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Don't think Dave will be all that big of a loss...Gamble is a much bigger loss

Well, I think losing the both together will be a big blow. I really expected Dave to step up this season, and I think he would have complimented Duggan nicely.

Gamble was our only midfielder who would consistently put in a tackle, but he had the tendency to have really poor games where he looked disinterested. I like Nzuzi as a midfielder, but I wouldn't really see him as the same type... I'd see him more as a box-to-box, covering a lot of ground, rather than a ball-winner. And you do need to have someone who can win the ball back.


Would have been great to sign Lynch... pity.

Jofspring wrote: »

I think Duggan is an excellent replacement for O'Leary and he is actually a better player. Gamble hasn't been replaced but I think Nzuzi will do a fine job in a similar roll to Gamble. He can read the game well, has the legs to get around the middle and he is comfortable on the ball. We still need another midfielder and striker though.

If Prince Agyemang arrives then that should hopefully bolster the midfield. We will be relying a lot on midfield for goals I would imagine.

Fully fit XI:

Ryan

Kelly
Oji
Leahy/Folan
Williams

Nzuzi
Duggan
Hughes

Tracy
Gaffney
Curran

Subs:
Cusack
Leahy/Folan
Costello
Murphy
Rainsford
Coughlan
Sheedy

Do we know for sure that Agyemang is coming? And if he does, do we know what position he plays? Attacking-minded or defensive?


You've left Galbraith out of your fully fit XI.

Mine would be:

Ryan; Kelly, Tracy, Oji, Folan; Nzuzi, Duggan, Galbraith; Curran, Rainsford, Gaffney


I know that is very unlikely to happen though, you can presumably include Williams at left-back, Hughes in midfield and Tracy further forward?

Jofspring wrote: »

To be honest I totally forgot about Galbraith.

Prince is an attacking midfielder as far as I know or at least he likes to play the ball forward. The club still seem to be adamant that prince and Abass are coming and that they just have to leave Ghana now because all the paper work is sorted.

It'll be good to have the numbers, I guess, but as far as I can see it's a defensive midfielder that we're missing. Someone gritty, who can step in, make a tackle, cover lots of ground, then put their foot on the ball and play a simple pass. Or even a big, strong physical presence... lots of light, tidy players... too many that do the same thing.


Maybe Duggan could perform that role but you don't want to limit his attacking capabilities, which are probably better than the rest aswell.


I just want Barry Ryan back..... won us so many points single-handedly last year.

Jofspring wrote: »

Leahy has the ball skills to play in the defensive midfield role I think.

Does he have the mobility and intelligence though?


I don't know a huge amount about Leahy, just seen him in games against Limerick really. Looked decent but hard to judge really... I'd say it'll be close between him and Folan when everyone's fit, so if he could play midfield, it'd be a big asset.

Fireball07 wrote: »

For sure?


That's a boost... if they are any good. I mean we're getting low on keepers already... Abass might have to feature in the opening weeks (presumably he won't make the Bray game). We mightn't need to use Agyemang right at the start- as we do have Hughes, Nzuzi and Duggan... and Tracy, I suppose. But if he's good, he could feature plenty of times.

Wont be available to play Bray game as they will have just arrived that day but they are being presented to the crowd i believe.

Heard some very very good things about both.

E.Scifo wrote: »

Totally agree with Fireball07's need for defensive midfielder. With our lack of experience we really really need a 30ish Dub with 10 years premier experience.

Why does he have to be a Dub? That aside Joe Gamble met your criteria fairly well.