Live

Repeat: OTB Breakfast

05:00 AM-07:00 AM

Repeat: OTB Breakfast
Advertisement
Soccer

"They don't get a penny for it" - Pat Fenlon on the disappointing aspect for Irish clubs when key players leave

Pat Fenlon says the disappointing thing for League of Ireland clubs like Dundalk is they "don't g...



"They don't get a penn...
Soccer

"They don't get a penny for it" - Pat Fenlon on the disappointing aspect for Irish clubs when key players leave

Pat Fenlon says the disappointing thing for League of Ireland clubs like Dundalk is they "don't get a penny" when key players leave for more lucrative offers in the UK.

The former League of Ireland-winning Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians, Derry City and Shelbourne boss, who also had a spell at Hibernian, joined Off The Ball to discuss the FAI Cup final and the start of the domestic off-season for most clubs.

Last season Richie Towell left for Brighton after a campaign as Player of the Season for Dundalk, while his former team-mate Daryl Horgan and Cork City's Sean Maguire could depart for the more lucrative leagues on the other side of the Irish Sea.

On Dundalk's players for example, Fenlon says the disappointing thing for the club when players leave is the minimal compensation they and other domestic clubs receive in exchange.

"The disappointing thing for me is they walk away from Dundalk who put in a huge amount of work with them - particularly the manager - and they don't get a penny for it. That's the disappointing thing from my point of view in relation to the players; that we lose definitely our best player in the league last year and [maybe] the best in the league this year for nothing," he said.    

Fenlon also gave his take on the future of Cork City's prolific young striker and FAI Cup final goal hero Maguire who could move to England again if a suitable offer is made.

"It's difficult one. He's a young player. He's been away already so he knows it's not always greater on the other side. But for a young player at his age, if teams of the calibre that are supposedly interested, it becomes very, very difficult  for a young player like that to say no," he said.

"I would think if there's a real interest in him, he won't be at Cork next year. I think he'll up sticks and go if the clubs that are mentioned are interested."

Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!

Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.


Read more about

Soccer