Dunleavy, Holohan, D.Morrissey all out, O'Sullivan, O'Connor both 50/50 and Beattie and Folan are cup tied. 

A win over Cork would be the perfect antidote to Monday in Dundalk. That winning run had to end eventually. Continuing the cup run would be the best way to shake off that defeat quickly and could see us build momentum for that push for 2nd place. 

http://www.balls.ie/football/st-pats-player-killian-brennan-slams-richie-towell-and-wars-with-dundalk-fans-on-twitter/305570

What a disastrous couple of weeks! Badly need to start stringing a few wins together. Looks like Dundalk or Cork may have to do us a favor by winning the cup

Pats are Irelands most successful club over the last 5 years 

http://www.leagueofireland.ie/#!Who-are-officially-the-most-successful-club-in-the-last-five-years-in-the-League-of-Ireland/cwp4/560117df0cf2375d99d863eb

Anyone hear the rumor floating around that Bucko is gone at the end of the season and is to be replaced by Keith Long?

I love Bucko's ball playing philosophy but we need some backbone and a bit of battle in that team. 

would be happy to have him as 1st choice next season
 

http://www.thesun.ie/irishsol/homepage/sport/irishfootball/6762495/Dinny-Don-with-GAA.html

BTW can we not change the title of this thread to just 'St.Pats FC thread'? This Junkies thing is a load of bwollix.

So, whats the starting XI likely to be at the beginning of this season? There's big changes in centre midfield which will be interesting. That's my main concern but other than that, we look ok. 

The Pats squad for the coming season. No sign of James Chambers 
 

Pats have officially announced a link up with Crumlin United

http://extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/15901/saints-link-up-crumlin-united/

 

By folding all your schoolboy teams ?

 

Great work alright !!!

 

 

What do Crumlin get from all this? Pats get to outsource youth development and still tick the box that they have a youth team and save money. I get that - its short termism in the extreme, but there is a logic. But I don't see any upside for Crumlin.

The benefit for clubs like crumlin and joeys is they are getting involved with loi clubs before the schoolboy clubs lose their power. They are thinking ahead like cabinteely as a long term investment with the way underage soccer in the country is going. With LOI teams meant to have u15 league within the next 3/4 years and possibly an u13 league in the long run, the power of recruiting the best young players will shift from schoolboy clubs to loi clubs. Therefore crumlin are acting quickly to make sure they will be involved when these younger loi leagues are set up to still allow them to get the best players and sell them over to england. 

You have NO teams (zero, none, nothing) from u8s up to u16s.

 

You folded them all.

 

Agree.

 

This was always going to happen and has been encouraged from the outset.

Joeys have always had tenuous links with Bray anyway.

 

We contacted Junkie FC last summer and they said that we were the first club to contact them.

They said they would get back to us but I suppose like all Junkies they let you down.

Yes Crumlin are a more succesful club than us but a simple no thanks would have been nice.

 

 

Would be 99% certain it will be crumlin players in pats shirts and to save any controversy they will call themselves Crumlin/St Pats similar to what bray are at this year. 

If Cherry Orchard come on board too, that would be a tidy bit of business.

The Irish u-17's had three Pats lads in the starting XI against the Swiss yesterday

You make it sound like the Junkies invented this.

 

This is the new FAI Development Pathway introduced by the good Doktor.

 

I'm assuming that the existing Crumlin set up will benefit from input from the Pats coaching staff? 

No need to reinvent the wheel Gary, we aren't looking to go on Dragons Den

I'm very interested to see how the centre midfield works out. We've had some big losses in that area over the last year. What do you reckon will be the starting 3 in the centre will be assuming Bucko plays the same system as usual? 

This is the only issue I can see with the partnership.

Changes were needed though to freshen things up and Killian/Chambers were on the other side of 30. 

Bolger is a massive loss, I think desmond might end up in that role at some stage throughout the season. 

There's definitely more goals in us with Corcoran and Timlin joining and Fagan back from injury. 

C'MON THE F**KING SAINTS!!!

Development fee goes to Crumlin and then because said player is under the age of 23, St Pats would be entitled to compensation via a tribunal. 

 

I'd be fairly worried about the direction Pats are going in at the moment. Last season was poor overall and there havent been many big additions to the squad. It's great that Fagan signed back and hopefully Cregg will add a bit of steel to the midfield. I don't know much about Alex O'Hanlon except he was at Liverpool.

Generally though, there seems to be a bit of a malaise about the club. There is a lack of updates or excitement even on social media. 

The record of bringing young players through has been very useful over the past few seasons so hopefully that continues this year. I think that's the only hope for a strong season.

Any thoughts Saints?  

Looks like I'm chatting to myself in here but I'm comfortable with that 

Good result for Saints last night against Bray. I wasn't at it so I don't know what sort of team Bray had out but a 4 nil loss at home isn't great. Nice to see Fagan off the mark with a couple of goals and also one for O'Hanlon. Need to keep Fagan fit. 

I was the OP and I'd be happy to change thread title if I could but I think we need a mod for that?

Why ?

 

I was at a funeral last week in Inchicore when a junkie approached me (scuttled should I say) around by the grotto looking for odds.

 

The title is perfect.

 

Cheers Sham

As for the forthcoming season, I can see it developing like last year, pretty much. Delighted to hold on to Christy Fagan but we have to hope the midfield performs much better to give him a supply line. Reports from the other night at Bray were good but I wouldn't read much into it.

Who do you think will be 1st choice keeper? O'Malley or Murphy?

In fairness O'Malley has been decent for us. That league cup semi final in Tallaght stands out in particular. I just get a feeling that Bucko doesn't fancy him and so Murphy may start. 

The squad really is paper thin. I reckon there is a good starting XI when everyone is fit but the young lads are going to have to step up again this year. 

The squad IS thin, same as last year. We really struggled after losing Bolger, Forrester and Brennan (who wouldn't?). Let's hope something gels this year.

Finances are tight by all accounts but more has to go into marketing. The Facebook page is passable but could do a better job of advertising upcoming games. A sponsored media campaign before the season starts would be a good way to attract new followers and entice back lapsed Saints.

Are they engaging with local schools/clubs trying to get them coming to games?

 

Clarke was first choice to begin with but they seemed to share the number 1 jersey for the second half of the season. I'm not sure if Bucko was aware of Clarkes plans to leave and wanted to give O'Malley a chance or if Clarke decided to leave as O'Malley had displaced him from the team. 

They are both good keepers in fairness. Clarkeys distribution is excellent. I'd wish him well in Limerick

I disagree with you there. He has a great ping on him. Very accurate

Had to read back there to see if you were on about Rogers

Why would we be discussing Rogers in the Pat's thread?

The merits of Islamophobia were being discussed on the Conor Hourihane thread, as far as I am aware he hasn't converted.

Interesting reading Bermo's comments during the week. Aside from all the usual pre season optimism and cliched stock quotes, he was pretty clear that the squad weren't fit last year. In fairness to anyone watching them regularly, they looked off the pace against decent opposition. I'm a big fan of Bucko but the managers job is to have the team in decent nick. That should be pretty fookin basic. Hopefully the new strength and conditioning coach has them better prepared this year.

On a separate note, Pats have signed Josh O'Hanlon who was with Bournemouth. 

If the squad numbers are reflective of the starting team for tomorrow, it's a bit underwhelming in my opinion but hopefully I'm wrong. 

I'm cautiously optimistic now....but aren't we all at the start of the season!