Where do Dundalk FC go from here? …
The 2017 season in Oriel Park was one of “could have been”. Some really great performances especially at the end of the season left us regretting some of the easy points dropped in the early season when we were still shell shocked with our European run and player transfers both in and out of the club at the end of 2016.
Special mention has to be given to Stephen Kenny and Vinnie Perth for the great job they have done this year in building another great squad. They are to be admired for their dignity in disappointment in defeat, which cannot always be said of some other L.O.I. managers. Lets all hope they both stay around for a long time, but just as important in my opinion is the attention to detail by all the backroom staff and also their love and commitment to the club , to the supporters and to the youth of the town.
The owners of the club have the interest and future progress of Dundalk FC at heart. Now that the long standing issue of the lease to Oriel Park has been resolved and the funds from the European run of matches is in place, we hear of rumours of a possible interest from an American Consortium to buy a stake in the club similar to the situation in Bournmouth FC…But where do we go from here ? surely a joint Community/ FAI/ Investor/ EUFA collaboration can bring our new stadium a lot closer.
A new season will bring new challenges. Now that the rebuilding season is behind us, lets hope we can hold on to our players and add some steel in defense. Offers are bound to come in for our best players and we should wish them well, but faraway hills are green and hopefully it will take a tremendous offer ( to include European football and playing in a first team) to entice them away.
Finally, let’s hope that the League of Ireland is structured and financed to cope with the future when teams like Dundalk FC and Cork City FC , shamrock Rovers and Derry City FC continue to make their mark in Europe and that finally in League of Ireland we can have a league that we can be proud of. “Come on the Town !!”
