my son's mate is involved with bohs on the coaching side and by all accounts they have a really good crop of young lads coming through.
Mullins is a great bit of stuff, in the last week Bohs have started Mullins(16), Lyons (20), Moylan (19), Devoy (19) and Tierney (20) 3 of those in Europe and the other two in a league game. Keith Long is the leagues best kept secret. Gives youth the chance, time and guidance needed. If Devoy and Lyons don't win senior international caps at some stage I will honestly eat my keyboard. Lyons has been over with Palace a couple of times and couldn't agree a fee I'd say he could be off in January to them or a championship club. Devoy has scouts from all over watching him too including a Belgian top flight team. The link up with Kevins has been a thriving success.
If Bohs sell a player that developed from their link up with Kevins, how much of the fee do Kevins get?
That hasn't been disclosed but I do know it was part of the negotiations when the two linked up. There was no complaints when Evan Ferguson went to Brighton. It is a problem in general though with other clubs getting the bare minimum. Have to assume it is in Kevins interest or they wouldn't have agreed to it.
I'm not having a pop at either the LOI clubs or the schoolboy clubs, but at the time the FAI were coming up with the idea of these link ups, I remember thinking it was forcing the schoolboy clubs into these arrangements with one eye on raising revenue for the LOI clubs. I say that as somebody who has very little knowledge of how it's working, but it's great to see new talent coming through the league. That's as impressive a goal as I've seen from a 16 year old in a long time. I've seen more spectacular looking goals but what's most impressive is how simple he made it look. 9 players out of 10 can score a spectacular goal, but not many can score that one.
I remember thinking at the time, that the likes of the schoolboy football clubs were getting shafted. Years upon years of hard work gone in to some well established clubs around the country and now the players get to 13 14 ? and they just hand their better footballers over! Don't get me wrong, I do believe this is a better education or introduction to "top level" football for the better players that do go on to play at league of Ireland level or further. But I also think the underage competition level is diluted somewhat. I do see some not so pretty scorelines from clubs in the same division in those underage league of ireland games. I've been meaning to go and take in some of the underage league of Ireland games.
Kevin's where dead against the idea of a under age league of Ireland. They were also dead against the idea of the DDSL contributing so much to Abbotstown. In the end they simply had no choice, it's was get on board or get left behind.
I suppose what Bohs offer Kevins is the chance at transfer fees rather than just compensations, it is a shame that the schoolboy clubs were forced in like this but the alternative is that the LOI finally got their act together and took the talent regardless though offering the prospect of first team football and established academies (Correct coach to kids ratios, schooling, scholarships etc). Step one of fixing the so called pyramid in the country is the top clubs having academies fit for purpose, the partnership between Bohs and Kevins offers greater coaching and resources to Kevins and offers Bohs an established pool of players. You would hope that in time LOI clubs have their own academies and in turn compensate the schoolboy teams when they take their players. I'm not for a second saying Kevins, Belvo Joeys etc werent capable or already doing this but it seems like the most progressive route. I know from the AGM last year Kevins were happy with the arrangement as is, I couldn't comment on what their thoughts were coming into it though. The second step is the obvious re structuring of leagues. Especially at underage level, regionalised is fine but having so many differing competitions at youth level is mental. You'd imagine the AUL and LSL should be amalgamating too for the good of the game. They should all be under a competent FAI anyways.
I see the bohs game in Lansdowne next Thursday has sold out, hopefully they get a good result tonight. is it on tv anywhere?
great win for bohs tonight. first football game I've been at in almost 18 months and I have to say I really enjoyed it.
Was highly thought of at Liverpool has really come off a cliff since. Bohs 8-1 over both games and playing some football. Huge step up in quality on Tuesday and being home first will work against us. I just hope the tie is alive with 10 or 15 to go in Greece and see if we can sneak it.
The result was fantastic but the performance even better. Nervy first ten then took the game to them, the used 14 internationals tonight but Bohs pressed as efficiently and intelligently as ever and played through their press. Ross Tierney was sublime. On some buzz after that. Long still unbeaten in Europe drawing 2 and winning 4 in a row this season, a first for any Irish side I believe. Under no illusions the difficulty facing us next week, they brought 4 subs on for 20 and were very dominant from then on. But we will enjoy the result and if we fall it will be on our sword playing our own game. BTID. Special night.