u/PaddyMayonaise

Pending FAI and Co-op Member approval.

Finn Park, the future stadium, and the Center of Excellence are not part of the deal.

The sale price is essentially the cancellation of loans Freddy Gonzalez gave the club.

Hopefully FAI and the members don’t get in the way of this.

NCFC is obviously on hiatus but work is happening behind the scenes to develop a downtown sports and entertainment district that would, at a minimum, see professional men’s and woman’s soccer. A UFL club is also in the works but on hold for now.

Development rights have already been secured and while tolls till be seen if an MLB team comes to Raleigh, the city and owner’s desire for this complex to be developed is real.

Edit: forgot to link a source because I’m an idiot.

Here’s one https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/\_/id/49863028/mlb-expansion-favorites-candidates-salt-lake-city-nashville-montreal-raleigh

Obviously FAI and LOI specifically is a cash strapped league, especially in the First Division. So where is the money coming from to stand up and support 15 brand new clubs at an even lower division? How sustainable is this new league?

I feel like a lot of attention has been put on it as well. Makes sense, given its new and new things are exciting, but many 1D clubs are already semi-pro with part time staff. On top of this, 1D play is honestly not very good. Finn Harps are my top team, so I watch LOI1D more than any other league, but I have a strong interest in EFL League 2, SPFL league 2, and USL-C and USL2 (2nd and 4th tier American soccer). LOI1D is so far beneath any of these it’s not even comparable.

So why is there really this push for a 3rd tier? Is it just to get more teams in more towns across the country? Or is there actually potential for growth and stability? I can’t imagine there’s really enough talent across the country to properly support 50 professional teams.

Maybe I just woke up in the wrong side of the bed. What do you all think?

Absolute gong show between UCD and Finn Harps. UCD wins 5-4 and sends Harps to their 8th straight defeat.

PK put in by Shaun Bradley cuts the defrost to 1-3 against Cobh

No, this is not a repost from last week.

The Harps once again fall 5-0

Since the 9th of May my Finn Harps have gone 1-2-10 with a -29 GD.

They have only scored once since June 24th

They have gone scoreless in 9 of these 13 matches.

They have only scored 5 total goals in this span.

They have given up 33.

They have lost two consecutive matches by a score of 5-0

They have three losses of 5-0, one of 4-0, and two of 3-0 in this span.

Our soup is cold and flavorless.

Finn Harps depression posts will continue until performance improves.

Was generally surprised in the other thread about bringing in foreign players that it seemed like people didn’t know this.

But yea, in short there are strict restrictions on non-EU players playing for LOI clubs. As of now only 4 non-EU players can be rostered on any LOI club.

Finn Harps relegated to Sunday League

Two red cards this game.

-8 GD in last 135 minutes of play. 0-3 and 0-5 losses since sacking McHugh

Obviously Finn Harps have been on the struggle bus for a while. Worst team in all of the LOI, horrible financial situation, and a bleak outlook for a positive future. Just sacked our manager and hired an inexperienced interim and his brother that still plays (in NIFL no less) to lead the team. Sold the LOI1D leading goal scorer for a soggy meat pie and a CB leads our club in goals this year as a result. We’ve been waiting on a new stadium since the GFA and no word on if it’ll ever actually be built.

We’ve had one win since May. We’ve gone 7 losses, two draws, and a 1-0 win in that span. -16 GD in those 10 matches.

It’s bad in Ballybofey.

So what is the future of this club? We’re putting all of our hope in the members voting to approve the sale of the club to a millionaire that lives in the Philippines. That’s where we are.

So it got me thinking: Why not jump to the NIFL? Different circumstances, but the precedence is there with Derry being in LOI. Why not have the Harps playing in the North?

Within 200km driving distance of Finn Park are 21/24 NIFL clubs but only 4/20 in the LOI. That’s a huge difference over the course of a season. Less travel means lower costs, less time on the bus, fewer overnight stays, and less time away from work for players at a club that is so broke that our club begs members to “donate” rooms for players to stay in during the season. For another reference point, we are so broke that we have not paid a transfer fee as of yet in the 21st century. Playing in the North would also help the club better market itself where it is more geographically relevant.

Years fighting financial constraints and trying to stay competitive despite being one of the most geographically isolated clubs in the league, it doesn’t make sense anymore. If new ownership is coming in with fresh ideas and a long-term vision, this feels like the right time to at least ask whether the current model is the best one. And in wondering if the club is thinking the same.

Ian Harkin, club president, specifically called out interim manager Patrick McEleney’s experience with NIFL as a point of interest in hiring him. Additionally, and perhaps more noticeable, they also hired his brother, Shane, who currently plays for NIFL side Ballymena United.

The Harkin quote:

> We welcome Patrick to Finn Harps at an important moment for the club. His knowledge of football in both the League of Ireland and the NIFL…made him the right appointment

It could be just an add on to boost his legitimacy, but it does make me wonder if I’m on to something here.

Leadership has been super dodgy about the future of the club, but they keep talking about how it’s a “pivotal” time and how there are a ton of changes ahead. “Important moment for the club” as you see him say above.

I’m sure there are major hurdles with the FAI, IFA, UEFA, etc., and I’m not saying it’ll happen overnight. But Finn Harps are closer to disbanding than they are promotion. If there was a third tier they’d be relegated and honestly aren’t even a professional club at this point. Something like 16 of our rostered players are Academy grads, which sounds great until you realize it’s not because we’re developing great talent but it’s because we aren’t bringing in outside talent to compete.

Something has to change. Maybe this is the change that needs to happen.

TL;DR: Finn Harps are broke and have no future. NIFL offers the best potential future for the Harps to become competitive again. They are geopolitically closer to 21/24 NIFL clubs than most LOI clubs and stand to have a much more promising future in the NIFL than they do trying to compete in the LOI, even if the new ownership deal comes though.

Was looking up a Flyers’ prospect just now and it struck me how he’s a guy that is far superior to his peers in junior hockey, but likely isn’t going to get top-6 minutes for out AHL affiliate, as well as limited PP and PK opportunities. Feels like a waste to take a guy from a role where he’s getting well above PPG to a role where he’s lucky to get 10 minutes of ice time a night.

Hockey teams have no shortage of prospects they’re trying to develop, and oftentimes players not being able to develop in certain areas will totally stunt their potential. Sometimes this is just a naturally revelation of the fact that a guy can’t cut it, but sometimes it’s simply a case of a guy getting caught in a log jam where there simply aren’t enough minutes to go around.

So this got me thinking, why doesn’t hockey have a more MLB-like approach to player development?

Why don’t teams send a guy like this to their ECHL affiliate so he can get Top-6 and PP1 minutes against full grown men instead of playing 8-10 minutes a night in the A? Let him get pro minutes in the positions they hope he develops before bringing him up to the AHL, and then eventually ECHL.

MLB teams don’t draft a potential starting pitcher and throw him in the bullpen in AAA or a potential starting CF and have him pinch hit in AAA, they play them full time at lower levels to develop in the position and roles they want them in. Only as they rise up the ranks do roles get diminished as it becomes clear the potential isn’t there.

So why don’t we see this approach more in hockey?

Draft a guy you hope is a 2C, and instead of him playing 8-10 minutes a night in the AHL, have him play legit Top-6 minutes in the ECHL, develop and hone that skillset while adjusting to playing against men, and go from there?

Plus, a side effect of this (not that teams would care but the NHL would) would see ECHL teams get more popular, would help grow the game, and help spread the brand of the NHL club associated with them.

Was looking up Jack Berglund just now and it struck me how he’s a guy that is far superior to his peers in junior hockey, but likely isn’t going to get top-6 minutes for the Phantoms, as well as limited PP and PK opportunities.

Hockey teams have no shortage of prospects they’re trying to develop, and oftentimes players not being able to develop in certain areas will totally stunt their potential. Sometimes this is just a naturally revelation of the fact that a guy can’t cut it, but sometimes it’s simply a case of a guy getting caught in a log jam where there simply aren’t enough minutes to go around.

So this got me thinking, why doesn’t hockey have a more MLB-like approach to player development?

Why don’t the Flyers send a guy like Berglund to our ECHL affiliate so he can get Top-6 and PP1 minutes against full grown men instead of playing 8-10 minutes a night in the A? Let him get pro minutes in the positions we hope he develops before bringing him up to the AHL, and then eventually ECHL.

MLB teams don’t draft a potential starting pitcher and throw him in the bullpen in AAA or a potential starting CF and have him pinch hit in AAA, they play them full time at lower levels to develop in the position and roles they want them in. Only as they rise up the ranks do roles get diminished as it becomes clear the potential isn’t there.

So why don’t we see this approach more in hockey?

Draft a guy you hope is a 2C, and instead of him playing 8-10 minutes a night in the AHL, have him play legit Top-6 minutes in the ECHL, develop and hone that skillset while adjusting to playing against men, and go from there?

Plus, a side effect of this (not that teams would care but the NHL would) would see ECHL teams get more popular, would help grow the game, and help spread the brand of the NHL club associated with them.

More to follow.

20 year old on loan in Denmark from Barca B. 37 career appearances with Barca B and 15 caps with various age groups in the US system, up to U23.

Is he a guy to watch over the next 4 years?