Investing in squad is the right strategy

AS Dundalk embark on a new season the level of expectation as to what can be achieved both on an off the field needs to be tempered to some extent.

Understandably there are supporters and others who believe that Dundalk can build a complete new stadium and fund almost a new team on the back of the financial windfall that Europe brought about last year.

It simply does not work like that.

Oriel Park, as most know, is not really fit for purpose, and needs extensive renovations and all of this is going to take time and more money than the European campaign yielded last year.

Towards that objective Dundalk have engaged a firm of experts to look at Oriel Park in terms of the potential of the ground for major development. This involves an assessment of the space within the ground for increasing the seating capacity and providing the access that is needed just not from the Carrick Road but also from the Ardee Road.

In addition the club have engaged with the FAI in this Picture: Aidan Dullaghan process to ensure that the maximum amount of grants are made available from both the FAI and sports and Government agencies.

All of this requires extensive preparation and it is encouraging to learn that the FAI have signed up to this process.

In the meantime the club have engaged in works to ensure that not just domestic figures can go ahead, starting with next week’s opening game against Shamrock Rovers, but also European games that will start next August.

The new pitch is in place while work is in progress to provide a complete new gym for the players in the development centre.

Further work will be undertaken in the centre in the coming months to restore the upstairs bars and corporate area to meet the requirements for staging European matches, and to provide an additional source of revenue for the club.

On the field manager, Stephen Kenny has assembled a strong panel of players to compensate for the loss of four key men from last season. It will take time and a number of games for the new players to gel and reach their potential, and injuries to key players could have an impact on the opening games.

There is little doubt that the club fully recognise the level of expectation that has been built on the back of the success of recent seasons, and realise fully that the key factor in the further growth of the club will be achieved on the field of play.

For that reason they have invested heavily in the team for this season in providing Stephen Kenny with a playing budget that has exceeded considerably that of previous seasons.

In so doing the club have taken a calculated risk for it will take in the region of €800,000 to €900,000 to fund the team in the coming season, a substantial sum given the level of ‘gates’ and prize money in League of Ireland football.

Money, as many clubs in England and elsewhere have discovered, does not buy success, but Dundalk feel that by investing prudently in Stephen Kenny’s football knowledge and his desire to build a legacy at the club that they are on the right track.