Kenny plotting a couple of late transfer swoops

DUNDALK FC TAKEOVER Access to Europe a big factor in the deal

THE man who helped broker the sale of Dundalk FC to a US consortium led by Peak6 has admitted that regular access to European football was a key reason why the group have invested in the Oriel Park outfit.

Former Bournemouth chairman Trevor Watkins, a specialist in sports law firm Pinsent Masons advised and played a key role in bringing the consortium stakeholders together to acquire Dundalk for an undisclosed figure last week.

London-based Trevor was assisted by Dennis Agnew (Partner, Corporate, Dublin) and Ben Proctor (Solicitor, Corporate Leeds), as well as 12 other fee earners in making the deal happen.

Watkins led in advising on the deal working with founder members to create, structure and then complete the transaction, and guiding the group in assembling the management team.

He said the investors had ‘ambitions of building on the success of the club to date’ but admitted European football was a key factor for their decision to invest in the League of Ireland.

Watkins said: ‘The League of Ireland is an exciting competition that continues to grow significantly. It also gives any club a realistic opportunity to earn the right to participate in European competition. Dundalk has excelled in that regard, putting it on the international stage in recent years and there is a tremendous opportunity for it to do that regularly.

‘Compare that to the mainstream leagues within England, Spain, France, Italy or Germany where that is considerably more difficult to achieve. I believe a pioneering investment like this will shine the spotlight even more on other ‘lesser’ leagues and the opportunities they offer to be part of a dynamic domestic league, access European competition and continue to build a club and be a part of communities whose teams sit at the heart of them.

‘In general terms, the importance of European competition to financial sustainability within the smaller leagues has grown in recent years. Clubs that manage to reach the Europa League or the preliminary qualifying before the group stages of the Champions League receive significantly more financially than five to 10 years ago. The opportunity for players to participate in European football also helps in attracting talent, assists in the creation of youth programmes alongside providing a realistic chance to play regularly in first team competition. The participation in Europe can help to provide impetus to elevate clubs to a new level on and off the pitch,’ he said.

On the investors taking over Dundalk, Watkins said they would bring expertise that would help bring the club to a new level.

‘The consortium brings together a group with skills and experience across both the playing and commercial aspects of sport. It has come together for this project and is part of a growing phenomenon we are seeing in other similar situations where rather than one investor a number will join together,’ he said. STEPHEN Kenny said he feels there is still ‘a few chapters left’ in the incredible Dundalk FC story he has spearheaded in the wake of the club’s takeover by an American consortium last week.

The manager has brought incredible success to the club since being appointed by former owners Paul Brown and Andy Connolly in November 2012 with three league titles, two EA Sports Cups, an FAI Cup and Europa League group stage qualification amongst his many achievements.

A new era beckons at Oriel Park following the confirmation of the club’s takeover last Thursday but speaking to The Argus, Kenny said there was no reason why the success the club enjoyed under the previous owners couldn’t continue under Peak6’s leadership.

‘Realistically we couldn’t have imagined the great journey we embarked on when Paul and Andy called to my house in Donegal a few years ago but I still feel there’s a few chapters left to this story.

‘It doesn’t have to stand still now. ‘Paul Brown always put it down to the chicken soup that we had that day. It went down well and we didn’t look back after that and we’re still looking forward now.’

While it is speculated that the new owners will be focusing on progression in Europe to recoup their investment in the club, Kenny denied that it would place him under greater pressure to achieve in his role as manager. ‘I don’t really buy into that,’ he said. ‘I probably put myself under more pressure every year than anyone.

‘I just want to set a standard every single year. There’s a desire to maintain and improve Any external pressures, the level of experience I have has thought me to manage that.

‘I wouldn’t see there being an increased level of pressure because we already put ourselves under pressure here to set high standards so I wouldn’t see the takeover as bringing additional pressure.’

Kenny reiterated his desire to improve year on year as he looks to regain the league title from Cork City’s grasp this season.

‘You always have to plan long term but every single year you have to prove yourself and that’s the reality.

‘What you’ve done is important but you’ve always got to continually work hard. We have to try and sustain the level of football we’ve brought to Ireland and try to improve that.’

The manager said there had been some great times at Oriel Park in recent seasons but admitted his frustration at continually losing his star players and having to rebuild. He told The Argus he hoped that situation would change now the takeover had gone through.

‘It has been a great era over the last few seasons. The backroom team from Vinny Perth to Steve Williams to Graham Byrne and all the backroom team have played a big role in it. The players have been terrific.

‘Obviously Andy Connolly and Paul Brown were at the helm for that period. They’re good people and got involved when the club was in trouble.

‘We’ve new owners now coming in and we’re looking to sustain the success that we’ve had. That’s a very difficult thing to do when you lose the players that we’ve lost over the last few years.

‘We’ve lost players to the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Preston over the last couple of years who were in the Championship and pushing for the Premiership. That’s fair enough but we want to be in a position going forward where you don’t lose your best players to Oldham or St Johnstone.

‘That has to be an ambition within the club that we can grow as a team rather than trying to do something brilliant only to have it taken away from you. Those are the challenges for us but one that we’re ready to fight hard and embrace to show the fight and desire that we need to have to be successful.’

Asked did he think the takeover would help the club to retain its top talents, Kenny admitted he wasn’t sure.

‘I don’t know to be honest. We want to build a team that continually improves and that has to be the objective.

‘You would hope the takeover will help but we’ll have to wait and see on all of that,’ he said.

Kenny said he was continuing to plan as normal for the 2018 campaign with the probability of two players joining the club before the transfer deadline on February 22nd.

‘We probably need to add another couple of players but there will be at least one more,’ he said.

‘We’re just looking at a number of players at the moment.

‘There’s no real news on signings to be honest but there should be something in the next two weeks,’ he said.

Kenny said despite the takeover he was fully focused on preparing his side for a tough new season.

‘I know people are not sure what to expect at the moment with the takeover of the club but I think from my point of view as a manager I’m just very focused on the team itself to make sure that we’re ready for the season because there’s a really busy run of fixtures at the start.

‘We have to be sure that we’re ready for what will be a really competitive league this year. It’s a league where there will be a lot of points dropped by all the teams I feel.

‘It’s interesting times,’ he said.