Sligo hope to keep squad together

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION:AMID SPECULATION that several of the team's stars could be on their way out of the Showgrounds, once tonight's final game of what has been a victorious campaign is out of the way, Sligo Rovers chairman Dermot Kelly says the club will sit down with its out of contract players next week in the hope of keeping the title-winning squad together.

Kelly was reacting yesterday to criticism from two of the team’s outstanding performers this season, Mark Quigley and Jason McGuinness, that the club has dragged its heels in the way it has dealt with its out of contract squad members.

“There are a lot of players out of contract, myself included,” said Quigley, whose remarkable run of goals kept Rovers’ title charge on track after a serious injury to Danny North had threatened to derail it.

“If the club wants to do well again next year I think they need to keep the squad together and build on it.

“(As things stand) I’ll be signing on the dole on Monday, as usual. That’s a bit of a comedown from scoring a winning penalty but that’s the way it is in this country.

“I’d say the club will probably want to sit down with me in the next week or so,” he continued, “but it’s very late. I think other clubs are doing their business; probably two months ago other teams were doing their business.

“The ball is in their court, to be fair. It’s up to them who they want to sign and who they want to bring in but I’m here and I’m going to listen to offers.”

Quigley says he has been talking with two other clubs about next year, one American (Dallas) and the other Irish, believed to be Shamrock Rovers.

McGuinness has also been linked with a move to Tallaght and he admitted yesterday he would have to do what is best for his family, although he did seem to indicate Sligo could salvage the situation if they move quickly.

“At the moment, we’re all caught up in whats going on down here but I think its important for Sligo to get their business done,” said the defender. “Theres a lot of players out of contract, good players that other clubs would be happy to have so I think Sligo need to really get themselves in gear if they want to hold onto the players here.”

But Kelly said later that he had talked to Quigley later in the afternoon to organise talks for Tuesday and suggested the likes of McGuinness, Gary Rogers, Lee Lynch, Ross Gaynor and Rafaelle Cretaro will all receive offers then.

“It’s disappointing that theyre disappointed,” he said, “but unfortunately until we knew that we were going to be in the Champions League we weren’t in a position to put our best foot forward. I’d be very optimistic, though, that most of those lads will be playing with us next year.

“If you look at the recent history of the league, there are plenty of clubs who have let their ambition run away with them. We were determined not to make the same mistake and until you have a pretty good idea about what prize money and other income you are going to have to work with, you cannot really make a properly informed offer to players.”