Stephen O’Donnell hits out at 'disgraceful' speculation against Dundalk

Dundalk head coach Stephen O’Donnell has hit out at the “disgraceful” speculation surrounding the Co Louth club.

Speaking after his side’s 2-0 win over Bohemians on Friday night, the former club captain from the glorious Stephen Kenny era, blasted the “negative narrative” around Oriel Park.

His outburst to local reporters came following a week in which speculation over the ownership of the Lilywhites was again to the fore, with the club confirming on Thursday that they were in ongoing investment talks which they hoped would “conclude in the very near future” and bring “an exciting new era”.

The passionate rant to local reporters began when the 37-year-old was asked about the future of all-time leading goalscorer Patrick Hoban, who is understood to have been told he can find another club next season despite having another year to go on his contract.

Refusing to comment on Hoban, who came off the bench against Bohs to set up Paul Doyle for the breakthrough goal with his first touch on 78 minutes before having a key role to play in Daniel Kelly’s second in stoppage time, O’Donnell said he felt Dundalk was judged more critically than other clubs in the league.

“There’s too much nonsense about off the pitch stuff all throughout the season concerning this club,” he said.

“Just talk about stuff on the pitch all right because it’s the only club I see where there’s so much speculation and such a negative narrative on it constantly so let’s talk about football because that’s the way it used to be here. ‘13, ’14, ‘15 and ‘16, there was no rubbish talk. I don’t know how many podcasts, there was nothing talked about off the field stuff. It was on the field stuff. It was pure so let’s keep it pure or let’s get the town back to it