Dundalk FC chairman Bill Hulsizer: ‘I don’t care what people say’

Dundalk FC chairman Bill Hulsizer

Dundalk FC chairman Bill Hulsizer has hit back at his critics, declaring that everyone involved with the club is doing the “very, very best they can do”.

In a revealing interview from Florida, the father of club owner Matt Hulsizer said he wasn’t aware of any petitions or protests taking place as he doesn’t read newspapers or go on social media.

When informed about banners erected on perimeter fencing at recent home games he said: “Everybody is entitled to an opinion and if they think it is being run like a circus well let them stand up and say give me the chance to run it and I’ll show you how to run it.

I don’t care what people say. We just have to do whatever we think is right and move on. If somebody feels they can do a better job then step up, put your money on the table and run it. It’s really that simple to me.

“Anybody who buys a ticket and sits in the stand has a right to cheer or boo. That ticket gives them the right. The fact that they’ve put up a banner isn’t going to effect any decision that I make or Jim (Magilton) makes.

“In the end we have to do what we feel is best for the club.”

The 78-year-old admitted that mistakes had been made this year, including letting one unnamed player leave the club and only playing three pre-season friendlies.

“Do I think the players are bad or that we chose the wrong players? No. Do I think we should have kept some players that we let go last year? Yeah, there’s one that I think we should have kept but I’m not going to tell you who that is.

“All the rest? I don’t think we have a worse team. We have a worse record. Do I think we’ve made bad decisions this year? Yeah. How many friendlies did we play? Three if you count the President’s Cup. How many did Shamrock Rovers play? Nine. QED.”

Dundalk’s poor start to the season prompted both Shane Keegan and Filippo Giovagnoli to resign but Hulsizer says the club will now take its time over appointing a successor.

“We’re not desperate and we don’t have to make a decision about that tomorrow.

“At this point Jim hasn’t presented me with one candidate but I wouldn’t have expected him to.

“He will present a short list and I’m not going to tell him who to hire. I’ll tell him who he can’t.

“If I had a choice I might say Mourinho, but that’s not going to happen,” he joked.

Hulsizer also revealed that Dundalk expect to make a profit from the 2020 campaign and said that this year’s budget is no bigger than last season's.