Ryan Flood remains a Finn Harps player amidst uncertain future

Finn Harps manager Darren Murphy says that midfield ace Ryan Flood has not officially left the club as of yet, as Harps braces itself for the trials of the upcoming season.

The club confirmed back in November that the 25-year-old American will leave the club ahead of the 2024 season, however, Murphy told DonegalLive that no offer has yet been made for the player who scored a hat-trick on what was said to be his final game at Finn Park last October.

For the minute Murphy quashes any speculations regarding Flood’s impending departure, stating that he could yet be a part of the Finn Harps squad this weekend when they welcome Derry City for a pre-season friendly.

“Ryan Flood is still a part of the first-team squad. He trained last week, he trained this week and if there is no offer received from a club then he will be with us this weekend against Derry. For now, he’s a Harps player,” said Murphy.

“Flood is a smashing lad, I really get on with him, I like him at the club and if no offer comes along then he’ll stay here. That can happen too. That's football.

“No offer has come in for him as of yet, but you never know, I can’t predict the future.”

In the ever-evolving landscape of football, where each season ushers in new uncertainties and opportunities, Murphy is preparing for the club to embark on a fresh journey in what will be his first season as manager.

"I know people can comment on it being a poor season last year, but unless you're on the inside of it, it's very hard to explain," reflects Murphy.

"In the Premier Division, there are 10 full-time teams; we probably aren't able to compete with those teams at the minute, not just us, but almost every team in the First Division," Murphy assesses, offering insight into the financial realities that shape the landscape.

However, rather than succumbing to the daunting odds, Murphy chooses to find rays of hope, pointing to the positives from the previous season.

"Looking at last season, I still think there were a lot of positives," Murphy asserts, pushing back against the perceived gloom in the media.

"I think we're trying to build a better future here at Harps. I believe there will be short-term pain for long-term gain.

“I’ve been involved in football for 32 years, I know how this game works, I’m just going to try and come in and improve this team whatever way I can.

"People say that Harps have been promoted three times, but that tells me that they must've been relegated three times. I hope we can build a club that, when they go up, they will stay up for a long time. That's a challenge, but one I'm looking forward to," Murphy declares, setting his sights on establishing Finn Harps as a formidable presence in the Irish football hierarchy.