Former Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth says he finds the optics behind the club's decision to alter their management structure hard to understand.
Last week, the Lilywhites announced that they had officially appointed Shane Keegan as first-team manager, replacing previous interim incumbent Filippo Giovagnoli who is stepping back to the position of coach, while also saying there will be a "collective" in picking their starting XI.
Keegan will now officially be in charge of the first team, with Giovagnoli and assistant Giuseppe Rossi part of a larger coaching set-up.
Dundalk were fined €50,000 last year for Giovagnoli 'shadow-coaching' in the Europa League without the necessary qualifications.
Keegan, who previously was opposition analyst at the club, filled in on the sideline for several games in that competition because he has a UEFA Pro Licence.
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Speaking to RTÉ's Game On ahead of the start of the 2021 SSE Airtricity League season which kicks off this Friday, Perth said that despite the announcement, he believes one voice - "the manager from last season" in his view - will set the tone for the club in terms of making the key decisions.
"It doesn't make sense it terms of the press conference they did last week. People have said that it's similar to when I took over. It is different but we won't go into the whole Pro Licence situation," he said.
"But I was on my course and UEFA would allow that once you're on the course, you're recognised as someone who's capable of managing the team in European football.
"The problem for Dundalk was the manager wasn't on the course and doesn't look like he can get on one any time soon because they take two years to complete them and there's only one at a time so it created a problem for them and they were heavily fined.
"And they've had to do something but there are one or two other clubs doing similar things to what Dundalk are doing. So I just don't understand why they turned the floodlights on themselves and made such a dramatic statement.
"It is confusing and it wasn't the smartest thing to do before the start of the season. I just don't believe the team is going to be picked by committee. I just find that hard to understand but we'll wait and see and if ultimately, Dundalk continue to get results, people will stop paying attention to it. That's the key to it all."
He added that he "doubts it's dual management" and believes "there is only one person in charge of the club in terms of the playing side of it".
"I don't think the players will be confused," Perth continued, "So therefore I don't understand the optics of what Dundalk have done."
Meanwhile, he believes the void left behind in midfield by Jack Byrne and Aaron McEneff will be a concern for reigning league champions Shamrock Rovers.
The Hoops get their title defence underway on Friday against St Patrick's Athletic, seven days after a penalty shootout defeat to Dundalk in the curtain-raising President's Cup final.
Perth feels that while they remain "very strong", the game highlighted some small issues that Rovers may need to address.
"I suppose both managers will tell you it's a pre-season game and not to look too much into it but to be fair, I think there was a lot to take out of it," he said.
"First of all for Shamrock Rovers, the loss of Jack Byrne who has been the talisman of the league for so long, I think that's a huge blow for them and for me, as important is the loss of Aaron McEneff.
"I think he's probably been the best player in the league for the last two years - obviously Jack Byrne has been the star - but the goals they've lost and the energy and running power of Aaron McEneff in their midfield and I felt particularly with Dundalk going down to 10 men, I don't think Rovers really dominated at that stage.
"So I think that may be something Stephen Bradley would be a little bit concerned about and something he has to fix. Obviously, he's brought Danny Mandroiu in which could be a really exciting signing. But that's something they would be a little bit concerned about coming out of the game and something I would have noticed."
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This weekend, Shamrock Rovers begin their defence of the title at home to St Pat's Athletic. Perth likes the look of the new forward line Pat's have put together.
"They hadn't scored enough goals in the league this year. Ronan Coughlan is a brilliant signing from Sligo. Billy King looks really fit, judging from his pre-season. They've added Matty Smith from Waterford, so their front three is as good as anything in the league, with the exception of Junior, Michael Duffy and Pat Hoban/David McMillan at Dundalk..
"Overall, I like their first eleven."
Dundalk, meanwhile, head to the Showgrounds to take on a Sligo Rovers side, who Perth believes can kick on from their fourth-place finish last season.
"Like St Pat's I feel there will be a spring in Sligo's step this year.
"The youngster Johnny Kenny has popped up with a lot of goals in pre-season. He's doing his Leaving Cert, but it's great that we have talent like that coming through. The league needs that now.
"In attack, Romeo Parkes is back and he'll have Walter Figueira alongside him. Liam (Buckley) is being clever and has a lot of experience in the side with John Russell, David Cawley and Greg Bolger. John Mahon is an up-and-coming centre-back and Ed McGinty is a strong presence in goal."
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