The fact that this debate aired in the early hours of Tuesday morning sums up the fight many League of Ireland sides, and supporters, face.
The controversy over the Football Association of Ireland’s pledge to give 20 Irish teams €5,000 each for coming up with a strategic plan has been rumbling ever since with was announced with much harrumphing last week.
The FAI are offering a little leg up to teams if they can jot down their hopes, dreams and plans on some crisp paper and stick it in the post to Snugborough Road, Abbotstown. Thusfar, Derry City and St Patrick’s Athletic have told the association to keep the €5k.
"It shows the lack of respect for the league." https://t.co/Fw1K7GyyJI
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 4, 2016
Just about everybody with an interest – passionate or passing – in Irish football has an opinion on the matter. A discussion on the proposed payouts, on RTE’s Soccer Republic, last night, was always going to get lively. Add in league director Fran Gavin, Stuey Byrne and former Ireland manager Brian Kerr to the mix and you had good, wholesome, angry TV.
Kerr told Gavin that the €100,000 in combined funding should simply to towards promoting the league and developing its profile. He questioned why Gavin’s role was stretched beyond his league remit and argued that sides were suffering from a lack of direction, and support. Kerr said:
“The frustrations levels across the league are remarkable – I’m talking about the facilities, the facilities for female supporters, the pitches, the dressing rooms are desperate.
“All around the country there are ferociously bad facilities and nothing has been done about it for years and years.
“Talking about strategic planning now for five years is a load of bunkum. The 100k is a pittance in terms of the money the FAI are getting in.
“Where is the leadership in the FAI in relation to the league?”
“The FAI are all a fuss about (the Champions League exploits of) Dundalk this week. Why wasn’t there all this fuss about the league before the season started?”
YouTube credit: Oatt O
Gavin did his best to state the FAI’s case but found himself performing in front of a tough crowd. He did admit that a proper strategic plan would cost each club ‘anything from around €3,000 upwards’, meaning the FAI payouts would only cover their costs.
For any of you not up after midnight, the full segment is definitely worth a watch.
Kerr’s impassioned outing definitely got people talking.
Brian Kerr going in on this fai dude 👏🏼
— Rory Patterson (@roryp84) August 8, 2016
This man cares about the LOI, he has a plan, he's passionate and enthusiastic. He wants to develop the LOI, the other man runs the LOI.
— Darren Cleary (@RadioCleary) August 8, 2016
Can @SoccRepublic get Brian Kerr vs John Delaney next week?
— Gerard Grimes (@GerardGrimes11) August 8, 2016
Good man #BrianKerr and #SteweyByrne ! Telling it like it is. Stop the guff and the politics #FAI . @RTEsport @Corktod
— john creedon (@johncreedon) August 8, 2016
