Sligo Rovers have said that the lack of corporate governance in the FAI has been deflating and added that the League of Ireland is seriously underfunded.
The FAI said in April that they were taking “many urgent steps” to address governance and financial issues within the association, including the creation of a new governance committee and the commission of an independent review, following a string of incidents at board level which led to Sport Ireland suspending future funding to the Association upon review.
Sligo currently sit sixth in the League of Ireland Premier Division and have been happy with the appointment of they manager Liam Buckley but they have lamented the level of funding in the league as well as the cost of public liability insurance.
A statement on the club’s website reads:
“The parent body of football in Ireland (the FAI) clearly has very significant issues. As a club that is run almost exclusively by volunteers, all of whom give a huge level of commitment on an on-going basis, it is deflating to say the least to read about the corporate governance or the lack of in the parent organisation. At the same time, the League of Ireland has been seriously under funded.
“As a positive, it looks as if there are going to be significant structural changes in the league and in its funding. We also have to remember there are many very dedicated people working within the FAI who must find the current situationvery uncomfortable, we work with many good people there on a daily basis.
“A second challenge for us is the level of our Public Liability Insurance premium. In the current environment where personal injury awards and other costs are high and have forced the closure of other sporting facilities, we have been subject of two large claims. Our public insurance premiumhas gone up from €15,000 in 2016 to €60,000 in 2018.
“Our first quote for 2019 was €86,000 (despite being claims free for four years) and only after much work, diligent persuasion and risk containment steps, did we get that premium down to €58,000. Although this feels like a result, it is simply not sustainable.
“As a club without an underwriting benefactor or European prize money, it is a difficult and daily challenge to sustain the level of financial commitment which we currently carry.
“Most independent observers would reach the conclusion that Sligo Rovers are in a better place on and off the field than we have been in the last five years.”
The club also confirmed that Colin Feehily will serve as CEO, on a cost neutral basis, and added that the appointment of a CEO is one of the core targets of their five-year strategic plan.
