LoI Close Season Transfer Rumours/Gossip 2008-09

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CiaranC wrote: »

No doubt about it, they look awful.

...but fair play to yiz, it was long and hard fought, it'll be great for yiz to finally settle in to the place.

CiaranC wrote: »

i couldnt give a **** if they were all painted with union jacks

Might attract a few 'stoolers if that were the case :pac:

Nalz

SectionF wrote: »

O'Donnell's a decent, passing player who can also tackle. Had big boots to fill and did ok. But he could be inconsistent and was wont at times to fade out of games. I'd rather have kept him: if he had stayed, he could have become a big name at Bohs. But he's not indispensable.

Very overrated and gets lost in games at times imo

djpbarry

CiaranC wrote: »

But after 22 years homeless, i couldnt give a **** if they were all painted with union jacks

Hmm. I think some of your fellow Hoops might have something to say about that!

stovelid

If there are plenty of arses covering the seats, more's the better.

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Here's an excellent open and honest interview with Dermot Keely

http://vimeo.com/3389057

LuckyLloyd

Des wrote: »

Here's an excellent open and honest interview with Dermot Keely

http://vimeo.com/3389057

Wow, fair play. It's so telling when you have people like Dermot Keely admitting to the fact that full time professional football in this country is unsustainable.

Man seems deeply passionate about football and what he's trying to achieve with that football club. If ye don't go up (which would be a surprise) it won't have been for a lack of trying on his part.

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Apparently he has a piece in the Star tomorrow for which he reckons he'll get a five grand fine for :eek:

CiaranC

lol, "I got drunk for three days"

SectionF

I know it's tempting fate to ask, but where do we go?

CiaranC wrote: »

Let there be light!

CiaranC

SectionF wrote: »

I know it's tempting fate to ask, but where do we go?

You get 150 seats down the square end of the stand I imagine. Second stand due to be completed in June.

stovelid

SectionF wrote: »

I know it's tempting fate to ask, but where do we go?

Upper lobby of the Maldron Hotel with binoculars.

elshambo

CiaranC wrote: »

Let there be light!

Is that herself?

I was going to say that i was a bit upset that i was going to miss
Da Rovas trip to Tallafornia for the grounds opening game due to being away

but by the looks of if i can find a pub in London showing it i will get a better seat:rolleyes:

Elshambo
Chairman
LOI barstoolers association

Des wrote: »

Here's an excellent open and honest interview with Dermot Keely

http://vimeo.com/3389057

Best interview ive heard about the LOI in years!
7:07 is a personal fav part!
Spot on about Fingal obv
Have to agree 100% with everything he said
apart form the bits where he was praising shels of course

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Keely talks again

ON A DAY when top names like Marco Tardelli and UEFA General Secretary David Taylor come to Dublin for the official launch of the new League of Ireland season, Shelbourne boss Dermot Keely has branded the FAI a "farce" over their club licencing scheme.

Dubliner Keely is one of the most widely-travelled figures in the domestic game, having played for or managed 15 Irish clubs, and he signalled his intent for yet another campaign as he yesterday unveiled his Shelbourne squad for the 2009 season, promising to make a real challenge for the First Division championship.

Keely's forthright views have seen him threatened with fines and suspensions in the past, but the full-time schoolteacher has no intentions of holding back on his views of those running the game in this country.

"The whole thing has become a farce. What's gone on is a scandal, and an even bigger scandal is the fact that we've heard nothing from the people in charge," Keely told the Herald.

"Today at the season launch we will be told that we are not allowed to speak out of turn or criticise the league or the FAI. It's all about control and massaging the appearance of it, but it's not about facing the facts.

"There's this idea in the FAI that everything is positive, everything's rosy in the garden and I can't understand that. Everybody in the game knows it's a joke but they won't face up to that, and they won't silence me for saying that. If they want to fine me €5,000, then they can go ahead.

"They say that I am always knocking the league but I don't see it like that -- I love this league, but I know that some club will go bankrupt this year. That's a racing certainty.

"The FAI can fine me €5,000 if they want, I will challenge them all the way. I am not knocking the league, I am stating facts, and if they want to fine someone for stating facts, then let them," added Keely.

Like many figures within the game, Keely is bemused and angry at the process of club licencing for the 2009 season, which allowed both Cork City and Drogheda United to remain in the Premier Division even though both clubs went into examinership last year to deal with debts in the region of €2m.

"The FAI say they will make big changes this year, but they had the power last year to take away the licences and they didn't do that. I don't have a problem with the licencing department, the people there have been very straight. But it's the licencing committee, they had the power to take licences away from people and didn't do it," said Keely.

"It started last year with Galway United, the FAI sat by and let it happen where Galway had a fire sale of players and were then allowed sign new players, having got players out of the club to reach the 65pc target.

"Then we had Cork and Drogheda, who went into examinership and were deducted 10 points but should both have been relegated.

"For Drogheda to get the help that they did from the FAI is beyond me, it beggars belief. Drogheda United got a licence last year pending the building of a new stadium. That's not now going to happen, but the FAI gave them a licence and are prepared to put 1,500 seats into a stadium that's falling down.

"This is not because it would have affected Shels -- if Drogheda and Cork had been relegated, Shels would not have been promoted instead of them, Finn Harps and UCD would have stayed up. So I'm not saying this from a selfish viewpoint. Shelbourne would still have been in the First Division."

His own club, Shels, are beginning their third successive season in the lower tier as they were demoted just after winning the 2006 Premier Division title.

Shels chairman Joe Casey yesterday admitted that the Reds had made a loss last year -- €70,000 -- but had increased sponsorship and cut costs for 2009 and they hoped to break even or make a profit for the coming season.

Yet Keely reckons that the Reds are still paying an unfair price for their own financial collapse three years ago.

"At Shels they didn't go into examinership, but Shels got punished for doing things the right way, Shels paid the tax bill and paid the players," says Keely.

"Look at Richie Baker coming back to Shels. Despite all that went on at Shels in the past, all the ducking and diving and all the things that went wrong, players loved the club and the people there. I don't think players have the same feeling towards Cork or Drogheda, those clubs got away with murder.

"The rules are a joke, what clubs do is pay the players until the clubs are safe from relegation, they go into examinership, stop paying the players -- who are full-time and are depending on their football wages to pay their mortgages -- and get away with it. One club who are still in trouble are still at it, still messing, still not paying what is owed to people. And they get away with it.

"We have been badly led, this crisis has been coming and I've been saying it for 10 years. I got out of professional football in 2001 because I saw the writing on the wall then, I could see the spiralling costs and the decline in income so it's not rocket science. It was all coming and for no one in the FAI to come out and take responsibility is scandalous.

"We have a full-time league that's no longer full-time, we have four full-time teams in the Premier Division this season but there won't still be four at the end of the season," added Keely.

On the field, Shels went very close to promotion last season, only losing out in injury time of the last game of the season, but despite the largesse at close neighbours Sporting Fingal, Keely says he wants to challenge for the title.

"I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't take someone's money if I wasn't prepared to challenge. I am here to try and win the league," he said.

Shels have signed up nine new faces, with former players David Crawley, Kevin Doherty and Richie Baker all returning to Tolka Park alongside newcomers Stephen Quigley, Derek Doyle, David Cassidy, Darren Meenan, Peter Hynes and Paddy Madden.

Stick it to 'em Dermo

Absolute hero.

Expect a fine for this, from the Abbotstown Circus.

FTA.

DmanDmythDledge

Pighead wrote: »

O'Donnell, Burns, Heary, Joxer, Mingus whatever his name is(Lithuanian lad) all gone. According to a few Bohs fans last season O'Donnell was one of their best players. They've brought in a washed up N'Do to replace him. Also there's the potential of points deducted if the finances aren't up to scratch. No chance for Bohs this year. They're I've said it!

bohsman wrote: »

O'Donnell is a small loss but its Paul Keegan who is replacing him, leaves us with Rossiter, Keegan and Deegan all better defensive mids than odonnell. Burns is a loss but we've plenty of strength in depth, I expect Shelley to go right back with O Heary moving to centre half leaving Ken Oman on the bench, Oman is a far better player than T Heary.

T Heary is no loss whatsoever, wish hed left years ago. Joxer, no loss unfortunately, never lived up to the hype, one trick pony. Kalonas - super sub and great player, if Ndo gives 10% of what Kalonas offered hes a good replacement though.

Exactly what I was going to say. Kalonas won't be a huge loss I'd say. If I remember correctly he was available that often and featured a lot from the bench. Could well be wrong though. Ndo should play just a much as he did and is a similar replacement.

Roar wrote: »

you can't call cork city "weaker", fair enough we've lost liam kearney (bit of a loss), mick devine (old) and lawrie dudfield (meh), but we've added Dan Connor, one of the most dependable goalkeepers in the league, Fahrudin Kudozovich who's going to set the league alight in a city shirt, Billy Dennehy, Stephen O'Donnell, Latvian international defender Robert Mezeckis, and Davin O'Neill who's a terrifically exciting prospect, add all those together with exisitng players like Colin Healy, Joe gamble and Dan Murray and you have a very strong team there

Doolin's assembling a decent team to be fair to him, let's just hope he plans to actually play a bit of football with the players he has, instead of booting it up forward and hoping for the best

It doesn't really make that much of a difference what players you've added to be honest. Your squad is slightly better but the difference of managers in the opposite direction is far, far greater than that.

And hoofball will be played- have technically gifted players at Drogheda didn't stop him. In fairness though I'd say it will be less used as Cork's defenders natural instincts would be not to hoof it.

bohsman wrote: »

He slotted in there well a couple of times last season, its the signing of Shelley that is confusing things, Hearys getting on a bit, his legs might last longer if he moves into the middle. We also have Rossiter that plays right back.

Shelley played centre back for a while at the start of the 2007 season. Think he got player of the month while playing there.

Des wrote: »

Those different coloured seats take the look off the place. imo.

Definitely.

stovelid

On a similar note, did anybody catch Sunday Sport on RTE? Roddy ripping into Fran Gavin, and making more accusations re: clubs on the precipice and unpaid wages.

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2009/pc/pod-v-220209-18m25s-sundaysport.mp3

dreamers75

Gary o neill clarifies his situation.

Gary O’Neill today spoke of his delight to be at Sporting Fingal following a “weird” season with St Pats last year.

“It was a weird season last year: A lot of highs and lows. I had a couple of injuries: I had to get an injection into my groin. I rushed it back, I was a bit selfish on my own behalf because I wanted to play in the games, and I wanted to play in Europe because at the time we still had the chance to win things. Things didn’t work out like that though."

O’Neill was left in an awkward position last year having accepted an offer mid-season from another club which ultimately fell through.

“During the season last year I had pretty much done a deal with a club, I won’t name them, and they just said at the end of the year that the deal is worth nothing. So if contracts are worth anything, I don’t know.”

“About 2 days after last season I was hoping to go in there and get paid the week later, that was my understanding. Then next of all, a couple of months before Christmas they said that deal was not there anymore, even though I’d signed it.

“It’s hard to say I’m disappointed to leave Pats, because they offered me a good deal in the summer, but I thought I was getting a better deal somewhere else. So I turned down Pat’s when things were good, then I got let down and things were bad. It blew up in my face but things happen for a reason.

Asked about how he felt playing in Europe last season, losing away to Hertha Berlin, O’Neill was quite frank about the experience, claiming it was “bitter-sweet”. O’Neill knows that an Irish club is unlikely to win a European tournament, which in one way helped him choose Sporting.

“It was good to go to but not nice to get beat. It doesn’t matter who you play, you never want to get beat. I’d rather win the First Division title than play games in Europe.”

O’Neill says that Sporting manager Liam Buckley was the main reason he signed for the First Division outfit:

“He’s been pressing me the whole time. He really wanted me. Liam really chased me through the off-season and really sold the project to me. Then it was just a matter of thrashing out a contract that I could live on, pay my bills, pay my mortgage and that.”

A lot of players have taken a step down from the Premier to the First, joining O’Neill in Santry:

“We’re hoping not to be here for too long, with the lads he’s signed. I don’t think any of us want to be in the First Division, I certainly don’t want to be. But looking around the country, there’s more important things to worry about than playing in the Premier Division or the First Division. I don’t want to be there professionally, but I have to pay the mortgage. Hopefully we won’t be there too long.

However nothing is being taken for granted at Sporting, with O’Neill already aware that his new club are now the team to beat.

“It’s going to be a lot harder than people think. We are going to be the team to beat. They’ll really want to get stuck into us. If I played for another team I’d be the same. Doing things on paper is one thing, but on the pitch it’s another. We’ll see in November.”

Honest if anything, still stupid tho

gimmick

City wages not paid yesterday. its all over the papers today. Seriously folks, we is fooked.

pablomakaveli

gimmick wrote: »

City wages not paid yesterday. its all over the papers today. Seriously folks, we is fooked.

Here's a link to the story on the independent.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/cork-wages-delay-casts-shadow-over-fai-launch-of-new-season-1656902.html

I know Tom Coughlan helped save the club from going under, but sometimes i wonder what the hell the man is doing?:mad:

dreamers75

gimmick wrote: »

City wages not paid yesterday. its all over the papers today. Seriously folks, we is fooked.

I win the predictions game and the league hasnt even started.


legend i is.

20 Times 20 Times

Both Stephen O donnell , and Faz could of signed for a club that would of guarenteed their wages every week but because both got bumper two year contract with city they signed. I hope they suffer now.

CiaranC

Hands up who didnt see Corks implosion coming?

The FAI will fudge this too.

20 Times 20 Times

CiaranC wrote: »

Hands up who didnt see Corks implosion coming?

The FAI will fudge this too.

surely they cant now at this stage.

dreamers75

Sarge wrote: »

Both Stephen O donnell , and Faz could of signed for a club that would of guarenteed their wages every week but because both got bumper two year contract with city they signed. I hope they suffer now.

Who is this mythical club you speak off?

FC Valhalla? Atlantis United? UCD?

gimmick

I would imagine being unemployed is a better prospect than playing for Dundalk.

20 Times 20 Times

dreamers75 wrote: »

Who is this mythical club you speak off?

FC Valhalla? Atlantis United? UCD?

If you dont now then your not footbal enough too know

gimmick wrote: »

I would imagine being unemployed is a better prospect than playing for Dundalk.

Dundalk are one of thebest run clubs in the country at the moment.

Töpher

Sarge wrote: »

surely they cant now at this stage.

O RLY? :pac:

Of course they can! And will! :mad:

Xavi6

Sarge wrote: »

Dundalk are one of thebest run clubs in the country at the moment.

Actually you're wrong, they're apparently THE best run club in the country.

20 Times 20 Times

One of the only clubs last year to run at a profit also.

doncarlos

Sarge wrote: »

Dundalk are one of thebest run clubs in the country at the moment.

Have to agree with that Sarge we are so lucky to have someone like matthews on board. He runs the club like a business and doesn´t spend money that we don´t have. He has assembled a good team. Sponsors are being looked after with a new sponsors area being built over the lillywhite lounge.
We are moving slowly but very steadily forward.

Gavin "shels"

Cork fooked? Where have I heard that before? Ah sure no need to worry to FAI will bail ye out.:rolleyes:

Slash/ED

Not a hope anything will happen to Cork at this stage, so no point even getting annoyed about it.

gimmick

Wibble wibble. I love Shels fans. Greatest shower of moaning hard done by football fans that ever happened

And for the record gents, the FAI did not bail us out last time, I am not sure where you are getting that idea :rolleyes:

Slash/ED

gimmick wrote: »

I love Shels fans. Greatest shower of moaning hard done by football fans that ever happened

Most ironic post in the history of the entire internets? :pac:

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:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Cork City is a circus

applehunter

Des wrote: »

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Cork City is a circus

The greatest circus in the world:)

Anto McC

applehunter wrote: »

The greatest circus in the world:)

That post reminds me of the Beer Baron episode of the Simpons where just before Rex Banner goes into Moe's, he hits the switch and it turns into a pet shop.

Rex Banner: Pet shop, eh? Well, I have one thing to say about that. What kind of pet shop is filled with rambunctious yahoos and hot jazz music at 1:00 in the morning?
Moe: Er, uh ... the ... best damn pet shop in town!

RebelRockChick

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I know Tom Coughlan helped save the club from going under, but sometimes i wonder what the hell the man is doing?:mad:

If only we knew :mad:

Read that there is a piece in the Star today with quotes from a senior player about not being paid, that they were supposed to be paid Wednesday and they waited til Friday and still nothing.

Heard that City have until Friday to sort it out. Finn Harps are on standby to take Citys place, with two sets of fixtures drawn up just in case the FAI have to take action.

Never a dull moment at CCFC :rolleyes:

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Why are they been given EVEN MORE time to get sorted?

bleedin jokers.

CiaranC

How can you go from being in administration to having 14 full time players for January and February when you know you have no income until march? It defies all logic.

Töpher

CiaranC wrote: »

It defies all logic.

Well, in fairness, it did happen in Cork... :rolleyes: :pac:

gimmick

CiaranC wrote: »

How can you go from being in administration to having 14 full time players for January and February when you know you have no income until march? It defies all logic.

Thats what every CCFC fan is asking at the moment. We are circling the drain right now. A 1st division license is looking all the more appealing with every day which passes.

Gavin "shels"

Both articles from todays Sunday Tribune:

League shedding old skin to reaffirm its identity
Miguel Delaney
With a series of intriguing sub-plots to the Premier Division and most stars remaining, an exciting Irish season lies ahead so long as football overshadows finance

Step up: former Shamrock Rovers player Joseph Ndo is looking to make a mark with Bohemians Here's something the more radical among you probably won't like to admit. But, to the delight of malevolent marketing departments everywhere, the title 'Eircom League' did some job in enforcing brand association. To the extent referring to our national competition as the League of Ireland again takes a little bit of a mental double-take.

The hope is though, that to go with a much more traditional, less-corporate name, we get a much purer identity – one that finally puts its football ahead of its finances. Not that all those on the football side want complete change. Take Joseph Ndo, who spent Bohemians' launch last week talking of clean sweeps rather than clean slates.

"I just hope that this season at Bohs, it will be the best team Bohs ever had… we can win everything. I know last season they won the double, I think this season will be something else."

Some hysterical claims when placed in the context of history. The only time the treble of league, cup and league cup has ever been achieved was 20 years ago by Derry City, and that's fitting as it's probably their challenge Ndo should look to defying before the past's. Because, despite his impish presence, the 2009 title looks set to come down to whether Bohemians' doughty defence can keep out more than Derry's exhilarating attack can score. Should Mark Farren, Sam Morrow and Liam Kearney behind them start with any kind of strut – and it's quite possible given Derry begin next Friday at home to a rushed Drogheda regrouping – then it's a pace that could not only be difficult to match but bring a first title to the Brandywell in 12 years.

Another precedent against Bohemians is that the title itself hasn't been retained in five years and that masterstroke has only been managed five times in the last 35 – with three of those as part of Shamrock Rovers' four-in-a-row in the '80s – lending the League of Ireland an annual openness to match the Champions League. That the title hasn't been retained recently however is down to more deep-rooted problems than purely competitiveness or football and Bohs have – so far at least – avoided the problems of Shelbourne, Cork City and Drogheda United.

Not that they've been completely unaffected of course. It's been the bane of the league that previews like this so often end up reading as if they should be on the business pages and close-season cut-backs mean that Bohemians have to defend their title with a diminished squad numbers-wise. It's that, more than anything, which will mitigate against any treble bid but could well be a bonus in the league itself. Since Pat Fenlon has kept the core of his team together, their experience will be invaluable as all teams' legs are extended.

Fatigue and its effects however – much more than money this year – should perhaps be the main worry ahead of the new season. Increasing quality has been the league's main plus point amid all the problems over the past few years but it's hard to see that being kept constant in a climate of stretched squads and, most of all, trimmed training hours. At the very least, similar financial problems in the English Championship and down have meant, Keith Fahey aside, we haven't seen the expected exodus of the league's more elevated players. Rather, much more movement within and it's that which creates a very interesting mid-tier that renders any predictions of places three to eight in the Premier Division rather troublesome.

With it, too, come some striking sub-plots. Rovers return to a home and high expectations and the question is how decorated it will become under a dynamic young manager in Michael O'Neill. Paul Doolin will attempt to revitalise Cork City while Alan Cawley must do the same to St Patrick's Athletic's midfield with Fahey departed. The most crackling venue however could well be Oriel Park with Dundalk expectations high after signings like Liam Burns, emotions set to run higher with the input of both George O'Callaghan and Michael Collins and enmity set to reach record levels in a potentially rancorous derby with Drogheda, as the recent Jim Malone trophy proved.

Drogheda's defiance barely needs another mention and within it comes another encouraging episode as Robbie Martin returns from career-threatening injury. Despite their slipshod preparation, Alan Matthews' canniness should ensure they finish ahead of stripped-down Bray and Galway. Coming up it's hard to see past Sporting Fingal with signings like Eamon Zayed.

A new name on the First Division then. And to go with a new personality for the Premier Division, it'll be up to Derry City to stop Bohemians putting the same one on the top trophy.


Premier Division prediction
1 Bohemians
2 Derry City
3 St Patrick's Athletic
4 Shamrock Rovers
5 Sligo Rovers
6 Cork City
7 Dundalk
8 Drogheda United
9 Bray Wanderers
10 Galway United


First Division champions
Sporting Fingal

Back Stage, Miguel Delaney - The Power of now
After the financial nightmare that was the League of Ireland in 2008, Uefa will investigate our solutions

Green eyes: players from the Premier Division League of Ireland clubs line up with the silverware on Friday

John Delaney's five-year plan needs to show signs of progress this year
1 2 When the League of Ireland starts back up on Friday, the raw reality is that most Irish soccer fans will be reluctant to avert attention from the next day's English fixtures. English fixtures which, to be fair, represent – as the week's Champions League results proved again – the top level of the European game at the minute.

But the intriguing irony is the top level of the European game will be studiously watching the League of Ireland.

Because on Friday just gone, the General Secretary of Uefa, David Taylor, was in Tallaght to launch the 2009 season. This was no Sepp Blatter-style banquet-and-ballot exercise though. Top of Taylor's own agenda for the week was meeting the FAI's compliance officer Pádraig Smith to glean a full understanding of the Salary Cost Protocol – or, for the rest of us, the league's so far so-so implementation of the rule whereby clubs can only spend 65 per cent of their revenue on wages.

We say so far so-so because enforcing it has come with a lot of adverse headlines as clubs cope with a different way of thinking, and a lot of indignant commentary. But amid all the fire-and-brimstone opinion, there is one salving fact. Uefa's interest in the Irish solution to a very Irish problem is as strong an endorsement of the FAI's stewardship as the domestic body is going to get. And, in any case, it's not just an Irish problem any more. Read these quotes.

One: "We have been through a time when clubs have been overspending, with very ordinary players commanding huge wages… owners were looking for richer people to buy the clubs and take on the losses. But we are in a different climate now, where the clubs have to realise it is back to the fundamental basics of managing their costs."

And two: "The financial situation of many of the clubs is critical. I am really afraid about football because the situation is not sustainable in the medium term."

Both applicable to the League of Ireland in recent times, neither – mercifully – about it. They do, in fact, cover the two highest-ranking and highest-earning divisions in Europe. The first is from Keith Harris, the Seymour Pierce banker involved in the sale of so many clubs, on the Premier League; the second is from Angel Barajas, one of Spain's foremost financial experts, on the Primera Liga.

And they're both just as descriptive of Italy, where the clamour for some form of wage control in Serie A has reached noise levels usually reserved for overly-righteous referees. It's in that context Taylor's ostensible fact-finding mission to Dublin came, as his president Michel Platini talks grandly of the "socialisation of football" and introducing common constraints very similar to the Salary Cost Protocol. Effectively leading the way in all this then – the potential restructuring of the game – could well be our own League of Ireland and FAI.

The FAI leading the way? Granted, it's a thought that has no doubt brought a few snorts of derision from some quarters. Indeed, it's a thought many will simply be incapable of. But, in truth, this is the year – the third of John Delaney's five-year plan –when the FAI must change thinking outside the league as much as they have done within. It's essential progress is shown to enhance profile after so much poor press. Well, progress? Maybe even just some peace. Because, lamentably, the big question surrounding the new season isn't about on-field matters such as whether Derry can push Bohemians or how high Shamrock Rovers can build from their new foundations, but whether the off-field ructions of 2008 will be repeated.

In that, the FAI are in a somewhat unenviable position because although much of the maintenance work has been done, if even the slightest snags arise, many will be all too quick to run off shouting the house is falling down again.

One man doing the shouting at the minute is Gareth Farrelly who recently told The Sun, "it's just self-preservation for the FAI… there is no lesson being learned. You look at the league last year, two of the bigger clubs went into examinership but no one takes responsibility."

The two big clubs Farrelly referenced are of course Drogheda United and Cork City and the 'lack of responsibility' is the decision to grant both sides a Premier Division licence after crossing so many parameters last year. For many, it's merely a foreshadowing of the problems the league will again face as the FAI ducked enforcing discipline now it matters most. The haphazard nature of how some clubs settled issues before the 31 January licensing deadline hardly helps such impressions – Drogheda themselves, for example, used their postponed plan for a new stadium to meet the 1,500-seat requirement. Questions meanwhile were still being asked of Cork City up to Friday's launch as it emerged there had been another delay – apparently clerical – in paying players' wages. The club are set to meet with the PFAI and Smith this week to assuage further fears.

But while an image persist of the powers that be, Wire-style "juking the stats," the reality is even such apparent opportunism from Drogheda – and let's not forget a Premier place was the least of their concerns – conforms to the requirements in the licensing manual. And having come out of examinership, both themselves and Cork restart with a blank canvas financially.

There's also enough evidence to suggest a top-down change of attitude has been effected. The most common complaint among managers in pre-season has been small squads, Pat Fenlon recently remarking "we're all in the same boat – lacking numbers rather than quality". In the last few years, budget-busting signings would have been sanctioned. Now, reality has registered.

The hope is it continues to do so until the League's cumulative debt of €3.5m reaches zero, precipitating a new Year Zero for the league. Then – and it's a drum beaten in this space before – clubs can begin properly investing in infrastructure and vital community links ensuring that even if the Irish continue to look across the water they, like Uefa, keep a more attentive eye on the local game.

CiaranC

Indo - 02.03.09
Licence secure for Cork despite wage woe

Independent.ie
By Neil Ahern
Monday March 02 2009

The FAI confirmed last night that Cork City are in possession of a full Premier Division licence for 2009, despite the fact that some players did not receive the back wages promised to them last Friday.

There was confusion among fans as to the club's Premier Division fate after it emerged over the weekend that Cork's players did not receive their monthly salary for February, which in some cases was to include an instalment of back payments owed from 2008.

But the Irish Independent learned last night that the Leesiders' 2009 licence is in no danger as the agreements reached on the back-paid wages before last Friday's deadline were enough to put them in the clear under UEFA licensing laws.

Three players did request that they be paid up front and the FAI has confirmed that they have been paid in full.

Therefore, the only immediate punishment City may receive for reneging on agreements with the remaining players is a transfer embargo -- a mere slap on the wrist considering that the full transfer deadline closed last week.

Any embargo before July's transfer window would merely result in the club being unable to sign any out-of-work players.

Speaking about the situation last night, an FAI spokesperson said: "Cork City have told us that they have issued the payments to the players.

"However, if the players have issues, they have every right to write to League director Fran Gavin and necessary actions will be taken."

FAI internal compliance officer Padraig Smith and PFAI secretary Stephen McGuinness will travel to Cork this week for crunch talks with Cork City owner Tom Coughlan to clarify the reasons for the recent problems at the club.

Indeed, club captain Dan Murray was contacted by FAI representatives on Saturday to discuss the worsening situation, which resulted in one anonymous player expressing his anger to a Sunday newspaper.

"We had a meeting with the club a couple of weeks ago when they asked certain things of us regarding training, and we asked things of them with regard to wages," the player is quoted as saying.

"They wanted us to act in a professional manner and we expected the same of them.

"Last month the cheques didn't arrive until after 5pm on the last Friday of the month, when it was too late to lodge them to our bank accounts.

"This month's wages were due to arrive in the bank on Wednesday, but we waited until Friday and nothing arrived.

"It seems we are no better off now than we were under the old owners last season," he continued.

It is understood much of the confusion has arisen from a switch in payment methods at Cork, from a cheque system to an electronic system, as well as a change from weekly to monthly payments.

"We are very disappointed players weren't paid on time," said McGuinness yesterday.

"But at the moment we're working with the FAI and Cork City to make sure it is cleared up and it does not happen again."

Töpher

Indo - 02.03.09 wrote:

But the Irish Independent learned last night that the Leesiders' 2009 licence is in no danger as the agreements reached on the back-paid wages before last Friday's deadline were enough to put them in the clear under UEFA licensing laws.

Hang on?! You only have to agree to pay outstanding monies, and that keeps UEFA (and therefore the FAI) happy. So even if you don't bother your hole paying it back, it doesn't matter for 12 months?

Fan-bloody-tastic! :rolleyes:

_blank_

Arseholes.



The league and the FAI are an absolute joke.

Absolute fúcking joke.

Cork City aren't really to blame, they are just going by the rules and precedent set by the FAI.

Rule 1.

Don't pay your players, or any other debts, we'll ignore it and pretend everything is rosy.

gimmick

It is actually quite funny the lengths they will go to to bend the rules for CCFC. They need us in the prem to boost their stats to show that "attendences are up again".

It could all be moot anyway. if the players don't receive their money today, I reckon they will go on an all out strike, and heaven forbid if the same nonsense happens again at the end of this month.

djpbarry

Des wrote: »

Cork City aren't really to blame, they are just going by the rules and precedent set by the FAI.

UEFA, actually.

pablomakaveli

Looks like a switchover to a new system for paying wages is the reason for Citys wages being late last week.

Meanwhile, a source close to the club has been confirmed that Cork City players were paid their wages today in full.

There was some concern when money which was due into the players’ accounts on Friday failed to materialise, but that was due to a hitch with the switch over to paying the players monthly and changing the method of payment to electronic transfers, whereas before they were paid by cheque.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/eyaukfauidkf/

CiaranC

AFAIK, they were paid by electronic transfer last month. This is the second month theyve been paid monthly. The money was due on the Wednesday, if it was just a "hitch" then why was it not sorted till the following Monday? Sounds like a load of bollox to me.

Gavin "shels"

CiaranC wrote: »

AFAIK, they were paid by electronic transfer last month. This is the second month theyve been paid monthly. The money was due on the Wednesday, if it was just a "hitch" then why was it not sorted till the following Monday? Sounds like a load of bollox to me.

There's no sounding about it, it is bollox.