Airtricity League football resumed last week after a two-week break for the European Championships.
Some might say it was a relief to get back to domestic matters after what was served up to us the last few weeks by the Irish team.
Most fans went into the competition with so much hope and expectation. There was a real sense of excitement in the country, which was really lovely to see, and it was a pity it only lasted a few days.
I must say whilst I hoped we would do well, I was also very realistic and fearful for what lay ahead.
The reason was the previous two years of dour, dreadful and negative football, a miracle escape in Russia, and all-in-all a side very lucky to scrape through an average group.
This is not an purposeful attempt to be controversial, but I cannot decide which was more embarrassing - the manager Giovanni Trapattoni, or the man who should represent Irish football and our league, FAI chief executive John Delaney.
Much has been made of Delaney’s behaviour in Poland and the pictures circulating on social media sites and video clips on Youtube of the CEO apparently dishevelled and slurring his words.
As I reflect now, it was a methapor for how things are in Irish football at the moment.
What kind of signal and message does it send out? What was the celebration? It looked like a jolly. And dress it up any way you wish, every other head of any sporting body would be ashamed if they were involved in such incidents.
Delaney re-iterated in an interview in The Sunday Independent at the weekend that he wants to develop football with initatives like the Emerging Talent Programme and more coaching at schoolboy level, yet he is adamant that Trapattoni is the man to lead the country forward.
After what we witnessed in the past two years, never mind the past two weeks, the Italian is setting Irish football back 20 years with his stone age tactics and beliefs.
It is a hurtful irony that we have managers in the Airtricity League who believe in the modern-day game, yet a governing body employs a manager that turns our supporters against football, bar an occasional booze-up in a Poznan square.
Did kids sit at home watching our matches and think “I want to be the next Kevin Doyle chasing balls into the corner”.
Perhaps they dreamed that in their next game they’d be Glenn Whelan and block and intercept passes until inevitably it ended in failure.
Of course not. They want creativity, to score goals and create like a Xavi or an Iniesta. That is who they aspire to be. Did the European Championships experience for Ireland inspire kids?
I don't think so, and so they turn to other sports to be the next Brian O' Driscoll or Jonny Sexton because they see how they go about mastering their game.
As if all that wasn't bad enough, the domestic league got hit with the hammer blow that Monaghan United were to pull out of the League with immediate effect.
It is an absolute disaster for the footballing community in Ireland.
The reality that maintaining a national league with professional structures and a consistent interest is impossible creeps further closer, and while it will never be admitted that it can’t be done, how far away does it seem now?
I've reserved judgment on who is to blame on Monaghan’s exit, as there are conflicting reports and all parties seem to be pointing the finger of blame at each other.
This is a common occurrence in our league, and, as things stand, the league is sinking faster than a shot of sambuca in a bar in Gdansk.
A complete overhaul of domestic football is needed in this country.
Delaney spoke in his recent interview about what has been achieved under his watch by the FAI because of strong leadership.
Well now is a time for leadership. It is time for him to grab the bull by the horns and be seen to be doing something. If Delaney wants to be remembered as a great CEO, this is the period in which he must make a difference.
The first thing that needs to be addressed is the infrastructure and the facilities of the clubs. With the exception of a couple of grounds, they are an absolute disgrace.
In that same interview Delaney talked about what can be achieved by a club who are playing in a decent facility every week. He was of course referring to Shamrock Rovers' exploits in Europe last year.
Why doesn't every club have a ground like Shamrock Rovers?
I know all this costs money, but it also takes forward planning and that doesn't cost anything. Things couldn't be much worse, so when better to start?
If we are to entice people to come to our games we have got to provide decent facilities for an entertaining night out. Even greyhound tracks in this country can provide this, and surely football is far better supported than greyhound racing.
Secondly, all clubs should have their own training grounds. It is an absolute priority and a must.
Bafflingly, Leinster Senior League clubs have better set-ups than League of Ireland clubs in terms of owning their own training grounds.
All this should be in place so that clubs can set up academies and bring in kids from the age of eight to 11 and onwards, giving them the best coaching possible.
It might just stop kids heading to England at 15 and 16 years of age because instead they will have another option of professional football open to them here in this country and then we can continue to watch good football on our doorstep.
If the players wanted to then move on, it would benefit the clubs because there would be money exchanged at that point. If you unearth a star, it could hugely beneficial financially.
The way things are now, clubs are hiring out training facilities (costing them money), and there are no players coming through.
I would be lying if I said things will change even after the last few weeks.
But if any of these were achieved, it would not be too long before things were looking up.
If the man at the helm is true to his word about how serious he is about football in this country, and how good of a CEO he is, I could be proven wrong. I doubt it, but only time will tell.
Until next week,
Alan
