The FAI's AGM takes place this week in Sligo and I always listen out to see how much of it will be spent discussing the League of Ireland, and to hear what the future holds.
With debts now at €51m, there are probably more pressing matters for the association to address. But that shouldn't be the case.
It speaks volumes that the league is not a priority. They may say differently, but it is certainly how it is perceived to everyone else looking in. With the type of debt the organisation has, the future looks bleak on the field and also off it.
What is the definition of progress?
Cast your mind back to when the FAI assumed control of the League of Ireland in 2007. When the FAI took over, I thought it would be managed properly and initially it was.
There was an enthusiasm that has deteriorated over time. There was a mandatory club promotion officer scheme tasked with bringing people to games. Former Limerick goalkeeper Noel Mooney was national club promotions officer.
He went on to a fantastic job in UEFA and we haven’t seen the likes of it since.
Clubs had their own officer, part-funded by the FAI, and soon not funded. It is one example of where the financial struggles have hit the league.
The prize money for the league is well-documented and how much that has fallen, making it hard for clubs to ever bring in the revenue they need to build.
European funds are really the only income that allows a level of professionalism to develop football at a domestic level and I bring you back to the theme of this blog: progress.
Shamrock Rovers exited the FAI Cup at the first hurdle this year, their chance of ending a 28-year wait for that trophy gone for another 12 months. They will have their day with it again, I’m sure.
Had they won it, they would have pocketed €50,000.
In beating Progres Niedercorn in the first round of the Europa League, they pocketed four times the money they would have for winning the trophy that has eluded them for so long.
If every Hoops fans is dreaming of a momentous day at the Aviva, the reality is they should be happier about toppling the fourth-ranked team in Luxembourg on a Tuesday night in Tallaght.
Pat Fenlon explained it well about getting through last week: “It’s massive for the club," he said.
“I know me as the manager and the coach and the players can’t really think about it, but it has an impact on everything in the club.....not just about signing players, but everything: improving facilities, improving stuff for the younger players in the club.
“All that sort of stuff is important for the club.”
Other clubs are not going to get that opportunity. In the last few months, we have seen it go back to the days I had hoped were gone.
The ongoing shenanigans at Bray Wanderers have really saddened me. Sligo Rovers also showed gross mismanagement of their parting of the ways with Owen Heary.
I had the pleasure of plying my trade at the Carlisle Grounds with Bray and it was two of the most enjoyable years I had as a League of Ireland player.
The people of Bray were warm and welcoming and the staff were extremely close knit: they always gave the impression that they were all pulling in the same direction, simply because they were.
Today it is a pale shadow of the club it once was. It's not only frustrating, annoying, but as a former player I just find the episode depressing. It's a complete mess out there.
Denis O’Connor has fronted up now on two occasions on Soccer Republic. Firstly, after the departure of Alan Mathews and his management team for unpaid wages, and secondly Trevor Croly and his team because of players cheques bouncing.
To say I have been unimpressed by what O’Connor has said on both occasions would be an understatement. I wish I could tell you who owns the club, or who runs the club, and what is going on. It is anyone’s guess.
They say perception is everything and the most annoying aspect of situations like this at clubs is that we are perceived as a laughing stock from the wider sporting community.
Take this tweet from Donegal footballer Eamonn McGee, emphasising what some of our players have had to go through, and how it factors in comparisons to other sports.
If you're unhappy with your county/club board check up the situation in Bray and what happened in Sligo rovers, you don't have it that bad
— Eamon Mc Gee (@EamonMcGee) July 8, 2015
“The League of Ireland is a difficult child for the organisation,” was chief executive John Delaney’s comments on 2fm at the end of last year when he offered an insight into how they see the domestic game.
If the league is that much of a “difficult child” for the governing body, perhaps it is time to review the running of the league again.
All of this is a signal for clubs to simply look at going down a different road. When you see how some clubs are being run, how can I say they could govern a league?
Well, look at how well the likes of Cork City, Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers and more function, then maybe it could work.
Niall Quinn started something of a debate last week.
He said: "You have to give [the FAI] a bit of credit at times because they have probably put out more fires that we have never seen because the league has been in a bad place."
I agree with that point, and he has more views on what could be the future that are quite radical, but it’s up to the clubs in the league to gather again and ask themselves where they want to go.
I recently watched a Copa 90 video online of the resurrection of Cork City and it’s a fantastic story. These are the type of stories we should be focusing on, the ones which show our league in a good light.
There might not be a viable alternative, but when you look at the outlook now, perhaps there is a need to find one to see more stories like this.
