Richie Sadlier says he has sympathy with the FAI in trying to propose when football can resume in the country as it is a situation beyond their control.
The FAI are searching for solutions in terms of funding that will allow the 19 Premier and First Division clubs to get back to football and, more importantly, paying players in full.
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Plans are in place for training to resume for some teams later in the month, but talks to agree a return date and a financial package are stalling.
Several Premier Division sides remain unhappy with the financial support proposed by the Association and are seeking further funds to try to alleviate concerns, with over €100,000 owed to players from lay-offs throughout the league to date.
"I'd have sympathy with anyone who has the job of trying to plot the pathway back to full-time football," Sadlier told RTÉ’s Sunday Sport.
The former Republic of Ireland international, who was for a period of time CEO of St Patrick’s Athletic, says too many questions remain unanswered in order for any decision over a return to be made.
"If I was involved in a club now, I’d want absolute clarity of the assistance that is going to be there, what support will be there from either the FAI, UEFA, the government as to who will help me meet the costs of reopening my business," he said.
"I would need assurances and those are the questions that will need to be answered. Every club will be looking for different amounts as they operate in different landscapes.
"So many of the details we are relying on, in order to restart football, is either difficult to predict or impossible to control."
The FAI has said that Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Derry City and Bohemians will play in a behind closed doors competition at a neutral venue on a to be confirmed date before the league resumes, with the teams given Covid-19 testing from late May and to train from early June.
Sadlier however isn’t convinced of the timelines.
"I don’t know if the time-frame the FAI put out last week is worth the paper it is written on given how many things can change in the next week or two, but they have to start somewhere.
"They have to start plotting a return some way, but the real detail of all of this will be the thing that decides whether all this is workable or not,
"At the moment they are beyond their reach."
