SOME OF THE questions I kept asking myself as the incredible scenes at today’s Oireachtas Sport Committee played out were simple.
What if?
What if the League of Ireland had been properly managed for all these years and not just neglected?
What if the people working in clubs around the country hadn’t been completely and utterly disregarded by those in power?
What if all the time, energy and sacrifice that so many of us have made to the game could have been properly rewarded, and helped it really grow?
What if we were treated with respect?
What if there had been proper structures and finance in place to allow the League of Ireland to truly thrive and prosper, instead of simply tolerated so there could be a national team and those in power at the top could enjoy their big days out?
There are so many what ifs and now we have an opportunity to find out what real change can look like.
There is a responsibility on us as players, and the clubs, to drive this change that is so clearly needed. We can’t just sit back and let others dictate our futures.
When the Minister for Sport so casually remarks that he ‘guesses’ the fall of the FAI would lead to the League of Ireland collapsing, it fills you with so much anger. There was no understanding of the severity of the situation, no decency in realising that hundreds of jobs are under threat.
And when his junior, Brendan Griffin, doesn’t even realise that there needs to be a domestic league in order for Ireland to compete in international football, how does that fill you with confidence?
Credit where it is due, Jonathan O’Brien’s probing questions will prove invaluable and at least the government reacted swiftly after events today. Per the statement just released, they have called on Sport Ireland for a meeting to be arranged with representatives on behalf of the clubs and players for our voices to be heard.
What we also need now are at least some assurances that prize money owed to our clubs from Uefa will go to the clubs and not be ring fenced while investigations are going on.
We have to take control by ensuring an independent body is established, one separate to the FAI, that can organise a new league, one which has experts in marketing, administration and, of course, finance.
It suited the FAI for the League of Ireland to be derided and looked down on, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that it was so many within our league who long realised that John Delaney was not good for Irish football.
It was impossible not to hear the chants: “Fuck Delaney and the FAI”. He said we were the difficult child.
There was a culture of fear in which dissent of any kind against him or the FAI would be punished. I don’t mind admitting that I feared speaking out about certain issues along the way because of the threat of punishment.
But there was still work going on in the background to try and improve standards. I’m a committee member with the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland and chaired one such group that submitted a ‘Collective Bargaining Agreement’ to the FAI.
Its premise was simple: improve the basic standards for players in the League of Ireland. An example? Professional players in the league would receive minimum wage so clubs couldn’t offer them €100 a week on a full time contract.
That was put to the FAI a year ago.
We got no response.
I was on €150 a week when I played for Monaghan United back in 2008 (a club that no longer exists after it went bust under the FAI’s watch) and am coming to the stage where I won’t have much time left in the league.
Like so many others I’ve given my life to the League of Ireland and it looks as if the most important work of all is now ahead of us. We have to get together and be strong.
I was angry, frustrated and pissed off when I was following Shane Ross’ comments today and got straight on to the PFAI to find out what we can do, how we can be part of the conversations because we have to be central to what happens next.
If not we will just be forgotten about, and that can’t happen.
As a player, I feel totally let down. There has been no respect from the FAI or those in government for the domestic game in this country.
The League of Ireland did not exist for the good of football in this country. For the FAI, it now seems to me, it has always been just a means to an end to ensure the national team could exist.
We have an opportunity now. There should still be hope for the future and clear heads about putting things right, even if it still feels pretty hard not be consumed by anger at what has gone on today.