New rule that could have major impact on players and clubs in League of Ireland

Every League of Ireland Premier Division club will be required to have a minimum number of professional players from next season – if plans drawn up by the PFA Ireland are approved in August.

Players’ union chiefs are confident that the FAI will green-light their proposal when they meet ahead of finalising next year’s Participation Agreement at the end of August.

A delegation from the PFA Ireland – Stephen McGuinness, Simone Flannery, Galway United’s Brendan Clarke, Sean Boyd of Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers Women’s star Áine O’Gorman – met with the FAI on Monday.

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And they will return to the table on August 21, hopeful that their plan will get the go-ahead.

If so, Premier Division clubs next year would be required to have 14 professional players on their books.

That would rise season-by-season, with the ultimate goal of a 20-player minimum being put in place.

All current Premier Division clubs meet next year’s proposed criteria, so those most affected would be some First Division sides that are aiming to win promotion.

PFA Ireland General Secretary Stephen McGuinness explained why they are pushing for a minimum number of professional players at each club.

“The league is really on the up and this is the next step,” he said. “Bringing in a minimum wage (€430 for professionals and €130 for part-time players) was positive.

“We are still working on the part-time one and I think that has to increase from €130. We are working with clubs to try and improve that.

“But I think the big one now is getting a minimum number of professionals in each Premier Division club. Everybody is striving to get that.

“Nobody wants clubs to overstretch, but there has to be a realisation that if you want to compete in professional football and compete at the top end of it, there has to be a minimum standard in order to compete in that league.”

The union held talks with clubs last year and, while they found the reaction to be generally positive, it was felt that the timing wasn’t right.

This year, however, McGuinness believes the appetite is there to push through this proposal.

“There are clubs in the Premier Division with over 30 professional players. That’s not going to be an issue for them,” he said.

“Clubs at the bottom end of the First Division may say it’s a big leap, but if they want to get into the top-tier, what we are saying is, you have got to prepare yourself for that level.

“You can’t just come up with two professional players and think you are going to stay in the division. That’s not going to happen.

“So what we are proposing is an incremental increase each year. You won’t be able to compete in the top-tier of Irish football unless you have 14 professional players – and that will increase to 15, then 16…

“With the majority of clubs we have spoken to so far, the feedback has been positive.

“There are obviously a couple of clubs where the reaction hasn’t been as positive, a minority, and I get where they would be worried.

“But we are trying to raise the level of the league and we are hoping this will be in place at the start of next season.

“We are going through a process at the moment where we had follow-on discussions yesterday with the FAI, and there will be more discussions with clubs going forward.

“But I think it’s a hugely positive step and it will show people how professional our league is.

“It needs to grow and it needs to get better, and we need to ensure the standards keep improving. There is no point in standing still, we need to keep moving.

“The majority of clubs want the league to be more professional, they want to push it on and bring in standards.

“This is an extension of the minimum wage that we brought in two years ago.

“We tried to implement this last year but the clubs didn’t feel it was the right time. Now it’s the right time, we are two years in and things are going really well in the league.

“We just need to professionalise it and give opportunities for our young players to be professional footballers.

“We don’t want to push clubs to a level where they are overspending, that’s not the motivation.

“The motivation is to continue to make it more professional, and also to assist clubs in the First Division, that if they aspire to be in the Premier Division that’s the level you have got to get to.”

The PFA Ireland is also working on proposals to offer financial safeguards to players who suffer a career-ending injury.

“We are working on insurance also, in regards to payouts if someone has to retire with a career-ending injury,” said McGuinness.

“At this moment in time, insurance just covers operations, but it doesn’t cover having to retire.”

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