“We’re a professional league, not social football’ – Call for breakaway from FAI

John Caulfield believes the League of Ireland must break away from the FAI in order to thrive and reach its full potential.

He feels the association’s image is tainted by controversy, and that Government are hiding behind it when in fact there is a professional industry here ready to take off.

“We are a business, we employ people and we can employ a lot more people,” said the Galway United boss.

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Caulfield came out on the wrong side of last night’s clash with his old sparring partner Stephen Kenny at Richmond Park.

They were the two managers who spearheaded the incredible Cork City – Dundalk rivalry between 2014 and 2018.

And they opened a new chapter in that battle last night, but with Galway United and St Pat’s.

Caulfield feels Kenny’s return is good for the League of Ireland and he hailed the big personalities working in the game.

But he believes a radical approach is required if Irish football is to reach new heights.

Asked about Kenny’s return, Caulfield said: “The pair of us, it was only me and him, or it seemed that way.

“Then Bradz (Stephen Bradley) came along and shook it up by winning four in a row, then you’ve Duffer coming and making a massive impact on the image of the league.

“And now Stephen is back. It’s absolutely brilliant for our league, it’s whether we can capitalise in terms of driving the league forward.”

Caulfield explained: “We need government money into our league and to get proper TV coverage for our games because the media coverage is fantastic.

“We need the TV deals. LOI TV has been very good but you need games every week and the sooner we can get cracking, the better.”

But Caulfield feels clubs should be taking matters into their own hands and breaking away to run their own league.

“Unfortunately the FAI image isn’t good,” he continued. “It’s tainted, and it hasn’t helped the League of Ireland in terms of attracting money.

“What we need is for the League of Ireland to go out on our own and show it’s a professional league, people are employed.

“We need government money channelled directly into the League of Ireland, that’s what I feel about it because I think there’s real opportunities here for it.”

Caulfield said: “People go back and they blame the whole John Delaney thing but I think the whole makeup and structure of the FAI is very fractured.

“There’s never been a willingness to promote League of Ireland football.

“There’s so many good business people after getting involved with clubs, there’s a lot more money coming into the league and it’s brilliant.

“It’s brilliant that all the teams are full time in the Premier (bar Drogheda United) but certainly as a league we have to come together and break away.

“We are a professional league, we’re not social football, we’re not amateur, we’re professional.

“The FAI is made up of lots of schoolboy, amateur, and it’s not disrespectful but they’ve no gra for our league.

“As a league we have to break away and come together and put pressure on the government to actually back this league, and put money into it directly.

“I think they are hiding behind all the FAI controversies, whereas we are a business, we employ people and we can employ a lot more people.”

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