Bohs to go part-time

**SunderlandBohs** · 25/06/2009, 9:27 AM

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/loi/news.asp?n=36637

Bad news. But if it means the survival of the club then I'm all for it.

Is this the best way for all clubs?

**Mr A** · 25/06/2009, 9:32 AM

Bit of a non-story really.

And yes, this league is not at a point where completely full time squads can be sustained.

**noisecontrol** · 25/06/2009, 9:40 AM

What will this mean for the players, will most of them be forced to try and get 2nd jobs or will some jump ship to the UK.

Is there much appetite for Irish players in Scotland after the mutiple failures following the mass exodus across the Irish sea a few seasons back...

**Dodge** · 25/06/2009, 9:57 AM

Originally Posted by noisecontrol

Is there much appetite for Irish players in Scotland after the mutiple failures following the mass exodus across the Irish sea a few seasons back...

All but one that went to Scotland is still there...

**SunderlandBohs** · 25/06/2009, 9:57 AM

SPL has been hit in the pocket over the deal with Setanta so they might be a little bit reluctant to splash out on players. Young players can try and find a new club or a trade but the 30+ will find it hard.

**Dodge** · 25/06/2009, 10:05 AM

Plus the fact that most of them wouldn't be good enough. or at least they aren't good enough to convince managers to take them on

**MariborKev** · 25/06/2009, 11:00 AM

Defo should be part time.

It is like an arms race, with everyone driving each other into liquidation with the scramble to get the best players.

Look at the top three
- Bohs: Kept afloat on the basis of borrowing on a disputed land deal
- Cork: Examinership twice in several years, current problems are well documented
- Derry: Basically afloat as we sold three players to Scotland and had a draw which raised over £100k, however we are selling next year's season tickets early as a means of keeping going

I could keep going through the League.....

Meanwhile clubs which run themselves well like UCD are being relegated as they aren't playing stupid wages to keep up with this lunancy.

The improvement in the quality doesn't equate to the higher wages and consequently higher prices required to sustain this.

The clubs are raping fans at the minute, with no sustainable plan to grow attendances and retain current fans.

**pete** · 25/06/2009, 11:32 AM

I don't think part-time is the only solution as it does not necessarily mean paying lower wages as clubs usually pay a net wage & have the pay the tax on top themselves.

I think the idea of paying LOI players 2k a week is long gone & won;t ever return again. The furture is younger players up to maybe a maxium of 50k. If they are too good they will move abroad or be sold before they get to mid 20s.

BTW that is a terrible article & no worthy that any post here. While probably correct is pure speculation.

**A face** · 25/06/2009, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by pete

I think the idea of paying LOI players 2k a week is long gone & won;t ever return again. The furture is younger players up to maybe a maxium of 50k. If they are too good they will move abroad or be sold before they get to mid 20s.

Thats about the size of it alright. Clubs need to start developing players themselves and offer them a means of (i hate saying it) putting themselves in the shop window.

I think clubs should really be linking up with Universities and Technical Colleges in Ireland with the view to having at least 5+ players doing scholarships while playing. If a player knew he could do an honours degree over 6 years while playing then it would be a great attraction for clubs.

**pineapple stu** · 25/06/2009, 11:50 AM

Six years is way too long to try and tie a player down in Ireland if he has any ambitions to go cross channel. Three years is the max.

**pete** · 25/06/2009, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Six years is way too long to try and tie a player down in Ireland if he has any ambitions to go cross channel. Three years is the max.

Whatever about the number of years getting a qualification while playing is the best way foward. If a player decided by the age of say 24 he isn't going to make a career in football he can try use that qualification for another career.

Best example we have at City is Neal Horgan who will retire at the end of this season with legal qualifications he gained while playing fulltime.

**pineapple stu** · 25/06/2009, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by pete

getting a qualification while playing is the best way foward.

Well ba-duh! Have you seen my avatar lately?

**pól-dcfc** · 25/06/2009, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Six years is way too long to try and tie a player down in Ireland if he has any ambitions to go cross channel. Three years is the max.

Well, I know from personal experience that it is very easy to get credit for third level study transferred to another institution. If a player is on a part-time degree lasting six years and leaves the club after 4, they will only have to complete 1 more year full time/2 years part-time at college to gain their degree. If this link ups were put in place, and the players were given all the information available, it could be a very attractive proposition.

**Rob_the_cat** · 25/06/2009, 1:02 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

All but one that went to Scotland is still there...

I presume you got that the wrong way around. Bobby Ryan, Danny Murphy, Trevor Molloy, Jamie Harris all came back. Only Paul Keegan stayed.

The best centre half in the league Graham Gartland could only get a then 1st division club over there. For all the guff about the progress made by the LOI, only Gary Deegan out of that Bohs squad would definitely succeed cross channel. A one paced set piece specialist like Brennan wouldn't, Murphy was available for free last December and no one took up the option, and the rest of their squad are either not up to it or past it at that level.

Having said that if Nutsy got himself a job there, then I'm sure he would try to bring over players he was familiar with, like in Derry.

**Dodge** · 25/06/2009, 1:12 PM

Would you believe I forgot about 3 of them (including the two that play for my team). I was talking about Molloy as coming back...

Sean Dillon and Richie Byrne are still there though

**A face** · 25/06/2009, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Six years is way too long to try and tie a player down in Ireland if he has any ambitions to go cross channel. Three years is the max.

I dunno man, i'm on about player who want to give pro football a serious go over here and concentrate on that mainly. Allowing them to do a degree over six years will help with the work load in college and train properly as well. Any shorter and it would be hard to manage.

**A face** · 25/06/2009, 1:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Sean Dillon and Richie Byrne are still there though

Dillon is doing very well over there from what i gather.

**Mr A** · 25/06/2009, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by A face

I dunno man, i'm on about player who want to give pro football a serious go over here and concentrate on that mainly. Allowing them to do a degree over six years will help with the work load in college and train properly as well. Any shorter and it would be hard to manage.

It's almost as if you're saying footballers are dense.

**Duggie** · 25/06/2009, 1:17 PM

part time football is a waste of time.

**Ezeikial** · 25/06/2009, 1:22 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I don't think part-time is the only solution as it does not necessarily mean paying lower wages as clubs usually pay a net wage & have the pay the tax on top themselves.

Your point appears to be supported by the evidence of Dundalks policy and wage bill this season versus last. With no full timers last year the wage bill was circa €10k, and with almost all of this years squad (admitedly smaller in numbers) full time, the wage bill is quoted at €12.5k.

The point has been made by Directors Kevin Holland and Gerry Matthews that the tax implications of part-timers who have other primary income is such that their tax free allowance is swallowed up, and invitably end up getting pushed into a higher tax bracket - hence the wage costs of part timers are relatively high.