Pats future in doubt

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...k-1894895.html

Sadlier casts doubt on Saints' future as owner 'takes stock'

By Neil Ahern


Thursday September 24 2009

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC chief executive Richard Sadlier has cast doubts over the future of the club, revealing that current owner Garrett Kelleher has not yet made any financial commitments beyond the end of this season.

Speaking yesterday at the unveiling of Pete Mahon as manager until the end of the season following the resignation of Jeff Kenna, Sadlier admitted that only a short-term appointment was possible because the future of the club is unclear.

The former Millwall striker said he has been speaking regularly to Kelleher, who purchased the Inchicore outfit in 2007, but has not yet received any assurances as to the property developer's future financial backing of the club.

"I've spoken to Garrett and certain members of the board and what they've said all along is 'at the end of the season we'll take stock and see where we are'.

"We don't know what way the league is next year. We don't know whether certain clubs will be in the Premier (League) next year so we'll wait until November or December.

"The structure, the budget, the shape of the club for next year is not yet known; we didn't want to make a decision today for next year.

"If I asked Pete to take the job for next year he would have asked 'what can I offer players? What's my budget for backroom staff?' and that's not yet decided.

"The main focus is on finishing this season as well as we can. Then throughout November and December we'll discuss next year and what kind of shape that will take."

Asked whether it was worrying for him and his own future that Kelleher could cease funding the club, Sadlier, replied: "That's the nature of my job.

Frustrating

"There are a lot of elements of my job that are very worrying and very frustrating and they're not elements I can change."

Sadlier also expressed disappointment that the financial problems which have plagued the League of Ireland since his arrival in 2007 have not be resolved, but denied that he will depart the Saints at the end of the season.

"I hope to be (here for the long haul). It's a different club from the day I arrived, certainly, and it's a different league from when I arrived, that's true.

"When I took this role 16-18 months ago no clubs were appearing in court simply to survive and I don't remember any club paying their staff 25pc of their wages."

- Neil Ahern

pats made a massive loss in the ball park of3 million lASt season did'nt they?

Unfortunately I doubt they will be the only club "taking stock" at the end of the season, it could be a very long winter.

Pats cut back substantially this year and have paid the price partly because they appointed a crap manager and partly because so many other clubs have not yet cut their cloth.

Until the FAI take effective steps to curb overspending, the incentive for clubs to run themselves properly isn't really there, since the playing pitch is nowhere near level. The league is falling apart anyway, so a clampdown won't make things much in the short term and could improve things massively in the long term.

The comments about whether other clubs will remain in the premier are interesting though.

90% of EL clubs are in financial trouble some are in deeper doodo than others ourselves included.So people pontifacating about Pats is a bit rich.

Who's pontificating?

I think you jump in with a comment like that every time such a story comes along.

thats why im looking forward to next season, i think sligo rovers canchallenge in the top 4 or 5 as we're one of the more financially sound clubs at the moment, we're not rich or anything, just don't owe much, if any money to anyone. hopefully the base of the team will stick around and we'll push into the top half. we have to stay up first though

A tongue-in-cheek suggestion.
A 22 team league but not for footballing reasons. With so many clubs in trouble and more probably to follow one or both of the leagues could look sadly depleted by the end of next season. Possible points deductions along the way could make both leagues look farcical. With just one division the decisions to relegate/demote clubs is taken away saving face of bad publicity and embarrassment to the outside world.

Just a thought.

[FONT=Calibri]I won’t be losing any sleep over this. My reason is that Sadlier was interviewed on Prime Time last year and he said that the FAI’s Salary Cost Protocol doesn’t state where your money has to come from as long as the club was under the 65% mark. Basically what he was saying was that Pat’s would spend as much as they wanted on players wages despite what revenue they were taking in as a company and sure good old Garrett would top up the rest. I was livid at the time that a CEO of a club could come out and say this as it struck me as being extremely short sighted. Why as CEO did he not use the solid base that Kelleher was providing to really build something that would last? Like making improvements to Richmond Park so that it is an asset to the club, capable of making the club money long after Kelleher had gone or actually be able to hold a European tie after the 3rd qualifying round, so instead of paying somebody else for the use of their ground you are making money out of it yourself. That would make too much sense I suppose and somebody else would likely be CEO before the benefits would come through. This is another great day for the league as we are finally moving towards some sort of realism. Pat's will be around next year as will most if not all the other clubs in the league just not spending the crazy money they have been in the last few years.[/FONT]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by northwestexile

Why as CEO did he not use the solid base that Kelleher was providing to really build something that would last? Like making improvements to Richmond Park so that it is an asset to the club, capable of making the club money long after Kelleher had gone or actually be able to hold a European tie after the 3rd qualifying round, so instead of paying somebody else for the use of their ground you are making money out of it yourself.

---

The "ground improvements" you refer to would cost considerably more than our players' wages do at present. There are also problems with the Shed end re: development as it seems to be a listed structure. ATM Kelleher has said that he will not be investing in further ground improvements until the crowds improve. No hope of that at the minute.

The current financial crisis surprised everyone at some level or another; Kelleher is now mainly occupied with his Chicago Spire project, which, if the Olympics isn't awarded to the city, could be disastrous. I wouldn't blame Sadlier for that.

To be honest, the first thing I thought after reading this article was how much money I had saved if the club was at risk of going under. As I'm a student, it's not much. Dramatic stuff, but seeing how Drogheda/Shels/Cork have struggled in recent years, I'm not so arrogant as to think we'll automatically escape such a situation ourselves. Some fans on our board have said that the slant provided in print by the Indo, doesn't exactly match the tone/attitude of Sadlier in the press conference. I'm just praying they're right...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saintmaniac

Some fans on our board have said that the slant provided in print by the Indo, doesn't exactly match the tone/attitude of Sadlier in the press conference. I'm just praying they're right...

---

It certainly doesn't reflect Sadliers tone at the media briefing (the introduction of Pete Mahon as manager) nor his half time interview online at the Brandywell on Tuesday evening.

He answered a direct question which took all of 30 seconds to respond to in a conference that lasted more than 30 mins.

In the overall context of the question/media briefing, his answer, and what he was saying, I would not be concerned

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saintmaniac

The "ground improvements" you refer to would cost considerably more than our players' wages do at present. There are also problems with the Shed end re: development as it seems to be a listing structure. ATM Kelleher has said that he will not be investing in further ground improvements until the crowds improve. No hope of that at the minute.

---

Corrected for you. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by centre mid

it could be a very long winter.

---

In what other league do you get year round entertainment!? :o

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thischarmingman

Corrected for you. :)

---

Ah now, I expected that of the UCD fans, but not you!! :rolleyes:

Cheers soccerc - I think this has been a season of worrying, 'tis hard to get out of the habit...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saintmaniac

Ah now, I expected that of the UCD fans, but not you!! :rolleyes:

---

I have a sneaking feeling that you think he corrected a spelling mistake.

In spite of our best efforts, I don't think we UCD fans are particularly known for our word plays.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John83

I have a sneaking feeling that you think he corrected a spelling mistake.

In spite of our best efforts, I don't think we UCD fans are particularly known for our word plays.

---

Certinaly aint known for your football plays.


ba dum tish

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kdjaC

Certinaly aint known for your football plays.


ba dum tish

---

You can't really do it justice on most stages - the grass just isn't the right length.