fai.ie
FAI presents club licensing system - 30 September 2002
The FAI met with representatives of eircom League clubs at a specially convened meeting in Dublin on Monday to present its plans for the proposed FAI National Club Licensing System.
The club licensing system has been adapted from a UEFA template and clubs must meet the licensing requirements before the start of the 2004 season.
The primary objective of club licensing is to improve quality standards, both on and off the field. In order to gain a licence, clubs in the eircom League will have to prove they meet minimum requirements, such as having:
· Sufficient safety procedures and contingency plans;
· Adequate spectator facilities, including clean toilets, catering outlets and disabled areas;
· A youth development programme staffed by qualified coaches, with teams from Under 12s;
· Transparent financial structures and no overdue debts on transfers or players' wages.
A Draft FAI National Club Licensing Manual was distributed prior to today's meeting and clubs will have the coming weeks to provide their feedback on all aspects of the proposed system. In order for the clubs to be granted admission to the eircom League, they will have to meet minimum licensing criteria for either the Premier Division or the First Division according to their status.
The FAI Premier Division licence meets UEFA's minimum requirements for national top divisions, and will therefore also entitle Irish clubs to be granted admission to UEFA Cup competitions. Any club that is refused a licence will not be granted admission to the eircom League or any of the UEFA Cup competitions.
FAI General Secretary Brendan Menton said the licensing system is designed to stimulate continuous and shared improvement in club infastructure, finance, administration and sporting development.
"The Club Licensing System will prove a challenge for our clubs but the Association firmly believes that it is vital to improve the structure of senior football in Ireland. The Association will be devoting significant effort to ensuring the success of this new initiative," said Mr Menton.
The FAI will govern the licensing system and commit substantial resources to ensure that clubs are expertly monitored, assessing and advised. The FAI will also appoint an independent licensing body to ensure clubs receive equald and fair treatment.
Chairman of the eircom League Michael Hyland encouraged clubs to meet the challenge of the new licensing system, saying that benefits would accrue to clubs that offer a high quality product to their fans, to the visiting media and to their playing and coaching staff.
The meeting also included a presentation by UEFA Project Leader Marcel Benz. Mr Benz stated that the FAI system was integral to a broader UEFA Club Licensing System, which had been approved for implementation earlier this year by the UEFA Executive Committee.
Different versions of club licensing have been in existence for some years in a number of European countries, including France and Germany, and eight countries successfully piloted their own systems last year. UEFA's ambition is to ensure that by the start of the 2004 European campaign, hundreds of European clubs in all 52 Member Associations will have achieved a common set of licensing standards.
To view the FAI National Club Licensing Manual Executive Summary, click here
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Being optimistic, we shouldn't have to worry about the Stadium side of things, but theres still alot of other off field stuff that has to be sorted out.
