Yeah, that'll probably do it alright.
Printable View
Yes limerick signed a participation agreement. But I'm sure limerick fc, or any other club for that matter never actually thought the FAI would ever prevent a LOI club playing a friendly against a team like barca. If anything it should be the opposite and the FAI should be doing everything in their power to make sure this game goes ahead for the benefit of a LOI club that the likes of the FAI are supposed to be helping to progress, not set back years.
Not quite Barca, but we were stopped from playing Dundee United last year on the date the two clubs had arranged because some other clubs were playing in the League Cup or something. Two changes of date later, we ended up playing on the date we'd initially agreed.
Threads like this just give you that helpless, sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.
Get behind Limerick Delaney, swallow your petty pride get the game played and a much needed (I'm sure) cash injection for Limerick.
It makes you despair, it realy does
I have a question, what would happen if it went from being a Limerick FC v Barcelona game to being a non FAI affiliated, Limerick Select XI v Barca?
Obviously the "Limerick Select XI" could make a nice donation to Limerick FC for any inconvenience caused...
See post #83.
But if it's in the participation agreement that such a friendly can't proceed, then you have to think that. You can't just fail to take your licencing agreement into account and go ahead and organise friendlies when you see fit. Limerick should have been aware of this, assuming it's part of the agreement.
Certainly, the FAI should be looking for some way around their agreements if at all possible. This is too big an opportunity for Limerick to have it collapse due to self-interested agreements the FAI has with third parties who have nothing to do with Limerick. If there's a way around it, the FAI should be looking for it and then provide the go-ahead. I don't hold much hope though. It would require a lot of effort on the FAI's part and would also require the permission of the third party/parties to waive the agreement.Quote:
If anything it should be the opposite and the FAI should be doing everything in their power to make sure this game goes ahead for the benefit of a LOI club that the likes of the FAI are supposed to be helping to progress, not set back years.
But could the FAI actually refuse to sanction a challenge game between a representative side and a foreign club when it doesn't officially involve the league anymore? The Munster XI are playing Sunderland in Thomond on July 13. There are league games on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 16th of the month with Munster sides involved on at least 3 of those days and yet I assume that's going ahead.
But surely you can't expect them to disregard and fall foul of any legal agreements they already have in place? Sure, questions must be asked as to why the FAI signed up to them in the first place, and the exact details ought to be made known, at least to Limerick - assuming they haven't been already - out of respect for the club, but there's little can be done now. Once the agreements are in place, it's a very valid reason. Not to assume, of course, that the reasons for initially signing the agreements were all that valid or worthy of credence.
It's not going to take money away from their coffers though, is it? The FAI have nothing to gain and nothing to lose from this venture of Limerick's, I would have thought. What do you imagine it will cost them? If they were hoping to bring Barcelona to Lansdowne Road, that's a separate issue and the possibility of it going ahead would not have been interfered with given that it appeared talks were already underway and Barcelona were considering it whilst having already agreed to play the game in Thomond Park.
I agree Limerick should have taken the agreement into account more, but for now i'll give Limerick FC the benefit of the doubt that they thought the fact it wasn't clashing with any fixtures in Limerick, or the Munster region for that matter, that there might be an exception made for such a big game for the club.
Ya i wouldn't hold much hope either but i really think it should be their job to at least investigate the possibilty of working out a way to get the game played. Otherwise as far as i'm concerned i don't think the FAI are doing their job and it would make me wonder what is the point in them being involved with our league.Quote:
Certainly, the FAI should be looking for some way around their agreements if at all possible. This is too big an opportunity for Limerick to have it collapse due to self-interested agreements the FAI has with third parties who have nothing to do with Limerick. If there's a way around it, the FAI should be looking for it and then provide the go-ahead. I don't hold much hope though. It would require a lot of effort on the FAI's part and would also require the permission of the third party/parties to waive the agreement.
Indeed, I admit that does puzzle me, seeing as it's a separate, if not largely irrelevant, issue for the reasons I gave in post #97. Possibly, it's pure PR; they wanted to lessen the blow of appearing as spoilsports by making it known that if Limerick can't bring Barcelona to Ireland then the FAI will be doing their utmost to make it happen. The FAI saves the day... :rolleyes:
Or maybe they wanted to get it all out in the open rather than have people accusing them later of cancelling coz they were in talks with them.
Exactly. If the FAI really were unable to approve the game due to a third-party commercial agreement, they wouldn't need to mention any other reasons.
But what we've actually got is 2 ludicrous reasons and 1 relatively unclear reason (Fran Gavin refused to go into detail about the nature of the agreement), all of which the FAI hope will add up to 1 credible reason.
I'm under the impression that if the FAI really wanted to, they could easily find a way around this third-party agreement. What confuses me, considering that the Aviva is taken for the only date Barca can possibly make it, is why the FAI are against it.
Well, that's just speculation, to be fair. Their deceit is often in the nature of concealing the full truth from the public - it's a more subtle and "safer" form of dishonesty - but would they flat-out lie? I just can't imagine they would do so publicly in the media. It's entirely plausible, however, that they felt people would mock, scoff and laugh at such a reason on its own - which is exactly what would have happened to a much greater degree of disgust than that felt at the minute - so thought it might be best to add a couple more equally pitiful reasons. As it turns out, they're still a laughing stock after giving two reasons and some not-really-relevant statement of intent, but it can't take away from the fact that there are agreements and obligations binding upon all concerned, bar Barcelona, which prevent this match from occurring.
Have you not read the FAI statement?
For your benefit, here's the munure they've trotted out:
1) As the FAI has already told Limerick FC, their request for authorisation to confirm to FC Barcelona that they would be able to play in Ireland on July 31, was refused because of third party commercial agreements which prevent the Association from doing so.
2) In addition, the FAI has also told Limerick FC that it is in active and ongoing negotiations with FC Barcelona in relation to a visit of Aviva Stadium.
3) Thirdly, the Association told Limerick FC that it was obliged to retain ownership of the July 31 date because of Airtricity League fixtures.
Although the timing of Limerick FC’s proposal means this request cannot be granted, the FAI has already given permission to Limerick FC for a match it applied for involving Sunderland in Thomond Park on July 13. These excuses are, amongst other things, patronising on the people of Limerick.
What they are saying in Point 2 is that, because the FAI are trying to bring Barca to Ireland, it has influenced their decision. What other reason apart from income could be for that?
The FAI and Delaney have done many self-serving acts in the past but denying the people of Munster such a fantastic day at Thomond and the windfall that goes with is has to be the most outrageous.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised - after all this is the same Delaney who not that long ago asked FIFA to put us in as an extra team at the World Cup.
Slow down lads, do we know what was in the participation agreement ? No we dont.
However, what we do know is the FAI approved Limerick FC's budget plans which included a big money raising friendly in July.
(btw the Sunderland thing is not Limerick FC, and Limerick FC dont make a cent out of it).