Originally Posted by
Bonovox
jofspring - Please show us how Limerick are bringing players through from underage right up to minor football? As far as I'm aware nobody has any problem with Limerick coming through the schoolboy ranks and making the natural progression up through the grades and into under 17 and under 18 football. In fact Limerick have every right to do so and more luck to them. They have entered U7's, U8's, U9's and U10's teams for the coming season and this is how the natural progression should take place. However, what has upset clubs is Limerick firstly offering trials to 16, 17 and 18 yr old players to play in an under 20's league to the detriment of local clubs. Some Limerick clubs who have fostered players from a young age right through the ranks now find themselves in a position where they have no under 17's or under 18's teams this season because they have lost players to Limerick. You can say all you want about it being a democracy and players being allowed to play where and with who they want, and you are dead right but it is not helping relations between the senior club and its Junior counterparts. There has to be a link back down through the rank and file. Every junior club who has the interest of its players at heart should be encouraged to see its players progress to play at a higher level and if that is to be League of Ireland then it should be all the more satisfying if it is with his home club Limerick FC. When they come out of minor football then their first port of call should be with the under 20's and then on from there. Not taking them up at 16 and 17 and making them part of an under 20's team, that is not fostering football.
Limerick advertised applications locally for players to join a minor team without permission to enter one in the first place. They were refused by LDMC who were within their right to protect the clubs in the league who have served in the league for so long. They then appealed it to MFA and having lost it there they are now appealing it to the FAI. What is the point of all this? Why spend a further €500 on another appeal to the FAI? Where will they get the players?? Lets call a spade a spade, the reason Limerick are going to these lengths is because of the potential financial upside this will bring in solidarity grants, plain and simple. Have a look at the youth leagues this season - 6 teams in division 1 (will probably be gone down to 5 by next week) and 4 teams in division 2. It's farcical! Is it Limericks fault alone? Absolutely not. Are they a contributing factor? Absolutely yes.
If the FAI allow Limerick to enter a team locally then the FAI decsion is binding. However, such is the level of antagonism towards Limerick at the moment that they will find out that there are no teams locally who will field against them. Now you can argue until the cows come home but the majority of people involved in schoolboy and junior football in Limerick are fair minded and sporting people who give of their time freely and also support the senior team. You need to ask the question - why are they all so pi$$ed off?
I would be more in favour of a representative of Limerick FC being put forward on the local schoolboy and junior councils and being a link between the bodies.
We have the strongest junior league in the country as we proved yet again last season - lets get the most from each other to make sure everyone benefits.......fairly.
