Harps in dire financial trouble!!

**holidaysong** · 01/10/2008, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by micls

Drogs? Galway? Harps?

7 out of 12 in the premier in serious trouble this season. Dunno about the first but thats a crazy amount

Clubs will take stock and work out new wage plans for next year and get their premier licences. There is no way the FAI are going to strip all these clubs of a premier licence even though they should.

Galway and Cobh will get relegated so it won't matter if they do or don't get one but the FAI don't have the balls to punish the other clubs.

**passerrby** · 01/10/2008, 4:13 PM

budget projections for the year were agreed with the fai licensing department so they to must take some of he blame for allowing this to happen
and yes holiday it must be never never land to you never never win land.

**micls** · 01/10/2008, 4:15 PM

Originally Posted by passerrby

budget projections for the year were agreed with the fai licensing department so they to must take some of he blame for allowing this to happen
and yes holiday it must be never never land to you never never win land.

To an extent maybe but for example they couldnt have know that Arkaga would pull out and renege on tehir deal with us. i would complain that the written agreement was useless though.

**holidaysong** · 01/10/2008, 4:18 PM

Are all these clubs breaking their 65% wage cap? We keep getting word about clubs not being able to pay players but nobody seems to be referring to the wage cap anymore.. If clubs are breaking the rules regarding the wage cap then they should be punished, relegation if necessary!

**pineapple stu** · 01/10/2008, 4:23 PM

If they're not, then the wage cap needs looking at.

It seems though that all these clubs need some action taken against them by the FAI if the FAI are to have any shred of credibility and if the same thing isn't to happen next year. But you obviously can't relegate two thirds of the league, and with that many teams, deducting everyone ten points won't really do much, while they don't have the money to pay a hefty fine. Tough one to call.

**Longfordian** · 01/10/2008, 4:25 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

If they're not, then the wage cap needs looking at.

It seems though that all these clubs need some action taken against them by the FAI if the FAI are to have any shred of credibility and if the same thing isn't to happen next year. But you obviously can't relegate two thirds of the league, and with that many teams, deducting everyone ten points won't really do much, while they don't have the money to pay a hefty fine. Tough one to call.

Not having the money never stopped them handing out fines before. It's the easy way out. If you cant pay it they'll just deduct it from any prize money, solidarity payments etc.

**holidaysong** · 01/10/2008, 4:26 PM

I doubt that two thirds of the league has broken the wage cap but someone has to have. The FAI needs to deduct those who have points or relegate them in order to show people that this kind of messing around won't be tolerated next year.

**micls** · 01/10/2008, 4:28 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

If they're not, then the wage cap needs looking at.

I think that has to happen anyway. How did we get away with being over the wage cap for the months before Arkaga pulled out? They werent putting money in....Did the FAI simply take their word that theyd put it in at some stage.

The FAI were informed at the start of the season by someone in our club about the reckless spending. That they did nothing until Arkaga pulled out completely is strange to say teh least

**Dodge** · 01/10/2008, 4:30 PM

Most clubs in serious trouble for the past 20 years. Only real difference this year is that some seem to be doing something about it

**Longfordian** · 01/10/2008, 4:31 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

I doubt that two thirds of the league has broken the wage cap but someone has to have. The FAI needs to deduct those who have points or relegate them in order to show people that this kind of messing around won't be tolerated next year.

Technically nobody's broken the rule yet as it was always to be your total spending v. income for the year. Obviously some clubs will break it.

**Mr A** · 01/10/2008, 4:32 PM

The wage cap depends on how much you're spending off the field- spend enough and you can have whatever budget you want for players. I don't think Harps have gone near 65% TBH.

**holidaysong** · 01/10/2008, 4:33 PM

The FAI said that clubs would be monitored from month to month to make sure they didn't exceed 55%. Once the 55% mark was breached, the FAI would put in place a transfer embargo and other restrictions to ensure that clubs didn't go over the 65% mark. This is what they said happened with Galway - they went over 55 but were still under 65.

I think the FAI need to come out and say who is and isn't breaking the wage cap and take appropriate action.

**pineapple stu** · 01/10/2008, 4:34 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Most clubs in serious trouble for the past 20 years. Only real difference this year is that some seem to be doing something about it

Were the amounts as bad as this year though? Everyone seems to have been trying full-time football, which I don't think was the case before? And obviously everyone's gone pop at once, which is a slight difference, if only from the media viewpoint.

Still, a nice vision of a Platinum One future.

**Mr A** · 01/10/2008, 4:34 PM

Jeepers. You nearly think Dundalk had never had financial problems....

**holidaysong** · 01/10/2008, 4:34 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

The wage cap depends on how much you're spending off the field- spend enough and you can have whatever budget you want for players. I don't think Harps have gone near 65% TBH.

It doesn't depend on what you're spending off the field, it depends on your income. Wages for the year must be below 65% of income.

**holidaysong** · 01/10/2008, 4:35 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Jeepers. You nearly think Dundalk had never had financial problems....

I know we have had trouble in the past but there wasn't a wage cap then..

**Mr A** · 01/10/2008, 4:36 PM

A large part of the reason there's so much of this this year is because of the transition to the ten team premier. This means clubs feel they have to spend in order to stay up or else face banishment to the graveyard, which will be harder than ever to get out of. Plus the AIL was on the horizon and clubs wanted to give themselves a chance of being in it if it happened.

**Longfordian** · 01/10/2008, 4:38 PM

Just another point in relation to the 65%, that doesn't include the wages of the manager and backroom staff, solely the players.

**Inside Man** · 01/10/2008, 5:37 PM

Can't help but laugh at all the UCD fans the way they say all of us clubs in financial difficulty have screwed them. Just thought it was funny looking at their posts in this thread because its clear there so frustrated.

Anyway. Moving swiftly on. Doesn't seem too bad. Sounds alot like our plea to fans earlier in the year which is sorted out for now it seems.