UEFA licence

[Ringo]

from the indo


Licencing own goal makes league a laughing stock

WITH the eircom League title race just six weeks from its conclusion, a similar deadline, with far greater relevance looms - the return of completed UEFA licence application forms to the FAI.

Just four weeks later, the FAI will receive through their letter-box a detailed resumé of financial documentation.

The club licencing scheme, UEFA's blueprint for ensuring that its member clubs are organised on a sound financial and sporting basis, has severe qualification procedures - especially in the context of this league.

The sanctions are equally strict - elimination from the league is a realistic possibility.

The FAI, in a startling detour from usual practise, decided that it wanted to be one of the first to implement the scheme.

In broad terms, then, by the end of this year, the 22 clubs in the League are supposed to have satisfied the FAI that:


1:
their grounds are completely safe and convenient for all spectators.


2:
that they are in possession of a tax clearance certificate.


3:
that there are no outstanding monies payable for either transfer fees or for the salaries of any employees.

And that's just for starters. Stop chortling down the back.

If you support an Eircom League, take a moment at this weekend's matches to ask a representative of your club how far down the road they are to securing a UEFA club licence.

In most cases, it would be safe to assume that either a spluttering evacuation of bluster or else deadly silence will greet your enquiry.

Ask a few more questions, if you're brave enough. Does your ground have at least 1,500 covered seats? Or 500 if you follow a First Division club? Are your floodlights strong enough? Are the toilets clean and fully equipped with sanitary devices and cleaning equipment, with male, female and disabled toilets on both sides of the ground?

Are there qualified stewards and first-aid personnel in attendance at each match? Are the press facilities adequate? Is your pitch at least 60m wide by 95m in length (five metres longer required in the Premier Division)?

Will any, or all, of the above be in place in the near future - i.e., six-eight weeks at every ground? Hmmm, not likely.

The edict from on high to introduce the UEFA club licencing scheme here - "the fourth quickest to do so" squealed the FAI earlier this year - seems to have been thoroughly ignored by all.

With six weeks to go before the process of submitting licences begins - and just four months before clubs are either retained or rejected by the FAI - it is difficult to square so many circles. Grey areas abound.

Take, for instance, Shamrock Rovers. Currently, they have no home and, regrettably, seem no nearer being able to tell the world when they will have one. Thus, they are currently using Tolka Park, home of Shelbourne.

Dublin City, who have NO seats in their Whitehall ground (let's leave aside the rest of the obstacles in their way) also want to use Tolka Park. So do Belgrove and, naturally enough, Shelbourne. Well, that's that solved then.

Another one. Does anyone know whether the FAI are serious about Drogheda United re-instating their former holding company before being allowed to complete the season? Or even start the next? No, didn't think so.

Let's talk about Limerick FC. Erm, on second thoughts, let's not.

At least four clubs contacted by this column yesterday admitted that they would not come within the proverbial roar of an ass in their quest to obtain a UEFA club licence. Between them, they named three more in similar positions.

Think of any ground you have visited recently and try to recall the extent of building work being carried out to construct fencing, to remove loose surfaces, to construct separate entrances for players and officials ( and also for home and away fans), to build covered facilities for disabled spectators. Not much evidence, is there?

Yet clubs react with indifference and incomprehension when questioned as to the ultimate sanction which will be imposed by UEFA for failing to fulfil the criteria set down to obtain a club licence.

There is no acceptance of the fact that at least half of the clubs currently in the eircom League will not be able to take their places on the starting block for the 2003/04 season.

The League and FAI vapidly promise their full support, but until now their best effort has been to offer each club a a timely €300,000 loan to help meet the UEFA critieria. Talk about papering over cracks.

One club even went so far as to tell me yesterday that they "didn't give a damn" about the fact that they had to lengthen their pitch. "Sure what's going to happen to us," was the response.

Perhaps the FAI might like to address this particular point and inform us just how the brave new world of UEFA club licencing has transformed clubs across the land.

We wonder how they'll squirm out of this one with all those UEFA blazers peering over their shoulders.

dkelly@unison.independent.ie

[Macy]

Basically the main problem is that we're trying to rush this through - if we'd gone for the UEFA deadline, but started the whole thing at the time we did then there wouldn't be nearly as many problems....

btw Part of the clubs disinterest is the very fact that the deadline is a FAI not a UEFA one.

[ger121]

Just dealing with the premier, I'm sure the following clubs meet or are quite close to obtaining the uefa licence, Shels, Bohs, Cork City, Longford, Pat's, I not sure about the rest, maybe ucd??
Can anyone else fill in the blanks, I'm sure you all know more about your own club than I do.

[SÓC]

Originally posted by ger121
Just dealing with the premier, I'm sure the following clubs meet or are quite close to obtaining the uefa licence, Shels, Bohs, Cork City, Longford, Pat's, I not sure about the rest, maybe ucd??
Can anyone else fill in the blanks, I'm sure you all know more about your own club than I do.

You'd think so but......I'd say the pitches at Flancare, Richmound and the Cross are all too small.

The toilets in Richmound are not up to standard. No seperate enteances. Emergency exits are needed I'd say.

Turners Cross needs to have all the loose surfaces removed which basically mean tarmacing the St. Anne's End.

Toilets in Dalymount, dont think the poraloos with suffice.

Shels fllodlighs seem kinda crappy, might need a higher LUX value.

There was an artilce a few months back in the Star about it all.

[UCD_4_Life]

Probably not.

Even though we are building a new stand I don't think we're doing (or are gonna be able to) do a lot of the other stuff.

[MariborKev]

At least the "New Stand" of the Brandywell will be compliant

[pineapple stu]

Originally posted by UCD_4_Life
Probably not.

Even though we are building a new stand I don't think we're doing (or are gonna be able to) do a lot of the other stuff.

We should be the best (or one of the best anyway) for the off-the-field stuff though.

[EireBadBoy]

Well, Derry will pass it albeit half the Ground will be closed (i.e the Seats will be the only area opened to Fan's - Seperating the Fan's is an obstacle!)

It's something we've been Pro-Active about and asking questions of the Club and City Council. Usual numbing response due to the fact they are happy with half a ground but we're working on it!

Once again the F.A.I in their churlish attitude to Local Football seem to think 'The Premiership' is the bench mark for Clubs here. If they would give us all a few quid mebbe!!!


P.S IT WAS A GREAT ARTICLE!!!

[pineapple stu]

Originally posted by EireBadBoy
Once again the F.A.I in their churlish attitude to Local Football seem to think 'The Premiership' is the bench mark for Clubs here.

Don't think asking for 1500 covered seats, decent jacks and decent press facilities is "Premiership" standards!! If anyone is to blame for the current mess, it's the clubs who have let their grounds go to hell for years rather than improving the basics (not all clubs obviously...). If the FAI didn't bring it in this year, they'd have to next year, and sure if they brought it in next year, they'd get the same whingeing anyway!

[pete]

Most of ther Premier clubs would have little to do to tidy up their grounds. If the pitches weren't big enough now clubs would not be allowed play european games on them.

Items that are blockers would be lack of seats, floodlights etc...

[A face]

Originally posted by pete
If the pitches weren't big enough now clubs would not be allowed play european games on them.

By that, do you mean they are OK .... Having had Euro games played at the cross before.

I know the cross is a few feet smaller than the ideal size but it was always within the acceptable size limit so we were OK, but it this is an issue then the club should really look at sorting this out. I always thought it was the lenght that was the problem but there seems ot be a few feet spare on the shed end.

Can anyone confirm this ??