SPA Players Unhappy

**marinobohs** · 04/08/2011, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

To be clear, nobody has announced anything yet

Cheers, Dodge edited accordingly

**WoodquayBoy** · 04/08/2011, 10:37 AM

Nuclear option activated - from PFAI:
STATEMENT FROM THE PLAYERS OF ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB

Following receipt of a fax from the owners of St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club early this morning, we have considered its contents carefully. The faxed offer is the same offer that we rejected last night in our meeting with the club. Having discussed it at length, we are unanimous that the offer does not meet our minimum requirements.
The club will receive many multiples of the amounts we are seeking in prize money so payment to us would still leave the club in profit following our European campaign.
However, we have made it very clear to the board that our very modest requests would have to be agreed prior to tonight’s match; this issue has been ongoing for the past month. It is, therefore, with huge regret that we must inform you that we will not be participating in the fixture this evening. This is a unanimous decision of all the players and has not been reached lightly. We realise this is a devastating blow for the fans and the league. It is equally so for us as players but we cannot continue to be treated with disrespect by the club.

PFAI
Room 214 Players' Union Offices
National Sports Campus
Abbotstown
Dublin 15
Ireland
Tel +353 1 899 9350
Fax +353 1 899 9351
Email info@pfai.ie
Website www.pfai.ie

**SwanVsDalton** · 04/08/2011, 10:43 AM

Insane. Can't believe they actually wouldn't field, situation will be resolved surely.

**Ezeikial** · 04/08/2011, 10:45 AM

This is so insane - is this statement genuine, or has a 14 year old hacked in to the PFAI website?

Is it on their website?

**WoodquayBoy** · 04/08/2011, 10:48 AM

Well, it came to me in am email from the PFAI, I don't know if the sender was 14 or 41. Nothing on the PFAI website, but there has been no updates on their site since last Friday.

**Ezeikial** · 04/08/2011, 10:52 AM

The truth will emerge eventually and I suspect that the claimed issue of lost wages / time off work will be seen to be a smokescreen. Dodge's claim that the players were made an offer to more then cover these "out of pocket" costs is also reported in the Indo
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...r-2839263.html

The players agreed a package of €7,500 with the club for their victory over Iceland's IBV, but were looking for €20,000 for each of the last two rounds that took them to Kazakhstan and the Ukraine, a figure at which the club initially baulked.

**Mr A** · 04/08/2011, 10:54 AM

All LOI clubs should make a pact that no one of these players ever receives another contract in the LOI.

Won't happen of course, but I'd love to see it.

Perhaps if players feel they deserve a cut when their efforts lead to profits for a club they should also help settle debts when inept performances lead to financial underperformance.

**pineapple stu** · 04/08/2011, 10:54 AM

Un-freaking-believable.

Presumably what will happen is an agreement will be reached (it's suicide to forfeit; the players definitely get nothing then) and the players will get (deserved) dogs' abuse from Pat's fans for maybe the rest of the season. Could potentially cause their season to collapse (or is that being a bit too dramatic?)

Also worrying that the PFAI are basically advocating players getting a set percentage of Euro profits now. Bonuses are all well and good - and players get that already - but if Rovers draw a big team in the Euro draw on Friday and the players get, say, 25% of all profits, that could stunt the league's development more than is necessary.

**sullanefc** · 04/08/2011, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

But they arrived a day later (ie they had a day more in Iceland before the game)

Right, didn't realist that. I still feel that the players shouldn't be out of pocket though. But surely these things should be resolved before the start of the season, written into contracts etc. The PFAI have really let the players down by not having a general agreement with clubs in place.

Just heard that the players are refusing to play now. Bad form IMO. There are plenty other things they could do, like refuse to train etc. This is bang out of order and could affect SPA for years.

**harleyleeds** · 04/08/2011, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Un-freaking-believable.

Presumably what will happen is an agreement will be reached (it's suicide to forfeit; the players definitely get nothing then) and the players will get (deserved) dogs' abuse from Pat's fans for maybe the rest of the season. Could potentially cause their season to collapse (or is that being a bit too dramatic?)

Also worrying that the PFAI are basically advocating players getting a set percentage of Euro profits now. Bonuses are all well and good - and players get that already - but if Rovers draw a big team in the Euro draw on Friday and the players get, say, 25% of all profits, that could stunt the league's development more than is necessary.

surely the players deserve extra for playing in europe or at least expenses plus a bonus for winning/getting to next round. dont we want to give them every incentetive to do their best as without this whats the reason for them to win? they dont play for the love of the club but for money. if your boss asked you to work abroad for a week you would expect a bonus for it. clubs need to pay to encourage better players and for this need to pay.

**WoodquayBoy** · 04/08/2011, 11:04 AM

IMO, the players should be sanctioned not so much for bringing the game here into disrepute, but for making it an absolute laughing stock of Europe. Totally agree with Mr A suggestion that these guys should be blackballed by every other league clyub, Pats should sack the lot of them and use the players from their U19/A Championship sides

**desaintsno.12** · 04/08/2011, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Un-freaking-believable.

Could potentially cause their season to collapse (or is that being a bit too dramatic?)

.

if this game isnt played the implications are going to be far far worse. Sporting ****ing Fingal worse

**WoodquayBoy** · 04/08/2011, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by harleyleeds

if your boss asked you to work abroad for a week you would expect a bonus for it..

I'd love to have your job if that's how things operate where you work

**marinobohs** · 04/08/2011, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by WoodquayBoy

Nuclear option activated - from PFAI:
STATEMENT FROM THE PLAYERS OF ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB

Following receipt of a fax from the owners of St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club early this morning, we have considered its contents carefully. The faxed offer is the same offer that we rejected last night in our meeting with the club. Having discussed it at length, we are unanimous that the offer does not meet our minimum requirements.
The club will receive many multiples of the amounts we are seeking in prize money so payment to us would still leave the club in profit following our European campaign.
However, we have made it very clear to the board that our very modest requests would have to be agreed prior to tonight’s match; this issue has been ongoing for the past month. It is, therefore, with huge regret that we must inform you that we will not be participating in the fixture this evening. This is a unanimous decision of all the players and has not been reached lightly. We realise this is a devastating blow for the fans and the league. It is equally so for us as players but we cannot continue to be treated with disrespect by the club.

PFAI
Room 214 Players' Union Offices
National Sports Campus
Abbotstown
Dublin 15
Ireland
Tel +353 1 899 9350
Fax +353 1 899 9351
Email info@pfai.ie
Website www.pfai.ie

Still find it hard to believe the players will take this unprecedented (and boy is that saying something in LOI) step. Statement is arrogant and quite possibly illegal - no contracts broken by employer and Industrial action entered prior to fulfilling requirements in law- would almost be worth it proceeding just to see these clowns end up in court.

**Mr Maroon** · 04/08/2011, 11:08 AM

Is there any precedent for this elsewhere in Europe? A UEFA game not going ahead because the players refused to play. What action did UEFA take?

I still think the players will play in the end though. They'll almost certainly lose.

**MagicMon** · 04/08/2011, 11:09 AM

Just when I thought the state of the LoI couldn't get any worse.

But chances are they'll sort something out last-minute and the game will be played.

**Ezeikial** · 04/08/2011, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by sullanefc

Right, didn't realist that. I still feel that the players shouldn't be out of pocket though. But surely these things should be resolved before the start of the season, written into contracts etc. The PFAI have really let the players down by not having a general agreement with clubs in place.

It seems that this players being "out of pocket" issue is a red herring.

PFAI to have an agreement forced on clubs? Yeah right, I wouldnt trust them to mow my lawn straight.

Originally Posted by sullanefc

Just heard that the players are refusing to play now. Bad form IMO. There are plenty other things they could do, like refuse to train etc. This is bang out of order and could affect SPA for years.

The players and the PFAI are showing their true colours

**ger121** · 04/08/2011, 11:10 AM

Say they got ban and lost all monies earned. Would this impact the points they've contributed to the co-efficent?

**Mr Maroon** · 04/08/2011, 11:11 AM

Do Pats have players who aren't PFAI members who could play tonight? Amateur/youth players? They'd probably have to have been included in Pats' European squad though.