SPA Players Unhappy

**Spudulika** · 05/08/2011, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by WoodquayBoy

Great post and bang on the money. Not to try and drag Galway United into everything, but the GUFC Management Committee have really let the ball drop by not challenging statements made about how they are running the club by convicted fraudster and former CEO, Nick Leeson. It is all a matter of perception, and if non-LOI people are only hearing one side of the story, and consistently hearing it, then that's what they'll believe.

WB - this is the thing that football in Ireland loses out on at all levels. JD and the boys banning interviews with Des Cahill the week before Pats get stitched up by the PFAI and their employees. In the Galway case Nick used his celeb status to get his "message" out and that has left your club in trouble. I remember in my Masters course (a topic delivered by an old school commie) being told that the first thing a club/federation should invest in is a quality PR/Media person, because unless you're being serious, you'll lose every time. LOI clubs are still largely miles away from that!

**geezer** · 05/08/2011, 4:05 PM

maher the former fingal player is on the committee of players that reports to the the pfai and he went awol over €50. Accused the club of not paying insurance wrongly, tried to cause a strike by telling young lads they were taking risks with their careers because the werent covered,again wrongly he failed miserably with his stirring , and fecked off a few weeks later .

The PFAI twitter ultras are lunatics. But i suppose the industry is collapsing and there is not much left now in professional or amateur soccer in ireland to be sucked out anymore.

**Dodge** · 07/08/2011, 8:58 AM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-2841863.html?

Sadlier's view

**gufct** · 07/08/2011, 9:34 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-2841863.html?

Sadlier's view

He is bang on the money for once. The thing I cant understand is that the PFAI and Plyers dont seem to comprehend the damage they have done to the League. The reality of the current economic climate doesnt seem to have registered with them yet but it will when next seasons wages at all clubs bar 2/3 are cut even further. Running a club now is like being on a tightrope without a safety net after drinking a bottle of Whiskey.

**BonnieShels** · 07/08/2011, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-2841863.html?

Sadlier's view

Bang on the money there.

**Ezeikial** · 07/08/2011, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-2841863.html?

Sadlier's view

I'd be interested in your view Dodge

**Charlie Darwin** · 07/08/2011, 4:24 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-2841863.html?

Sadlier's view

Too right.

**Stevo Da Gull** · 07/08/2011, 4:45 PM

A lot of sense from Sadlier. Pitty he wasn't still involved, seeing as he said he wouldn't have entertained the demands.

**Charlie Darwin** · 07/08/2011, 5:35 PM

Anyone have any idea which players offered to cross the picket?

**monkey9** · 07/08/2011, 5:40 PM

Sadlier will be on MNS tomorrow night!

**Dodge** · 07/08/2011, 8:04 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

I'd be interested in your view Dodge

Very similar to Sadlier. Only caveat is that I can't pick and choose when i support the club.

So I have to choose between getting on with supporting the club, or bitch and moan about it for the rest of the season. Luckily I've been a Pats fan for all my life so I've long grown accustomed to players' antics (and indeed the PFAI's)

For 3 hours on Thursday I felt physically sick. Then the club was saved (due to the actions of about 6/7 Pats fans). I won't forget that day, but I'm still thankful I have a club to support

**monkey9** · 07/08/2011, 9:45 PM

http://theexpatblog.blogspot.com/

**micls** · 08/08/2011, 6:17 AM

Absolutely sickening. I can only imagine how Pats fans felt about it.

If it were my club I wouldn't want a single one of the contracts renewed(bar those who offered to play). They are an absolute disgrace to the club, the game and the league.

I also hope that none of these scumbags ever end up playing for my club.

There were times during our slow demise where we would have fully supported our players going on strike, they would have been 100% justified, and yet they never did. They didn't want to risk the club despite not being paid in full for months, never mind extra money they weren't entitled to! It's unbelievable!

I hope every club in the league thinks twice before giving these 'players' contracts. Then maybe they'd start thinking about something other than themselves. I hope they enjoy there money and it's worth it, because it cost them any respect they had in the league.

**TiocfaidhArmani** · 08/08/2011, 8:33 AM

Originally Posted by micls

Absolutely sickening. I can only imagine how Pats fans felt about it.

If it were my club I wouldn't want a single one of the contracts renewed(bar those who offered to play). They are an absolute disgrace to the club, the game and the league.

I also hope that none of these scumbags ever end up playing for my club.

There were times during our slow demise where we would have fully supported our players going on strike, they would have been 100% justified, and yet they never did. They didn't want to risk the club despite not being paid in full for months, never mind extra money they weren't entitled to! It's unbelievable!

I hope every club in the league thinks twice before giving these 'players' contracts. Then maybe they'd start thinking about something other than themselves. I hope they enjoy there money and it's worth it, because it cost them any respect they had in the league.

I really hope all of their contracts are not renewed. The club finally have an outlet that makes them some money and they try and screw them for a piece of that while they're being paid well for a loss-making business. Shocking.

**pineapple stu** · 08/08/2011, 8:40 AM

It's rare that one side is ever completely in the right or in the wrong in an argument like this, but has anything at all come out to justify the players' actions as yet?

**SkStu** · 08/08/2011, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

It's rare that one side is ever completely in the right or in the wrong in an argument like this, but has anything at all come out to justify the players' actions as yet?

yes. Stuart Gilhooly would be the thing in question.

**marinobohs** · 08/08/2011, 9:58 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

It's rare that one side is ever completely in the right or in the wrong in an argument like this, but has anything at all come out to justify the players' actions as yet?

Probobly the most sensible post on this so far, Stu. No doubt the players were wrong in the threat not to play and the PFAI are ajoke ( how can Gilhooley twittering of issues that should remain confidential be acceptable in any business ?) but it should not have come down to 11th hour either.
Most acknowledge that "out of pocket" expences incurred by players should be covered (and SPA agreed), it is still unclear if this was communicated to the players. It is also legitimate for players to seek additional bonus (and for club to reject such claim(s)) and some methodology has to be there to deal with disputes before they reach crisis point.

This is in no way to justify the complete and utter folly of the players action, and the incompetent manner in which their "representative" acted (and appears to believe is acceptable). What must come out of this is ensuring that it does not happen again. The FAI (or whoever is running this circus) must investigate all aspects and ensure a proper procedure is in place to deal with future issues, the current "make it up as we go along" approach is not and must not be acceptable.

What should have been a great occasion for SPA fans was ruined by a totally avoidable farce. Unless all sides start to put the customers first - ahead of themselves and petty squabbles- then the LOI simply has no future for any of the stakeholders.

**Dodge** · 08/08/2011, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

It's rare that one side is ever completely in the right or in the wrong in an argument like this, but has anything at all come out to justify the players' actions as yet?

Well there’s no doubt the club didn’t handle it well. Pats admin were stretched to breaking point with the European logistics, and with some members of the board playing a less than active role in the running of the club I’ve no doubt that things moved slowly. I could understand how some players could see the lack of response from the club as a slight. And I’ve no problems with players seeking bonuses, or compensation.

As ever, not all players were as committed to the cause. We know that some players only found out about the 2nd statement through the media. We know that some players didn’t realise the gravity of the consequences if they didn’t play. And of course I’ve no problem with players supporting their colleagues right to be compensated. It all adds up to the players getting bad advice in my mind.

Its worth repeating that in the end it took some players saying they’d play for any sort of deal to be done.

**Spudulika** · 08/08/2011, 10:40 AM

3 sides wrong - SA, Players, PFAI. Would be good to blame JD and co, but this came from within with poor advice from a union hack and his buddy. I listened to the Off the Wall coverage of it with that comedically and intellectually challenged numbskull Ger Gilroy, Neil O'Riordain and Richie S. There was a sidebar of the stand in "straight man" saying how he'd been nearly beaten up by a Sligo fan (at a wedding) for not covering the LOI more - his response - well, we've Roddy Collins on Wednesdays, isn't that enough? (and they both sniggered). I actually felt angry, really angry, that a LOI club and the LOI were being belittled by a pair of half-wits who in 45minutes worth of a podcast made more errors and factual mistakes while trying to be cool and funny. So how did this come about? 3 sides in the wrong, nobody winning and everybody suffering. And meanwhile the media waits for the next disaster in the LOI for something to write about!

**born2bwild** · 08/08/2011, 11:04 AM

Those lads on Off the Ball are retards. They spend whatever time and energy they have trying to make weak jokes and smart comments while they meander along one deliberately 'zany' tangent after another.
I heard that show and it annoyed me because a lot of sports fans take their cue from those gobsh1tes. Their smug, sneering attitude to the domestic league is irritating at the best of times - on an issue as serious as this it's poison.