Another stupid rule

[Éanna]

from pfai.ie RIDICULOUS RULE


You can’t get an eircom League club before the close of the second transfer window so you decide to sign for a Junior club. You regain your confidence and form and turn-in several five star performances for your new club. A call from an eircom League manager follows with the offer of employment and your back to the top level of Irish domestic soccer. Forget it! Not according to the eircom League Rule book, Rule 19.20.

According to the eircom League Rule book, Rule 19.20 states,

Any eircom League player signing for a non-member club, within the jurisdiction of the FAI, after the 1st September, shall not be eligible to play in the eircom League until the opening day of the second registration period in the following season.



A cosy arrangement between legislators has led to a possible restriction of trade. The PFAI will be requesting the eircom League to amend the rule to bring it in line with employment law. A player’s career is short enough without this ridiculous rule. Brought in by the eircom League to appease the Junior Leagues during the change to summer soccer, the fear was when the eircom League season would finish in November, out of contract players would be snapped up by Junior clubs to play for them until they secured a new contract for the following eircom League summer season.



The chances of players wishing to play all year round are slim. The demanding schedules of today’s eircom League players requires at least six weeks rest at the end of a season, not to mention those with family commitments. Several players have contacted the PFAI to express their anger at such a rule. It now requires at least four months in the Irish soccer wilderness if a player wishes to retain the hope of a securing new employment with an eircom League side. The “punishment” for signing with a junior club after September 1st is an eircom league ban until August of the following year. “Forward thinking”, “player focused”, “consultation” and “the Irish football family” are all FAI buzz words, come on lads give us a break!

[thecorner]

didnt this happen with johnathon croker of queenstown

[Schumi]

You can’t get an eircom League club before the close of the second transfer window so you decide to sign for a Junior club.

Does the transfer window not only count for players under contract? If you're out of contract, can you not sign for someone whenever you like?

[Éanna]

I think it only applies to players who are under contract, but after reading that, I'm not sure

[Crambler]

croker had to wait for 2nd registration period before he could play for rams this season.he only trained at the club prior to window.

[drummerboy]

I think that rule was brought in to stop junior clubs signing large numbers of players from EL clubs to the detrement of the junior leagues.

[LFC in Exile]

I think that rule was brought in to stop junior clubs signing large numbers of players from EL clubs to the detrement of the junior leagues.

Or to prevent a situation where the junior club could be at the latter stages of a competition like the FAI junior cup and sign a few bangers from a local senior club for a short while.

But in Limerick we have an even more ludicrous rule. The Limerick junior soccer administrators have a rule that no player can play for a junior side in the city with 18 months of being contracted with Limerick FC. This has the expected effect on the likelihood of talented junior players trying their luck at a senior level.