How much money do players earn playing for Ireland?

**Metrostars** · 05/01/2005, 2:49 AM

Do anyone know how much money players earn when they are called up by Brian Kerr and play for Ireland?

Right now, there is a dispute between the US Soccer Federation and the US Players Union about how much pay they get. It is a bad situation, so much so that two friendlies for this month have been cancelled and the USSF says they will exclude current US national team players for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago on Febuary 9th if it is not sorted out by February 1st. They will probably use college kids and/or amatuers.

Basically the players union is saying that the USSF has made a ton of money off games they play in and that they are not getting a fair share. They say the European based players often lose out because they miss out on appearance bonuses they would earn with their clubs because of the extra travel time. They're asking for a 100% increase while the USSF has offered a 38% increase. Apparently all members of a squad called up for a game get $5000 plus expenses.

**anto eile** · 05/01/2005, 3:43 PM

afaik the irish players were last i heard paid �750 per game in punts. though that i think was raised recently to roughly E1500 (euro) per game.i find it ludicrous that usa players get $5000 plus expenses, at elast $6000 surely.players shouldnt receive a penny for representing their country. id consider compensating some players if their wages are below a certain level. ie players who earn less than lets say E2,500 per week might be permitted to have their costs (flight and accomodation) covered.but to actually receive a flat-rate payment for playing for you country is sickening when you consider most irish players dont need the money.ie roy keane on �50,000 per week getting an extra coupla grand to play for ireland is a disgrace.

**Pablo** · 05/01/2005, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by anto eile

afaik the irish players were last i heard paid �750 per game in punts. though that i think was raised recently to roughly E1500 (euro) per game.i find it ludicrous that usa players get $5000 plus expenses, at elast $6000 surely.players shouldnt receive a penny for representing their country. id consider compensating some players if their wages are below a certain level. ie players who earn less than lets say E2,500 per week might be permitted to have their costs (flight and accomodation) covered.but to actually receive a flat-rate payment for playing for you country is sickening when you consider most irish players dont need the money.ie roy keane on �50,000 per week getting an extra coupla grand to play for ireland is a disgrace.

In Tony Cascarino'e book he says he couldnt afford to retire towards the end of his career cause he needed the 800pound match fee!

**Pablo** · 05/01/2005, 4:49 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

They should count themselves lucky every time they pull on that shirt. A decent gesture right now would be to donate their match fee from the forthcoming friendlies to the tsunami relief efforts. Anyone second that?

i agree.

**livehead1** · 05/01/2005, 6:08 PM

we should start a campaign for ireland players to donate the fee from the friendly against portugal, or at least all ireland players in the premiership who feature..... if word of the idea got to one of the senior members of the squad i could see it hitting off. anyone know any of the players? i could have 1

what u all think ?

**eirebhoy** · 05/01/2005, 8:08 PM

Originally Posted by livehead1

i could have 1

whats the wink for and who?

**livehead1** · 05/01/2005, 8:44 PM

well the gaelic football team that i play for..the chairman is good friends with andy reid if its worth mentioning anythin to him he could give him a message

**A face** · 05/01/2005, 8:44 PM

$5000 ..... thats around �3800, ball park anyway .... disgrace ... they should be given anything, they should wear the shirt with pride. �1500 is over the top aswell for Irish players ... i'd agree with the if someone earns under �2000 then give them expenses

These game put players in the shop window ..... that is enough .... if they dont like it then dont play, end of !!

And the likes of David Connolly (cant remember the game) giving out because he wasn't asked to play in a game, when he actually couldn't play anyway, a little upjumped pr�ck .... some of them would want to really step back for a bit and sort themselves out.

**De Town** · 05/01/2005, 9:20 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

They should count themselves lucky every time they pull on that shirt. A decent gesture right now would be to donate their match fee from the forthcoming friendlies to the tsunami relief efforts. Anyone second that?

after Pablo 2nding that, I will 3rd it

**Metrostars** · 06/01/2005, 1:11 AM

Discussion about this on a US soccer board:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156506

Plus a USAToday article:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/socce...e_x.htm?csp=34

**onenilgameover** · 06/01/2005, 2:32 AM

That's not a bad idea at all. I recknon there would be support form it but it has to be the players dicision or at least look like it is. That is why it would be a good idea to ask players directly. its a bit of a tricky on that. It would be a bit rude to push it on em no matter what they make.

**Hibs4Ever** · 06/01/2005, 7:17 AM

I don't think players should be paid for playing for their country. But if they weren't, where would all the sponsership money and match ticket money go? Me thinks the head people at the FAI would get nice pay rises instead.

**fosterdollar** · 06/01/2005, 8:27 AM

Wonder how many of you lot would donate a weeks wages to the Tsunami fund? This whole thing is charity gone mad. The onus is not just on people in the public eye to provide relief in Thailand. And it may be worth noting that there are other worthy causes out there aside from SouthEast Asia that are not getting as much media attention - many of them in Ireland.

**eirebhoy** · 06/01/2005, 11:03 AM

Magoo, I somehow don't see 100,000 people dying in the next few weeks from anything other than diseases in the stricken Asian countries. Its a lot more important than anything else right now and I have donated about 2 days wages. Most of the players would not be donating anywhere near a days wages if they were to donate their international appearance money.

**fosterdollar** · 06/01/2005, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Most of the players would not be donating anywhere near a days wages if they were to donate their international appearance money.

I doubt that that is true if it's EUR1500/EUR2000 an appearance as mentioned. Anyway, as was referred to above, the international organisations are making money from players providing services for int games and i believe the players should be rewarded for this. If it is such a big money spinner for them then why do so many retire internationally long before club?

**eirebhoy** · 06/01/2005, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Magoo

I doubt that that is true if it's EUR1500/EUR2000 an appearance as mentioned.

Most players are earning more than �10,000 (�7k) per week.

**onenilgameover** · 06/01/2005, 10:03 PM

Magoo.......ye can't be goin round sayin stuff like that. People are comin up with different ways of generating money through inovation and ideas...Thats why the amount is inspiring..This is just another idea and a good one at that. I've given about a days wages myself and organised a few mates to throw in a couple of quid each in a collection bin after some pool and some bowlin. The guy in the plex gave us a bowlin pin to make a trophy out of for doin so....so stick it....Bad attitude ye got there fella...

**dr_peepee** · 07/01/2005, 11:34 AM

I read a while back that allot of the players already donate their match fees for internationals to charity!.... Don't know how true it is?

**fosterdollar** · 07/01/2005, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by onenilgameover

Magoo.......ye can't be goin round sayin stuff like that. People are comin up with different ways of generating money through inovation and ideas...Thats why the amount is inspiring..This is just another idea and a good one at that. I've given about a days wages myself and organised a few mates to throw in a couple of quid each in a collection bin after some pool and some bowlin. The guy in the plex gave us a bowlin pin to make a trophy out of for doin so....so stick it....Bad attitude ye got there fella...

I'm not trying to take from the obvious worthiness of the cause in SE Asia but i would feel it important not to gloss over the fact that there are elements of hypocrasy appearing pretty regularly over this event. The suggestion that players donate money they earn in internationals just because the amount they get was questioned by someone else is an example of this whole charity gone mad thing i referred to earlier. Suddenly, the 'ideas' for charity have all turned into 'anywhere there is money involved, give it to thailand'. I'm sorry but the whole thing is very easy despite everyone's good intentions.

**pete** · 07/01/2005, 12:34 PM

The match fee for players is basically just expenses instead of players providing receipts. They probably agree to give up merchandising rights for that fee too. �1500 doesn't seem too much meaning approx 30k per match.

Would be crazy to pay players based on how much they earned & giving to charity should be a personal thing & i'm slightly uneasy about public figures publicising their donations.