Have to say we've timed our European run perfectly here. Masterstroke by Bucko in retrospect.
Waterford need to chose their friends more wisely I suppose. Sorry Lee.
Sounds like it was fairly cut and dry, given how quick the decision was.
Feel sorry for Waterford fans; ****ed over by Delaney here trying to pull a stroke.
Have to say we've timed our European run perfectly here. Masterstroke by Bucko in retrospect.
Waterford need to chose their friends more wisely I suppose. Sorry Lee.
Why did St. Pats wait so late to send this letter?
I would imagine because there was zero point in appealing while Delaney was in power?
Delaney will be choking on he LFA paid for lunch in Frankfurt when this news reaches him!
Is it not obvious ? He spent all his time out around the country handing out cheques, kissing babies and doing whatever it took to ensure the pile of crabs in a bucket which comprise Irish football kept supporting him.
That kept him in his job, but left him very little time to do that actual job. Because he wasn't interested in that job anyway - it was just a stepping stone to a much bigger one in European or world football.
Don't know how I feel about this.
If I was a Waterford fan id be gutted.
How did Lee powers people who handle due diligence not look at this.
It's all very well blaming the FAI but it's powers people that have dropped the ball here
Brays getting back in the Premier aren't they!!!!
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
Exactly! If there were no debts left by the holding company of Waterford United, the rebrand to Waterford FC with a new holding company should not be an issue. Seems transparency issues may extend beyond Abbotstown. Wouldnt the company that Gerry Matthews held for Dundalk FC ceased when the Fastfix lads took over and then the holding company they set up would have been a little over a year old when entering CL?
As soon as Delaney goes, chaos rears its ugly head
Derry died and a new club called Derry took its place, that's not what happened in Waterford is it?
I expect the smile will be wiped off the face of 'rules is rules' Pats, after being drawn against a club in Kazakhstan in a first round fast exit.
I doubt the Pats letter had much to do with this decision. Seems like it was uefa who decided Waterford weren’t eligible to play in Europe and that decision has been in the pipeline for a while. It was well flagged since last year that there were doubts about whether Waterford would be able to play in Europe, just seems that Waterfords influence has dramatically decreased in the recent past.
This is terrible as Waterford fans after many years in the wilderness were looking forward to European football. I had booked time off from work in July so would be free to go to the away game. The club had Europa League scarves and badges on sale and any time this 3 year rule was raised we were told everything was fine as it was a takeover and rebranding and all debts were cleared. Then coincidentally or not after major upheaval in the FAI and John Delaney leaves we hear of an objection from St Pats and the FAI quickly release a statement saying Waterford are not eligible. Why was false hope given to the fans since last October when we qualified on the field and why did it take till now to decide on this?
The loss of the UEFA money is a huge blow to the budget and Lee Power might decide he has enough and pull out.
I'm genuinely surprised by this. There must have been some historic debt left unpaid, thats pretty shady by Power. Rumours yesterday he was considering pulling out as well?
Feel sorry for Waterford fans - fans, not the club - but if they aren't eligible, they aren't eligible. There is such a thing as doing too much, too fast. Pats are more than entitled to point it out.
Agree that the timing indicates JD's ongoing downfall might have been a factor. Now its a case of whether Power thinks the investment is worth it for one more year, but Waterford are already a ways off Euro places this season.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Interesting to note that Fingal were allowed into the 2010 Europa League, having been in existence for 2 years 8 months. Very similar story to Waterford, but unluckily for them, that 3 year rule came in sometime after 2010. It was a swift move by Pats to get in there and make a case, THE MINUTE jd was no longer an obstacle.
It really feels like the fall of communism in a way; chaos, unpredictability and a bit of a power vacuum, with no-one knowing how things will end up. I've even seen the Times recommend a guy from my old UCD Superleague team for the top post.
We live in interesting times.
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