Originally Posted by
The Bowler
Ok, thanks for all the replies on my earlier UCD post, as always, good debate here. Apols to those who think it's personal with Myler, it's not and no he didn't to the best of knowledge crap in my garden :-), but the change of direction at the club is the point here, and it's all on his watch. Apologies in advance for long and winding post, I won't post hereafter on UCD Club politics.
As stu has pointed out, we used to have players for a 4 or 5 year cycle all the way thru college until they got their degree and sometimes masters. This policy has been in place for a decade or more. Now, it's all about near term gain, and a questionable agenda. Since Rovers B was canned, we are clearly an outlet for Rovers to send their better young players for experience. Only Rovers benefit from this, UCD never get a meaningful fee, although they often report 'for a small fee'. Rovers are the master beneficiaries under compensation rules and also in terms of the type of agreement being put in place in the signing of these.players in the first place. It's not just Rovers, but they are the ones very much benefitting from this set up the most. In the meantime, progression from UCD17s and 19s has all but dried up to near zero in the last two years (apart from a handful who jump in for last year of u19 from other clubs in order to join the non scholarship paid players cohort and get into 1st team squad). A load of lads that were on scholarship walked out last year having seen enough on multiple fronts, on and off the pitch.
The tried and trusted model has been broken for short term gain. All these non students are being paid (as they should), while those on scholarship are largely not being paid (as was historically mostly the case). The club is largely funded by the college, so taxpayers money is being used to fund a squad with many non students over the last 2 seasons (how do other clubs feel about that i wonder ?). Gate receipt income is ok while in prem division full of Dublin clubs, but that revenue falls off a cliff when they go down, back to 200 per game. So while still in the Premier Division, (and credit to the Manager and Finn Harps for making that happen), when we inevitably land back in the first division, the manager will jump ship to the comfort of his day job claiming work commitments, what will be left behind will be the destruction of a tried and trusted model. Just like all fans, I enjoy the premier division, and the quality of ball, but I'm also a realist, and a believer that you don't break something that has proven itself over a prolonged period of time, proving itself to be the best development club in the land for young senior players brought through the system all the way to 22 or 23. When Rovers played Dundalk in the cup final a few years back, 10 of the starting 22 were ex UCD players, with more on both benches.
I was told by a member of the Sports Council Body in the college that there is huge pressure on Director of Football over why so many non students have been in the team in recent years, and questions raised at the highest levels around scholarship students leaving en masse. So im not the only one who has noticed
Over and out lads, will leave the internal politics at the club off the forum going forward.
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