You base it on the clubs not racking up losses of a million quid a year, obviously. The sustainable clubs. Would have thought that was fairly obvious.
You base it on the clubs not racking up losses of a million quid a year, obviously. The sustainable clubs. Would have thought that was fairly obvious.
Like what?
What part of this can possibly be confusing you? I'd no more base the league's progress on Drogs' and Pat's' results in Europe than I would Shels'.
What's wrong with investors pumping money into clubs? If clubs progress in Europe as a result then that's fine as far as I'm concerned. It's not as if it doesn't happen in other countries. Fair play to the likes of Garrett Kelleher and Vincent Hoey. Expecting clubs to compete in Europe with a budget consisting of gate receipts, advertising and fund raising is fairytale stuff.
Business as usual
But what's sustainable? The money Kelleher is investing in Pats is sustainable for him. Pats will have a better team and better facilities as a result. Better teams and better facilities make a better league. In an ideal world football clubs wouldn't need investors but in the real world our league is crying out for them if it wants to progress.
Business as usual
Is it sustainable for him though? Shels fans always said they had a bottomless pit, and now they know better. Ditto Dublin City fans. Drogs fans say the same, but now their directors are coming out saying otherwise.
I don't know the facts but it would seem to me that the money Kelleher has invested at Pats amounts to little more than loose change for him. Drogheda's investors mightn't have pockets that deep but so what if they pull out. Drogheda will not be able to afford to keep their players but they will still have United Park. They would probably turn into relegation material but in the meantime they have won a Cup, 2 Setanta Cups and probably a league title this season. That would have been highly unlikely without the investors. Also if their investment pays off Drogheda will have a new stadium. All investments carry a degree of risk. Shels banked their success on the sale of Tolka Park. That was a huge risk and all bar the most loyal Shels fans saw the folly of it. A league without investors would be sustainable but poor. The best players will simply leave and play in other leagues where wages are higher thanks to investors.
Business as usual
You don't have to make money. All you have to do is break even to be sustainable. Football clubs in Ireland - and 99% of them across the world - are never going to make money. But there's a big difference between breaking even and losing a million a year. That's why I'm happy to categorise the clubs accordingly.
See, this is the exact point.Originally Posted by fitzknows
If Drogs' investors pull out, I'd agree with the scenario you've painted (unless they demand their money back, in which case Drogs are screwed). But in this scenario, Drogs won't be progressing in Europe any time soon. Their current progress is therefore temporary, dependent purely on someone pouring millions into the club rather than any advances the club itself has made. That's why the clubs who aren't racking up massive losses are the ones to be keeping an eye on as a barometer of the league's progress.
The thing is though there always seems to be a few clubs spending recklessly/unsustainably. As soon as the current batch stop doing so someone else will take up the reins and do so for another while. That's just the way football is, you'll probably never get everyone to toe the financial line. Unless the FAI are serious about the 65% wage cap- and I certainly wouldn't hold my breath on that one.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
I've seen Shamrock Rovers win six leagues and 11 FAI Cups but my proudest moment as a fan was when we saved and took control of our club - and our club's destiny. We're no longer relying on anyone's personal generosity or whims but on the faith, devotion and vision of our own supporters. That's priceless.
If we make Europe next year it won't be because some rich bloke filled a void, it'll be because our fans put the effort in and earned it.
I've learned the hard way (thanks to a variety of Rovers' boards) that success is relative. Our future's in our hands and that's just brilliant.
Eh,your future is in your own hands is it?
Then who is building a home for SRFC in Tallaght?
Yuck,im a part owner of Shams,im moving to Monaco
Yes,we have an investor putting his faith inot an irish club,any problem with that?
Maybe in a few years when your club become successful an investor or two will come along.
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