Stephen Henderson on the state of Irish football

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/06/2016, 11:53 AM

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/lea...-culture/84666

Posted this on the League of Ireland forum, but equally as topical here. What's the thoughts?

**snowball** · 27/06/2016, 12:04 PM

"we have a Dutch man with no clue of Irish culture dictating a plan not suited to our race"

What on earth is he on about?

Embarrassing stuff.

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/06/2016, 12:08 PM

I didn't quite get that bit either about the race. Not sure what he's trying to say there.

I agree though with the fundamental point, although he goes on about it in a backwards way.

**tetsujin1979** · 27/06/2016, 12:50 PM

don't get the bit about only passing his A license when he pretended to care about what he was being told. Isn't the curriculum set by UEFA, or FIFA, not the FAI?

**Stuttgart88** · 27/06/2016, 1:38 PM

I'm pretty sure Dokter has a very good idea of Irish football, its culture, its politics and its obstacles to progress. Unfair to single him out.

Of the Irish-born players in the side, most came through the schoolboy system and/or the LOI (mostly "or"). The key as I always argue is to join up the whole structure but I consistently feel too many vested interests don't want this, and JD's position at the helm is strengthened by appeasing everyone whose interests conflict with the LOI's. The LOI itself isn't a strong stakeholder.

The structure of the FAI itself needs addressing. The Council members (the guys who vote at AGM) are no longer representative of the modern game. I don't see why, for example, the Defence Forces, should have a vote.

We need fewer and more up to date Council members and Non-Exec representation at Board equivalent. We need a President who is proactive, vocal and visible not just on a cushy pre-retirement number. We need a less authoritarian CEO with seats on fewer important committees and with less influence on who gets funding (because of the obvious conflicts of interest that arise).

We need to build on this now and make further inroads into the political and corporate sphere, each important for funding and facilities.

**Stuttgart88** · 27/06/2016, 2:45 PM

The next AGM will be telling. We really need a Bretton Woods style conference of all key stakeholders wiping the slate clean and burying old prejudices to forge a strong self-determined future. It sounds like a Gerry Adams / Sylvio Berlusconi / Boris Johnson soundbite but if I can steal the latter charlatan's slogan "Let's Take Control" we can seize this moment.

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/06/2016, 4:52 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

The next AGM will be telling. We really need a Bretton Woods style conference of all key stakeholders wiping the slate clean and burying old prejudices to forge a strong self-determined future. It sounds like a Gerry Adams / Sylvio Berlusconi / Boris Johnson soundbite but if I can steal the latter charlatan's slogan "Let's Take Control" we can seize this moment.

Unfortunately, we're more likely to see 30,000 seater stadiums built in every part of the country than any proper coherent structure put to the FAI and football from top to bottom in Ireland.

**Eminence Grise** · 27/06/2016, 7:53 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

don't get the bit about only passing his A license when he pretended to care about what he was being told. Isn't the curriculum set by UEFA, or FIFA, not the FAI?

'So Mr Henderson, the earth is ...?'
'Flat.'
'Mmm, not quite. Guess again.'
'Flat.'
'Mmm, I think you need to show you care more for facts.
'Round.'
'Technically it's an oblate spheroid, but close enough. Have a badge.'
'Thanks. It's still flat.'

**Olé Olé** · 27/06/2016, 8:20 PM

Am I being unfair in suggesting that this tirade would have been completely bottled up if his son was in the Ireland squad? He probably deserves to be closer to it than he is and someone has mentioned before he's had a disagreement with Seamus McDonagh. People are on a high and junior isn't involved...

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/06/2016, 8:32 PM

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Am I being unfair in suggesting that this tirade would have been completely bottled up if his son was in the Ireland squad? He probably deserves to be closer to it than he is and someone has mentioned before he's had a disagreement with Seamus McDonagh. People are on a high and junior isn't involved...

Doubt it. Henderson has been giving out about the state of Irish football and the lack of direction from the FAI for years now.

**Olé Olé** · 27/06/2016, 9:04 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Doubt it. Henderson has been giving out about the state of Irish football and the lack of direction from the FAI for years now.

Yeah, true. Interesting timing though.

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/06/2016, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Yeah, true. Interesting timing though.

I think the timing is more down to the lack of interest, attention, attendances, and general disinterest in the full round of fixtures that took place on Friday past.

I haven't completed a round up of attendances yet for the past couple of weeks and compared them properly to previous seasons, but interest in the league is definitely down this year right across the board and attendances have suffered. Clubs are suffering badly this season and nobody in the FAI seems to give a toss.

**Olé Olé** · 28/06/2016, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I think the timing is more down to the lack of interest, attention, attendances, and general disinterest in the full round of fixtures that took place on Friday past.

I haven't completed a round up of attendances yet for the past couple of weeks and compared them properly to previous seasons, but interest in the league is definitely down this year right across the board and attendances have suffered. Clubs are suffering badly this season and nobody in the FAI seems to give a toss.

Fair enough but I'm from Kerry so I haven't been deemed worthy of interest, attention, attendances, or general disinterest.

**Metrostars** · 28/06/2016, 1:59 AM

So he complains about the bandwagon fans not supporting LOI and the FAI with no plan. Great. So what is his plan? This isn't like Field of Dreams, build it and they will come.

**nigel-harps1954** · 28/06/2016, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Metrostars

So he complains about the bandwagon fans not supporting LOI and the FAI with no plan. Great. So what is his plan? This isn't like Field of Dreams, build it and they will come.

Did you actually read what he said?

**ForzaHoop** · 28/06/2016, 11:38 AM

In fairness he is correct in what he says, the FAI have made millions from the adventure and not one penny will be reinvested into the league, they will use to repay Aviva debt
If the FAI don't invest the league will never improve and we may never produce home grown talent like Long, Wes etc

**tetsujin1979** · 28/06/2016, 1:18 PM

there's no evidence anywhere on where the money will be spent

**davidatrb** · 28/06/2016, 2:15 PM

I'm not sure if the FAI is the answer to the problems within the League. If I was the FAI I would think long about investing money in the League after watching a string of clubs squander small fortunes and go bust.

I think the League and the clubs have to step up themselves and take their destiny into their own hands. This is in effect what the Premier League did in the early 90's.

At the close of the 1991 season, a proposal was tabled for the establishment of a new league that would bring more money into the game overall. The Founder Members Agreement, signed on 17 July 1991 by the game's top-flight clubs, established the basic principles for setting up the FA Premier League.[17] The newly formed top division would have commercial independence from The Football Association and the Football League, giving the FA Premier League licence to negotiate its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements. The argument given at the time was that the extra income would allow English clubs to compete with teams across Europe.[12]

**nigel-harps1954** · 28/06/2016, 2:30 PM

The problems in Irish football stretch far beyond the strength of the League of Ireland.

Football in this country, top to bottom, is wrong.

**Stuttgart88** · 28/06/2016, 2:32 PM

In my opinion the separation of the EPL from the FA was a disaster for English football. The FA thought they had pulled off a coup by kicking the Football League into touch, which was the FA's objective all along. But they unleashed a monster in the EPL. Nobody foresaw how much money would come into the game and in one fell swoop the FA disempowered themselves and gave the big clubs effective autonomy. The national body for football lost control of the top tier of the game and has suffered ever since.

For me Irish football needs to be more joined up, not less so.

I think Nigel is OTT. There are good parts and bad parts to Irish football.