A Load of Balls: LOI stars speak out over crisis

The off-field issues around the League of Ireland (LOI) have cast yet another dark cloud over an already troubled league.

Fans are dismayed at yet another crisis in the league and clubs themselves are struggling to adjust. How do the financial circumstances affect the players themselves?

Now a midfielder with St Patrick’s Athletic, Stuart Byrne has been around the block with debt-ridden LOI clubs.

In 2006 he won the Premier Division with Shelbourne, only to see the club get demoted due to financial difficulties only months later. Stuart then joined Drogheda United, winning a Setanta Cup in 2007 and Premier Division in 2008.

A year after winning the league with the Drogs, Stuart was again searching for a new club as Drogheda succumbed to their own financial difficulties.

Byrne states that the off-field circumstances are affecting the preparations of players; “it would mentally affect your preparations. It’s a mental drain on everybody because they don’t know who they are playing and football clubs cannot plan out their first few games.”

“The longer it drags on, the more money that it will cost. The situation with the Cork issue has cost clubs more money than it should have.”

As the fixtures were only released last week, Byrne says that the uncertainty around fixtures has also had an effect; “considering the season is to start is two weeks, it has had a knock on afffect. I have three children and not knowing when it was due to start I could not plan anything with them. I have spoken to other players who feel the same also.”

The midfielder has become somewhat disillusioned with the bad press generated by the off-field uncertainty; “the negative press that the league will get will have massive implications on the perception of the league. We have a huge issue with trying to get people to come and watch the games. The bad press and the perception from the outside will have a long term effect on the league. We are in direct competition with games like rugby and while they are growing, we seem to be going down and down.”

“I think we are quite focused here on what we have to do. We have an experienced manager and he is well tuned in to what is going on,” says Rafael Cretaro of the ability of his Bohemians side to overcome the off-field difficulties and succeed in this year’s Premier Division.

A new signing at Bohemians, Cretaro arrived from Bohemians after an appearance in the FAI Ford Cup final last season.
The winger is open with his belief that players should get on with their job on the field; “You just have to look after your own house and I don’t think what is going on around the league has anything to do with me personally.”

The ex-Sligo Rovers player spoke of the atmosphere at the reigning champions; “The atmosphere is very good and very upbeat. They are lively lads who are very focused in terms of their job and their training.”

“It’s a whole new experience for me coming from Sligo to Dublin and I am really impressed with the way the lads look after themselves.”