Last weekend Spanish referee Jose Manuel Barro Escandon, while he officiated at a game between Recreativo Linense and Saladillo Algesiras, decided to issue 19 red cards after a particularly distasteful brawl erupted in Cadiz.
Senõr Escandon’s reaction to a misbehaving bunch of players got me thinking about the Eircom League: if that Spanish official was asked to interpret the performance, according to the stringent financial rules imposed by the FAI, of all 22 clubs how many would be then left on the playing field?
Playing the game on its merits: Bohemians, St. Patrick’s Athletic, Derry City, Bray Wanderers, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk, UCD, Shelbourne, Wexford Youths, Monaghan United and, of course, Limerick (led by CEO Andrew Mawhinney - pictured above).
Those who deserve a stern talking to: Sligo Rovers (discussed downgrading themselves to intermediate last season, but now, thanks to European qualification, such a suggestion has been shelved!), Sporting Fingal (signing players like a good thing and perhaps heading down the road to financial ruin), Waterford United (the manager resigning so the players could still be paid says it all) and Mervue United (just a warning lads: don’t make the same financial mistakes so many clubs before you have).
Booked: Galway United (get yourselves sorted out or else), Cobh Ramblers (ditto) and Longford Town (same as).
And those to get the line: Cork City (they’ve found a new investor, but do those guys know what they’re doing?), Drogheda United (the 2007 league champions have until next week to service debts of around €500,000), Athlone Town (hopes abound that a supporter-based patron scheme will clear debts believed to be in the region of €300,000 - they need another 200 subscriptions to keep their head above water) and, of course, Finn Harps (the Donegal club need to come with €150,000 within the next three weeks and then turn their attention to an overall debt of €290,000).
Brian McDonnell
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment