Money Trouble

The current financial predicament pertinent to some eircom League clubs can appear worrying on the surface. In fact it is nothing of the sort. The march into full-time professional football was never going to be an easy one, and the consequent blaze of adverse publicity in relation to the few clubs that are in trouble is somewhat naive.

The furore simply underlines what I have always known, namely, that few Irish journalists appreciate just what full-time professional sport is all about. This is not in any way surprising as there is no tradition of full-time sport in Ireland and consequently members of the national media cannot be expected to truly understand. However, the more troublesome aspect of this naivety is that I believe it stretches to club officers as well.

To upgrade from part-time to full-time football it is necessary to possess an awareness of just what the move requires, initially and on an ongoing basis. It is essential for those running such a club to be in touch with reality. Ambition is the main motivating factor in all progressive moves. Right behind ambition however, should lie reality. There must be an understanding of just what it is you are chasing, how achievable it is and, most importantly of all, what happens when you get what you want. It is no good chasing the best looking girl in town if, when you get her, you cannot afford to keep her. You may feel all the better for giving it your best shot but your feeling of self worth, as well as your reputation, will be all shot to pieces.

But many men give into the temptation and dive headlong into the challenge. Whether it is good intentions, ego or possibly a sense of adventure, and it is probably an element of all three, the reasons matter little but the consequences matter much.

Club comes first

I had first-hand experience of this sort of thing during my time at Cork City. We were the best team in the country by the proverbial mile. At the height of this success I wanted to invest further in the team by bringing in a couple of quality players. The reality was that club Chairman Brian Lennox simply did not possess the funds to attempt this. Now, had he, or I as the club manager, allowed ego to dictate, then money would have been spent and Cork City FC would undoubtably have found itself in serious trouble very quickly. The ensuing cash flow problems would have most likely meant that players wages may have been difficult to raise and the integrity of the club, and all connected with it, would have suffered irreparable damage. It was a matter of enormous importance that the dignity and reputation of CCFC were safeguarded.