FAI...New Manager is Heimir Hallgrimsson

[Baile Brigín 2]

It's been a lot longer than 5 years. There is no reason we should just assume we are better than teams like Armenia.

It's systemic maybe not as much in the South but in North for sure they dont invest in the own facilities because they dont own any (with the very odd exception) rely on councils and government investment for their facilities.

Like it or not that is the fact, and hence why they rely on systems across the water to develop their players for them.

It's not a fact. It just isn't.

Take a look at the IFA announcement today 

Might not like it, might not be right but that is the way it is.

The announcement that they were looking for funding to upgrade facilities?

How does that square with your silly claim they don't upgrade facilities?

[NAG1]

It's been a lot longer than 5 years. There is no reason we should just assume we are better than teams like Armenia.

It's systemic maybe not as much in the South but in North for sure they dont invest in the own facilities because they dont own any (with the very odd exception) rely on councils and government investment for their facilities.

Like it or not that is the fact, and hence why they rely on systems across the water to develop their players for them.

It's not a fact. It just isn't.

Take a look at the IFA announcement today 

Might not like it, might not be right but that is the way it is.

The announcement that they were looking for funding to upgrade facilities?

How does that square with your silly claim they don't upgrade facilities?

Silly BB

Didnt say they didnt upgrade, I said they don't upgrade with their own money because they dont have any!

Waiting with their hand out constantly. Hence no high performance culture in the system.

[Baile Brigín 2]

It's been a lot longer than 5 years. There is no reason we should just assume we are better than teams like Armenia.

It's systemic maybe not as much in the South but in North for sure they dont invest in the own facilities because they dont own any (with the very odd exception) rely on councils and government investment for their facilities.

Like it or not that is the fact, and hence why they rely on systems across the water to develop their players for them.

It's not a fact. It just isn't.

Take a look at the IFA announcement today 

Might not like it, might not be right but that is the way it is.

The announcement that they were looking for funding to upgrade facilities?

How does that square with your silly claim they don't upgrade facilities?

Silly BB

Didnt say they didnt upgrade, I said they don't upgrade with their own money because they dont have any!

Waiting with their hand out constantly. Hence no high performance culture in the system.

Hold up. Does that 'logic' not also apply to the heavily granted GAA?

There has never, ever been a 100% grant.

[seafoid]

In a cooler light of day, at what point do we blame the players? Collins is a solid, dependable premiership defender. He turns into Bambi on ice for Ireland. Cullen is the captain of a premiership team. He can't string a pass when in green.

We need to stop picking players simply on the basis of their clubs. O'Neill has no issue playing lads at nowhere clubs on the basis of international form.

Get a sports psychologist in, I believe Shamrock Rovers have a full time one

It's all very well, saying we should be better than what we are, because we have some premiership players. But how many of our players are anything but journeymen or solid pros for their clubs? I think some of the problem stems from the fact that they are surrounded by much better quality players at club level and are carried to an extent, or not relied upon so much, particularly creatively. When you group so many such ordinary players into a national team, you can't be surprised when the outcome is so underwhelming.

Lots of top players play for inferior national sides and perform. The fact that all 4 premiership clubbed starters were simultaneously shite is an issue.

They aren't winners. There is some psychological damage. HH referred to it.
Would it be worth building a team from a group of winning under 15s?  Nothing will change in the next decade under business as usual. 

[Captain Scarlet]

A small slice of soccer life that kinda encapsulates the scene on the ground. This is lower level Sunday morning stuff and we played in a lad's field and dressing rooms were his sheds.
This small club had broken off from a slightly larger club, but then started getting decent players coming. Then they joined up again and within a year it was a shambles. The reformed club had a grants tap available on their doorstep but the fuckin committee would change that they never got anything with all the EGMs and rows. They literally could not nod and smile for a year till the money came in.

In GAA we all know there are lads who hate each other but they shut up and get on with it if grants are on the table.
Another boost to the GAA is that even the local underage you can get good men coaching that you don't always rely on coaches. Eg from U14 to Minor my manager was a senior club manager and selector with Micko in Kildare for a spell. Like that's a serious operator.
In soccer few clubs can call on lads like that and there's more reliance on FAI coaches who are like hen's teeth.

That stat from Will Clarke after the Armenia match said it all. Our academies are ranked in the 90s, so the only way is down from here. The odd lad like Melia and Noonan might crop up, but that's rare.

Even then the whole thing is so Dublin-centric that there's a lot of politics there too. Is something like an FAI academy a runner - even regional ones? Like INF Clairefontaine with a boarding school and lads have more contact hours?

[Evil Genius]

It's systemic maybe not as much in the South but in North for sure they dont invest in the own facilities because they dont own any (with the very odd exception) rely on councils and government investment for their facilities.

Like it or not that is the fact, and hence why they rely on systems across the water to develop their players for them.

NIFL Premiership:
Bangor - own their own ground, spent six figures (maybe seven?) over last couple of seasons;
Ballymena U - Council-owned ground;
Carrick R - - Council-owned ground;
Cliftonville - own their own ground;
Coleraine - freehold owned by Charitable Trust, CFC have long lease and have spent seven figures in recent years;
Crusaders - own their own ground, spent seven figures in recent years;
Dungannon S - own their own ground;
Glenavon - own their own ground;
Glentoran - own their own ground;
Larne - bought their ground from the Council, then spent 7 figures on a major upgrade/rebuild;
Linfield - owned Windsor, may still own freehold(?), not sure exactly whether landlords or tenants of IFA;
Portadown - own their own ground.

NIFL Championship:
Annagh U - Think they own their own ground (though not absolutely certain);
Ards - currently homeless, though planning to build a new, club-owned ground;
Armagh C - built their own ground after buying a long lease on the land from the Council 34 years ago;
Ballinamallard U - own their own ground'
Dundela - own their own ground;
H & W Welders - ground built by the Council (and other funders), in return for the Welders giving their old ground to the Council;
Institute - homeless after being flooded out, planning to build their own replacement imminently;
Limavady U - own their own ground;
Loughgall - own their own ground;
Newington - don't own a ground, currently sharing with Larne;
Queens University - own their own ground (QUB, that is);
Warrenpoint T - Council-owned ground, club has lease.

NIFL Intermediate Lge - not really sure, but at a guess I'd say the majority probably own their own ground.

[Baile Brigín 2]

You aren't suggesting he is talking shite?

Now do every single player and coach gets paid.

[Evil Genius]

You aren't suggesting he is talking shite?

No, but only because, unlike Nag1's contribution, shite is at least useful for one thing (fertiliser).

[general_lee]

Do any counties in Ireland play at council-owned grounds?

I think most club grounds in Armagh are owned by the GAA, a couple of clubs might have long-term leases (in the 1980s Craigavon Council refused to lease land to St Peter's in Lurgan because the Orange bigots didn't want to look out of Brownlow Castle and see Gaelic football being played!  )

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2025/09/12/fai-chiefs-cool-demeanour-was-at-odds-with-a-body-groaning-under-the-strain-of-debt/

And yet we all know the dire truth. We all know that the FAI is groaning under the weight of enormous debt, that the men's national team is a shambles, that the system for developing young footballers is chronically under-funded and under-developed. 

[Baile Brigín 2]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2025/09/12/fai-chiefs-cool-demeanour-was-at-odds-with-a-body-groaning-under-the-strain-of-debt/

And yet we all know the dire truth. We all know that the FAI is groaning under the weight of enormous debt, that the men's national team is a shambles, that the system for developing young footballers is chronically under-funded and under-developed.

This is news to you?

The slightly interesting thing in the article is Stephen Bradley's name being floated.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2025/10/03/shamrock-rovers-confirm-record-breaking-2m-move-to-arsenal-for-victor-ozhianvuna/

Shamrock Rovers have confirmed an agreement has been reached with Arsenal for the transfer of Victor Ozhianvuna in January 2027.

The fee is believed to be worth €2 million plus add-ons, in a deal which the club have said is a "landmark transfer in Irish football and a template for the development of top young football talent in the country". He becomes the League of Ireland's most expensive export after formally agreeing his precontract move

[Dag Dog]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2025/10/03/shamrock-rovers-confirm-record-breaking-2m-move-to-arsenal-for-victor-ozhianvuna/

Shamrock Rovers have confirmed an agreement has been reached with Arsenal for the transfer of Victor Ozhianvuna in January 2027.

The fee is believed to be worth €2 million plus add-ons, in a deal which the club have said is a "landmark transfer in Irish football and a template for the development of top young football talent in the country". He becomes the League of Ireland's most expensive export after formally agreeing his precontract move

I'm sure the money will be wisely invested by the club...

[Baile Brigín 2]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2025/10/03/shamrock-rovers-confirm-record-breaking-2m-move-to-arsenal-for-victor-ozhianvuna/

Shamrock Rovers have confirmed an agreement has been reached with Arsenal for the transfer of Victor Ozhianvuna in January 2027.

The fee is believed to be worth €2 million plus add-ons, in a deal which the club have said is a "landmark transfer in Irish football and a template for the development of top young football talent in the country". He becomes the League of Ireland's most expensive export after formally agreeing his precontract move

I'm sure the money will be wisely invested by the club...

To be fair, UEFA have held Rovers up as a model for a club of that size.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/1006/1537038-time-to-invest-in-irish-footballs-future-robinson/

Football Association of Ireland technical director Shane Robinson has called on the government to deliver "badly needed investment" for the academy system in Tuesday's budget.

Irish soccer's governing body have asked for an initial €4.45 million per year, which would permit League of Ireland clubs operating 26 underage academies (male and female) to hire a minimum of three full-time staff each.

Under the FAI's proposal, that would rise to €8m per year after two years, with the hope that academies would be self-funding through transfer fees of graduates within 11 years.

A recent independent audit, funded by Government, found that youth football facilities here lagged well behind those in other countries ranked 51-100 by world governing body FIFA. The Republic of Ireland men's team are currently ranked 61st and have not qualified for an international tournament since Euro 2016.

Only 4% of clubs here have a full-time head of coaching, as against 46% in equivalent-ranked associations, while no LOI clubs have a minimum of four full-time academy coaches, compared to 36% in the aforementioned FIFA-ranked countries.