LOI's fountain of youth boosted by rare Brexit benefit

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

There's something quietly brilliant happening in the League of Ireland this season. Week in, week out, we're watching young players not only step onto the pitch but genuinely shine.
They're not coming off the bench as a token gesture or playing dead minutes in games long settled. These are kids being trusted in high-stakes, first-team football, and more importantly, delivering.
There are multiple reasons behind this youthful surge, with the most transformative one being Brexit.
While Brexit has caused plenty of headaches, there's no denying one silver lining for us fans of the league - it's kept our best 16 year olds at home.
Gone are the days of rushing lads off to England at the first sign of promise, only for them to fade into elite academy systems.
Now, the physically ready among them are developing in senior environments, learning the hard truths of the game in real time rather than in cloistered training pitches behind closed gates.
There's something pure about watching a young footballer figure out the chaos of a League of Ireland game.
It toughens them up. It's unpredictable, physical, technical, and demanding. Players are being forged here now, not just spotted.
Despite historically minimal support, clubs have dug deep to build structures capable of producing the talent we are enjoying on Friday nights.
They're appointing more qualified coaches, trying to improve facilities and implementing football philosophies that mirror what you'd see in clubs abroad.
Why? Because it makes financial sense. While playing budgets at first-team level are at record highs, one of the best ways to balance that economically is to start selling.
And not selling for buttons either, selling with proper fees and, crucially, sell-on clauses.
At this point, you'd struggle to find a single Premier Division club who doesn't have a player out in the world with a sell-on clause attached.
The initial fee may not have been huge, but if that player kicks on, the financial upside is significant. That's not just good business; it's future proofing.
The real shift, though, has come in how early players are being exposed to senior football.
Gone is the overprotectiveness that stifled many a career. Managers are trusting younger players because they have to, but also because they're ready.
And that readiness is mostly the product of our young players staying at home post Brexit.
The knock-on effect is massive.
Clubs are now not only developing players, they're marketing them.
Every minute a young lad plays in a senior match is potential value.
But here's the critical bit: performing in the League of Ireland is just the start. For these benefits to really flow back into our league, these players need to go abroad and perform again at Championship level, Premier League level or in Europe's top tiers.
That's what triggers the big sell-ons. That's what raises the ceiling on the next transfer. That's what draws scouts in their dozens to our shores.
To get there, though, the players need more.
More coaching, more support, and, inevitably, more investment. It's one thing to produce a player who can do a job in our league at 17 or 18, it's another to create one who can dominate games at 22 in the Bundesliga or Serie A.
If we want to consistently export that level of talent, our youth coaching has to match that of the countries we're trying to compete with.
At the moment, it doesn't. Not quite.
There's a pool of excellent, dedicated coaches out there, but the numbers aren't where they need to be.
The drop-off rate among promising players remains too high. We need a deeper pool and a better environment for players to swim in.
One recent development worth watching is the implementation of the Football Pathways Plan.
By aligning registration periods across all levels of Irish football, it could potentially open doors for more short-term loan moves and fluid progression routes.
Think of it this way: in England, a young player not quite ready for the Championship might spend a month or two at a National League club to get important game time.
These short-term loans can happen outside the transfer window and they both help the player develop and the non-league team who needs a dig out.
We could mirror that with players dipping into the Leinster Senior League or Munster Senior League, giving valuable game time to those who might be technically excellent but not quite physically ready for the Premier Division.
That sort of exposure keeps players involved and developing. It keeps the dream alive. And it could help reduce the dropout rate across the country.
For now, let's celebrate the progress.
The names are stacking up, players making debuts, starting games and making progress.
We're watching a generation come of age not in non-competitive Under-21 leagues or behind-the-scenes academy games, but in front of crowds, under pressure and in matches that matter.
But let's not let the odd breakthrough fool us into complacency.
This is a pivotal moment. With proper investment - in coaching, infrastructure and support systems - we can take this momentum and build something lasting.
Because here's the truth: our league will only be as strong as the next batch of kids coming through.
And if we do right by them, they'll do right by us, not just at Tallaght or Richmond or The Showgrounds, but at the Aviva, and across Europe's biggest stages.
That's the future. It needs help. Let's invest in it.