Latest news with #DaireDoyle
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
‘Whether you are PSG or Drogheda' - LOI side's level playing field plea to UEFA
Daire Doyle says Drogheda United should be treated no differently to the biggest European clubs when it comes to implementing UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. Multi-ownership is becoming more and more common throughout the game, with European champions Paris St Germain just one example. They are owned by Qatar Sports Investment, as are Portuguese side Braga, who are set to compete in next season's Europa League. Drogheda United's problem is, their owners, Trivela Group, bought a majority stake in Danish side Silkeborg, who last weekend qualified for the same competition - the Europa Conference League - as the Boynesiders. This has put Drogheda's place in European competition this summer in jeopardy, and talks are ongoing between the League of Ireland side and UEFA on how to resolve the issue. Similar discussions are ongoing regarding Europa League qualifiers Crystal Palace and Lyon, who are both majority-owned by US businessman John Textor. United assistant manager Daire Doyle said: 'You'd hope it would be the same procedures regardless. I know they (Crystal Palace) were over at the same time. 'The procedures should follow, whatever it is, whether you are PSG or Drogheda, it should be the same.' Talks are ongoing, with a resolution needed ahead of the European draws, which take place on June 17. Doyle continued: 'I know the club have been in contact with UEFA over the past number of months, they're doing all they can and they've let me know that they're hopeful that we can see a positive outcome to it all. 'There has been indirect contact with UEFA for a number of months now, there has been work done over a period of time to do what we need to do to find a solution to it. 'Talks have been going on, I think they're confidential talks. I know the club and the board are doing everything they can to make sure it turns out we're playing in Europe. That the big thing. 'But at the moment, them talks are confidential, and are ongoing. 'We'll hope for a positive outcome and look forward to a European campaign but on top of that, I don't know much else to be honest.' Trivela bought a majority stake in Silkeborg earlier this year and straight away that raised alarm bells at Drogheda, who secured their European spot by winning last November's FAI Cup final. The Danish outfit only claimed their place in last week's play-off for the country's final European spot. But in the event that UEFA ruled only one club could proceed into the Europa Conference League, Silkeborg would advance because of their higher league finish to Drogheda's last season, when they finished ninth in the Premier Division. 'Hopefully we are in a position where ourselves and Silkeborg can both play in Europe,' Doyle continued. 'The players are aware of the situation, we've told them as much as I've told you today. 'We're trying to keep them in the loop as regards what's happening but the outcome hasn't come out as yet. 'So we now have to wait on that, we've gone into UEFA with the full respect that the situation deserves, we've put forward our case to them and we're hopeful that we'll be in Europe come July.' In the meantime, Doyle and manager Kevin Doherty are doing all they can to prepare for the club's first foray into Europe in 12 years. 'We focus on the football and on the pitch, that is our job, we leave that sort of stuff to the board that do the job on that end,' he said. 'They've assured us they are doing everything they can. We want it to be positive and we believe it will be but until the decision is made, there is not a lot we can really say. 'As regards the players, we're just keeping them focused on the next few games, we've had a really good first half of the start of the season where we picked up a lot of points with our performances. 'That's going to be the challenge now for the second half of the year, can we put in the performances to get them points to keep us in a position that we're challenging. That's what we're focused on.' Drogheda's focus will soon include their defence of the FAI Cup - and yesterday they were handed a banana-skin of a home tie against top Leinster Senior League side Crumlin United. 'I've actually seen them play this season, I go to quite a few Leinster Senior League games myself,' said Doyle. 'I have a 22-year-old son (Jack) playing for Home Farm. I've seen quite a few games this year, they've quite a few good players. 'James Lee is an excellent manager and former player as well, we're really happy we got a home draw, that's the most important thing. 'We'll do our homework on Crumlin now and make sure we find out as much as we can about them before the game.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Drogheda confident of claiming Euro place despite uncertainty
Uncertainty over Drogheda United's place in the Uefa Conference League hasn't affected their players, according to assistant manager Daire Doyle. A first-ever FAI Cup success for the Louth club last November was decorated by qualification directly into the second round of Europe's third competition at the second round stage. That guaranteed minimum €525,000 windfall in prize-money and their participation in the draw on June 18 is in jeopardy due to rules around multi-club ownership. Uefa forbid clubs with the same owners facing each other in competition for sporting integrity purposes and the latest club in the stable of Trivela, Silkeborg IK, also recently qualified from the Danish league. Crystal Palace are facing similar obstacles due to John Textor's stakes in Lyon and the American is prepared to sell his 25% shareholding to facilitate the first foray into Europe for the FAI Cup holders. That isn't so simple in the case of Drogs, who are 100% owned by the American investors. They recently purchased 80% of Silkeborg IK, outlining the difficulty of divestment. 'I'm confident we'll be in the draw and get to play in Europe because the club deserves it,' said Kevin Doherty's assistant Doyle. 'I know club officials travelled to Uefa and they have proposed a solution. We're all hoping for a positive outcome. 'If something was to happen all of sudden, to be honest it could be up in the air. We'll have to deal with that if it arises over the next week but I'm confident.' Doyle was speaking at the draw for the second round of the FAI Cup, which pits the holders against non-league Crumlin United. A yearly improvement in Ireland's European coefficient means this year's winners will enter the Europa League, guaranteeing a backdoor into the Conference and a minimum prize pot of €700,000. Drogs are currently second behind Shamrock Rovers at the midway point but Doyle admits the new Cup bonus makes it most favourable. 'I suppose it is because the league runner-up only qualifies for the Conference,' he admitted. Meanwhile, Cork City will face non-league Leicester Celtic – one of Damien Duff's former clubs - in the second round to be played on the weekend of July 20. Newly crowned FAI senior player of the year Robbie Brady helped conduct the draw and pulled out a Premier Division tie for the St Mochta's team his brother Liam is part of. Fresh from winning the Leinster Senior League on Wednesday night, they will travel to face Waterford. Munster Senior League outfit University College Cork are also on the road, taking on 2023 winners St Patrick's Athletic. Cobh Ramblers make the trip to Leinster Senior League opposition in Bangor Celtic, as do Bohemians against Killester/Donnycarney. The final will take at Lansdowne Road on November 9. In the Women's FAI Cup, holders Shelbourne face a tricky tie against Galway United while there's another top-flight clash between Cork City and Peamount United. Men's FAI Cup draw: Shamrock Rovers v Wexford FC Dundalk v Sligo Rovers Fairview Rangers v Shelbourne Kerry FC v Athlone Town. Cork City v Leicester Celtic. Finn Harps v UCD. St Patrick's Athletic v University College Cork. Salthill Devon v St Michael's Tipperary. Galway United v Tolka Rovers. Bray Wanderers v Wayside Celtic. Bangor Celtic v Cobh Ramblers. Castlebar Celtic v Longford Town. Killester Donnycarney v Bohemians. Waterford v St Mochta's. Treaty United v Derry City. Drogheda United v Crumlin United. Women's FAI Cup first round draw: Wexford v Bohemians Cork City v Peamount United Treaty United v Ferns United Newbridge Town v Whitehall Rangers Shelbourne v Galway United Athlone Town v Terenure Rangers Shamrock Rovers v Waterford Sligo Rovers v DLR Waves Ties to be held the week-ending June 29
