5 days ago
FAI facing increased pressure to allow freedom to decide season format
The FAI is facing increasing pressure to ditch its summer season edict after the backlash from key affiliates intensified.
Resistance to the directive of synchronising all levels of football with the League of Ireland format of February to October hasn't abated since it being passed by a narrow 57% margin of the association's general assembly in December.
On the back of a failed attempt to link grant funding for the Gaynor and Kennedy Cups to compliance with the FAI's calendar season, meetings were held in Portlaoise with the two largest constituent bodies on Wednesday night.
The Leinster Football Association had previously dismissed the ballot as 'flawed' and were on the brink of releasing a statement seeking freedom of choice among their leagues to remain in the traditional format of September to May.
It's believed the statement was only paused due to an intervention from top FAI brass.
Significantly, none of the FAI's staff who have been at the forefront pushing the change, were invited to the last-ditch talks – only President Paul Cooke and Vice-President John Finnegan.
'All members present voiced their concerns and opinions around calendar alignment and the issues it would cause in their respective leagues around the province,' the LFA wrote in correspondence to leagues, seen by the Irish Examiner.
'The FAI members present took on board the concerns and views of the LFA and made a commitment to bring those concerns back to the FAI Board.'
The pair of elected FAI officers also met with their biggest affiliate, the Schoolboys/girls FAI, who in February pleaded with the FAI to reevaluate the compulsory element.
Under the FAI's phased proposal, underage leagues are to introduce the 'calendar' season from next January for players up to age 12 but none of the biggest six seven leagues in the country, DDSL and North Dublin, along with Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick, have agreed to the overhaul.
