FAI admit defeat on 'summer soccer' plan

The FAI have admitted defeat in its controversial plan to expand the League of Ireland summer season across all levels of the game.

Recently departed chief football officer Marc Canham produced a Football Pathway Plan 18 months ago which claimed 65% of surveyed participants preferred an alignment of the seasons from underage to senior.

Yet that position was soon challenged, with the two largest affiliates in the country, Schoolboys/girls FAI and Leinster FA pleading with the parent body to consider allowing leagues freedom to choose their format.

The board backing of Canham’s 11-point blueprint was passed at General Assembly level by a narrow 57% majority but the LFA branded the latter outcome as ‘flawed’.

Whereas the LOI voted among their clubs for the switch in 2002, this ballot was taken across all strands.

Opposition soon spiked.

On top of established affiliates, which included the majority of Ulster and Connacht, the Grassroots Amateur Football Clubs of Ireland was founded from the coalface.

It was a fusion of 600 clubs across 22 leagues in 17 counties seeking autonomy, raising their concerns in political circles.

Rather than helping the game grow, this move was perceived as hindering it, as the overlap with the core GAA games programme was cited.

Other factors such as summer holidays, referee shortages and drop offs after breaks were raised, as well as the absence of impact study on clubs fearful of losing volunteers.

Belatedly, the FAI bowed to pressure by undertaking a ‘Listening and Learning exercise’ in May – with the inevitable outcome of plans for roll-out from January 2026 being culled.

Their ploy of linking grants for the Gaynor and Kennedy Cup tournaments to compliance with the move spectacularly backfired.

A proposal to postpone implementation by three years was rejected by the SFAI, who highlighted the point that even the minority of leagues moving to summer supported the right to choose for others.

It was noteworthy that FAI executives were not invited to these sessions, only elected officials.

They relayed feedback to board level that the concept was a non-starter.

An email from President Paul Cooke to the 145-strong General Assembly on Friday afternoon confirmed the climbdown.

“The FAI board of the Football Association of Ireland has decided to implement an exemption process by application for leagues with regard to our Aligned Football Calendar.

“The terms of reference of the exemption process will be agreed by the board and communicated with members of the General Assembly in due course.

“The FPP continues to be implemented as part of the on-going development and future of Irish football whilst also respecting the implementation challenges that leagues may encounter in relation to the Aligned Football Calendar.”

It’s understood this committee will comprise of seven FAI representatives, four board members and three staffers from the senior leadership team (SLT).

The initial feeling is that leagues are reluctant to engage in this committee having already informed their clubs at recent AGMs of continuity. The traditional September-June format will be maintained by the majority, as it is for 80% of national associations across Uefa’s 55 members.

Click here to read article