PFAI welcomes suggestion to split FAI
The general secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFAI), Stephen McGuinness, has welcomed a suggestion devised by FAI staff members, that the state would fund a new body that would solely govern grassroots and community football.
The FAI would continue to look after the international representative teams and elite football.
The plan suggests that the Government would provide €10m each year to fund development officers and coaches at youth level while the FAI would fund itself through commercial deals.
Mr McGuinness told RTÉ radio’s Today with Séan O’Rourke that any ideas that allow the game to continue have “to be discussed and teased out.”
The PFAI represents 300 players for whom their sole occupation is professional football. “These are difficult times, it is a really tough industry. The FAI situation doesn’t help our industry.
“Our members are worried about the future of the game.”
Mr McGuinness said there is a need to include grass roots in the development and future of the game to ensure there is a stream of players coming through.
He said it was fortunate that his association is run separately from the FAI.
“We’re lucky that we don’t get funding from the FAI.
“We were never offered support from the FAI, we’re now glad that we run our business separately.”
