Quinn pushing plan to break League of Ireland from FAI

Niall Quinn insists he has the political and commercial backing to spearhead a movement whereby the League of Ireland can break away from the FAI.

Quinn pushing plan to break League of Ireland from FAI

Niall Quinn insists he has the political and commercial backing to spearhead a movement whereby the League of Ireland can break away from the FAI.

The former Ireland striker, who was chairman of Sunderland when they last clinched promotion under Roy Keane in 2007, has been busy meeting with TDs and senators in recent weeks pushing his plan for the domestic game.

Crucially, as he did when assembling a group to buy Sunderland, Quinn says he has received support from the business community.

Speaking last night at a public meeting in Dublin, he called on the FAI to concentrate on meeting their debt mountain while allowing the League of Ireland to be run as a standalone entity.

As it stands, the partnership between the FAI and the League of Ireland is up for review.

Quinn says until they make the product more “attractive”, then the plague of underinvestment in players and marketing will persist.

“We are limp politically and that has to change,” he asserted.

Over €80m went into a fund for horse racing and greyhound racing last year from a levy on all bets in Ireland — including football.

“Irish football doesn’t have the power of other sports in the corridors of power. We need an alternative to the FAI, because they been the ones not making it attractive to investors.

“With the €70m in debt the FAI took on for their share of rebuilding Lansdowne Road, they have enough things taking up their time.

“League of Ireland clubs should be driving the changes. Look what happened in the Premier League.

“They struggled in the first couple of years to commercialise it until they brought in a team of executives to.

“One corporate I spoke to approached the FAI about sponsoring the League of Ireland, but the FAI were unable to estimate the value due back in terms of profile.

It requires a new way of thinking. Maybe I’m trying too much too soon, but there are certainly people I’ve been contacted by willing to help.

Meanwhile, the FAI yesterday ratified rule changes imposing term limits on the board members.

New board members can serve eight years, but some of the existing directors will have amassed nearly 20 years of service by the time they transition out by 2023.

There was also a rule change tightening up their disciplinary system to allow three-year suspensions be imposed upon players and officials found guilty of assaulting referees.

Referee Daniel Sweeney sustained horrific facial injuries in November, leading to 40-year bans meted out to three Mullingar Town players.

The match official underwent four hours of surgery, having plates inserted in his broken jaw.

Under the new rules, 12-match suspensions are applicable when players, coaches or spectators are found to have placed a hand on, brushed against or obstructing a match official.

There’s a ban of at least a year for those guilty of assault. This is defined as pushing, pulling, spitting, elbowing, punching and kicking.

The largest suspension of three years applies in a case of head-butting a referee.

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