If Donald Trump’s Liberation Day spelt bad news for Ireland, grassroots club were hailing the footballing version as an upshot for the country.
Friday’s confirmation of FAI admitting defeat in its controversial plan to expand the League of Ireland summer season across all levels of the game was well flagged.
Trying to drag people kicking and screaming into territory they don’t agree with doesn’t tend to work.
Recently departed chief football officer Marc Canham had produced a Football Pathway Plan 18 months ago which claimed 65% of surveyed participants preferred an alignment of the seasons from underage to senior.
Although the notion was floated previously, back in 2018, this stance took people aback. How exactly the FAI formed this opinion when there appeared little appetite from the ground bred suspicion and the basis of it was soon challenged.
The board backing of Canham’s 11-point blueprint was passed at General Assembly level by a narrow 57% majority but the Leinster Football Association branded the latter outcome as ‘flawed’.
They are the second largest affiliates in the country, behind the Schoolboys/girls FAI, both pleaded with the parent body to allow leagues freedom to choose their format.
Besides, whereas the LOI voted among their clubs for the switch in 2002, this ballot was taken from across all strands.
It immediately questioned the fairness of the decree. For example, the Irish supporters network, with two votes, had more of a say in the vote than the Dublin District Schoolboys/girls league, which caters for 50,000 players.
Opposition soon mushroomed.
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 coalition of 600 clubs across 22 leagues in 17 counties seeking autonomy. Their concerns gained a hearing in Government circles, politicians acutely aware of where allegiances should rest.
Rather than helping the game grow, sceptics contended, this move was perceived would hinder 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’ from May – with the expected outcome of plans for roll-out from January 2026 being culled.
Their stunt of linking grants for the Gaynor and Kennedy Cup tournaments to compliance with the move spectacularly backfired.
That callous move – specifically who originated it – won’t be forgotten.
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.
Given that overwhelming pattern was at odds with Canham’s plans – and a declaration by chief executive David Courell in April to plough ahead despite the CFO’s exit – an internal chasm erupted.
Talk of resignations was raised but the board concluded the information presented by the executive from the poorly attended workshops and a digital survey which didn’t itemise season format skewed their original decision to ratify the proposal.
An email from President Paul Cooke to the 145-strong General Assembly who’d taken the ballot on Friday afternoon confirmed the climbdown.
“The FAI board 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 ongoing 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 leagues being reluctant to engage with 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.