Dolan to retain important role at Inchicore

A few weeks after it first looked like he was moving aside, Pat Dolan will let go of the reins at St Patrick's Athletic this afternoon. Dolan is expected to confirm his decision to concentrate on the financial management of the club again at a press conference this afternoon with an as yet unnamed "former favourite" from the club taking over the day to day running of the playing side at the league champions.

It is Dolan's role at Inchicore, however, that is likely to remain the most important, not only to St Patrick's Athletic themselves but to the National League itself. And at today's press conference we will get an idea of just how much of the ambitious talk that has come from the 30-year-old he now feels the club will put into place.

The club's ability to keep moving forward is of vital importance to the game here. Along with Shelbourne, St Patrick's have earned themselves a reputation for being able to see where the game needs to go. Taking it there, however, is another thing and actually turning proposals, such as the recent one to relocate the club to the other side of Emmet Road where a major new stadium could be developed on the site currently occupied by St Michael's Estate would have wide-reaching implications for the league as a whole.

All the more so because the record, on and off the pitch, of some of the other clubs that have won the championship in recent seasons has been so disappointing. Most recently Dundalk and Derry City have both had to struggle to keep their heads above water. After a series of boardroom reshuffles there is confidence that things are being turned around now at Oriel Park but there have been a lot of problems since Dermot Keely led the team to the league in 1995 with crowds continuing to fall and, in turn, budgets for players falling short of what was required.

Similarly it's been hairshirt time up at the Brandywell - where the current champions won their opening game of this season's campaign on Sunday - since the club went so close to pulling off the double 15 months ago.

For the second season in a row the wage bill has been reduced considerably and the number of league medal winners to depart continues to rise with James Keddy last week joining the list which includes Peter Hutton, Gavin Dykes, Tommy Dunne, Richie Purdy, Tom Mohan and Declan Boyle.

City's problems (although like other clubs, it has also been the saving of them in the past) are currently compounded by the fact that they are tenants of the city council, who in turn lease the ground themselves, and are therefore heavily restricted in how they develop their facilities.

There have been mistakes too, however, such as the lack of emphasis placed on last season's European Champions' League qualifying games. Felix Healy made it clear before the games took place that he viewed European competition as little more than a reward for his players efforts over the previous year.

If Derry had beaten a not very good looking Maribor side last August the least they would, even assuming that that was the height of their success, have benefited from very considerable income from Turkish television for their home game in the next round.

St Patrick's received a financial windfall of the same sort of importance, in their case around £200,000, by drawing Celtic as their own European opponents, a stroke of good fortune which was deserved for their efforts on all fronts.

In the light of that game it seems safe to presume that day to day costs at the club are not going to be a major concern at Richmond Park this season and on that basis along they may be better placed than any of their recent predecessors to mount a successful defence of their title.

In the greater scheme of things, though, becoming the first side to manage that since Shamrock Rovers will be of little real significance. Developing the sort of financial muscle that would allow them to construct the country's largest football ground, building on their success and demonstrating to their rivals the way ahead. If this is the work to which Dolan wishes to devote more of his time then he'll be due considerable credit for taking a step back from the limelight.