Kilcoyne to resign before Friday showdown

LOUIS KILCOYNE, the FAI president, will resign before he is due to face a no confidence motion at tomorrow night's senior council meeting. Close friends and associates have advised the besieged president to take this course of action rather than suffer further ignominy. It is believed that the president will heed this advice.

In declining to follow the lead of his four fellow officers when they resigned on Monday night, Kilcoyne was motivated by more than obduracy. It is believed that Kilcoyne, did not want to be hounded out of office by the media. He preferred, instead, to make his case to his peers at last night's FAI executive meeting. Furthermore, it is likely that he will still be allowed to address tomorrow night's senior council meeting, as indeed will the other four former officers.

Last night's executive meeting lasted, over three hours and focused primarily on procedures for the senior council meeting tomorrow night. Absent were the four officers who resigned - Joe Delaney, Michael Hyland, Des Casey and Pat Quigley - leaving Kilcoyne to be flanked by acting secretary Brendan Menton and temporary liaison officer Niamh O'Donoghue.

The executive had been circularised with copies of a "Document for Change", which its authors, St Patrick's Athletic, intend distributing among senior council members. Seizing the moment, and realising that there has never been a better time for progressive reform, St Patrick's should at least develop the debate.

It is an unpretentious, concise, optimistic and ambitious pointer toward the future. It makes no bones about where it is coming from. The first point in the introduction states simply: "It is the view of St Patrick's Athletic Football Club that the Football Association of Ireland have failed in their duty to serve the best interests of the FAI National League and subsequently the development of Irish professional soccer.

The association has failed "in their promotion and marketing of the FAI National League". No doubt speaking for many of those on senior council who have felt disenfranchised these last few months, and concerned by continuing lobbying for Wimbledon's relocation to Dublin, St Patrick's instead urge the FAI "to make the National League a priority".

To this end, "a new chief executive and commercial manager must be appointed with their sole responsibility being the development of the FAI National League.

Recognising that improved, performances in European competition are essential, the `Document for Change' suggests that "representatives of the FAI National League must travel to Scandinavia and study how these countries have developed from being `minnows' in the soccer world to countries who can compete with the best in Europe".

Fearful that tomorrow night's council meeting may merely rubber stamp a reversion to the old ways, St Patrick's urge an interim period involving restructuring of the FAI, during which "a working body is set up which is entrusted with developing a dynamic governing body".

The club demands "funding for centres of excellence run by National League, clubs". It suggests that "among the biggest losers (during the last decade) was the League of Ireland which was increasingly alienated from the international set up.

St Patrick's want greater communication between the international team manager and the domestic game, and a "coaching structure which provides players of the quality international football demands".

Concluding, the document says: "Whatever it takes, resources must be made available to make the breakthrough in Europe. We have to work together to develop as a league and make sure that 1996 is a new beginning for Irish soccer. The answer is investment in better facilities for players and supporters, an aggressive marketing campaign, strong leadership, a quality FAI National League TV package, and the vision and the belief that we can compete with the best in Europe. The answer is a new mentality reflected in the appointments that must be made to the FAI and National League."

In all of this, and especially in developing community links, St Patrick's feel they know what they're talking about. "It's not about St Dolan, but I feel we have been progressive and we have something to offer. I just hope that it will spark discussion and delay everybody long enough to make the right decisions."

"I think it can be done. If you look at all the money that has gone missing or been wasted it probably could have built four or five astroturf centres of excellence around the country," adds Dolan. "If we can get those sort of facilities, not only does it help the professionals but it also helps the six and seven year olds. Why can't we do an Ajax?

"This is a great opportunity to get it right. I'm worried because there has to be fundamental and radical change. It can't go back to some sort of compromise like it was before. We're not talking about who's the future president, or who's on whatever committee. What we are talking about is how are we going to build these centres? How are we going to capture the minds and the hearts of the six year old kids?"