St Patrick's to let big earners go

St Patrick's Athletic manager John McDonnell has confirmed he will listen to offers for any of his players when the transfer window opens next month.

The club is known to have been struggling financially for some time but the extent of the difficulties have prompted the Richmond Park outfit to consider offloading anybody on the playing staff who earns more than 500 a week.

"Of course the reality is that everybody won't be sold," said McDonnell yesterday, "but given the situation we're in here we decided that we needed to take a stand and look to address things.

"What happens now will be dictated by what is required for the club to survive. How many go depends to a large extent on who goes because obviously some are earning a good bit more than others but if it takes 10 players going then that's what will happen."

Interest has already been expressed in Tony Bird and Cameroon international Joseph Ndo by Shelbourne and Drogheda United and McDonnell admits that some talks have been taking place with a view to the departure of the pair.

"If that happens then that would obviously help the financial situation a little bit but there are others who are on substantial money."

McDonnell estimates that one or two of his squad are on better money than the league's two current Irish internationals, Jason Byrne and Glen Crowe.

"I can't be certain about that but I'd say it's the case all right." Asked if that surprised him he said: "Nothing surprises me in football anymore."

The Republic of Ireland under-18 side drew 1-1 with Slovakia in the opening match of the Falkenberg tournament in Sweden yesterday.

Ireland earned the draw when Maymount's Jamie Meehan finished off a set-piece after they had gone behind in the first half.