Must Win

Date Published: 29-Aug-2008

GALWAY United manager Jeff Kenna says a defeat to Cobh Ramblers tomorrow night (kick- off .45pm) will not condemn his side to First Division football next season, but the reality is if United leave St Colman’s Park empty handed, it is hard to see how they can avoid relegation, on the pitch at least.

The League of Ireland would appear to be in turmoil, with club after club admitting serious financial troubles, and there is a chance that United could finish in one of the three relegation slots this year and still avoid going down.

The future of Cork City in particular, as well as Cobh Ramblers and Sligo Rovers, remains in doubt because of mounting debts, particularly to the taxman, and it is conceivable all three could be booted out of the Premier Division if they don’t get their house in order.

United had their own financial problems earlier this season but they made some difficult decisions, releasing eight players and asking the remainder to take a 12.5% paycut. That seemed a lot at the time, and the club was attacked from a number of quarters for its ‘behaviour’, but rather than being vilified by the likes of Pat Dolan and others, the Board should be praised for being proactive, rather than reactive, and addressing the situation.

A 12.5% paycut, while obviously a painful pill to swallow, pales into insignificance when put alongside the woes at Cobh at Cork — players at the former were each asked to cough up €2,000 to help the club, while players at the latter this week agreed to a whopping 70% paycut as the club faces going into examinership.

If the problems at the two Cork clubs and Sligo are not dealt with satisfactorily, they could face demotion, although the FAI refused to…