PFAI hit FAI on "breathtaking" fund proposal

The PFAI reacted angrily after the FAI announced that it would contribute 50% of a € 300,000 fund to help League of Ireland clubs pay their salaries – without consulting D & D. The union first.

On Wednesday, Limerick FC and Bray Wanderers struggled to play the players in recent weeks.

However, the PFAI later said that they were "stunned" after the FAI had made the announcement despite the fact that they had not had any discussions.

The PFAI stated that it was "bewildering" that they should expect to find half of the € 300,000 – underlining the fact that the total fund is less than half the annual salary from FAI Chief Executive Officer John Delaney.

The PFAI statement said: "The PFA Ireland (PFAI) tonight [WEDNESDAY] was informed of a proposal by the FAI to provide a fund to help players in contractual difficulty." The PFAI welcomes the concept from this fund and think it will greatly help alleviate the kind of problems that have plagued the league in recent weeks.

"However, we are surprised that the FAI has seen fit to announce a proposal. which implies that the badociation of the players in finance half without having previously discussed the question. The PFAI has been looking for a meeting with John Delaney for over a year now to discuss important issues for the domestic game but he refused to meet us. We have not met any member of the FAI leadership since the dispute of the International Women's Team in April 2017.

"In addition, SIPTU has had no discussion with the FAI on At the request of the FAI, a meeting was scheduled today with Fran Gavin and Rea Walshe to discuss improving relations between the two badociations and to discuss recent issues related to player salaries. and potential solutions to prevent these problems from recurring.This meeting was canceled by the FAI for unknown reasons and postponed for this Friday.

"The idea that we would match the contribution of the FAI, a organization with a turnover of several million euros, while our organization size and turnover, is mind boggling. The total amount proposed is lower than the annual salary of the FAI General Manager, making it deeply insulting that players, who all earn a tiny percentage of their income, should contribute to a fund to pay their own salaries. We also wonder why the clubs themselves would not contribute.

"In summary, we welcome the fund's proposal but we strongly reject the way in which the announcement and the idea that players contribute to a pay equity fund.We will meet the FAI on Friday and will return our position on very clear financing. "