FIXTURES DEBATE A LIVE ISSUE FOR PFAI

LEAGUE OF IRELAND players yesterday mandated their union to seek a more acceptable fixture list for next season from the FAI.

The decision to frontload the 2018 campaign with the bulk of games before the summer break drew widespread criticism.

Most teams in the Premier Division have already played 23 league games in a 17-week period since the season began in early February.

That leaves just 13 league games in another period of similar length that will also have four weekends of FAI Cup fixtures and midweek European games, for some.

Cork City boss John Caulfield has already asked to sit down with FAI chiefs in order to avoid a repeat next year.

And Bohemians manager Keith Long (above) recently called for the summer break to be scrapped in an effort to ease congestion.

At yesterday’s PFA Ireland AGM, players gave the green light for their representatives to meet the FAI and ensure there is no repeat in 2019.

PFA Ireland boss Stephen Mcguinness told Mirror Sport: “There is widespread dissatisfaction with the fixture schedule.

“It’s clear to us that players feel a loaded schedule is unacceptable. It has proved to be overbearing.

“We’ve been given a mandate to go discuss it with the FAI in the hope of ensuring it doesn’t happen again.”