Waterford’s call to lay off highlights the dangers of waiting game
THE WAIT for clarity on the status of football in Ireland is increasing the prospect of deep confusion further down the line. It’s a challenging time for the FAI authorities, who are waiting on confirmation of a support package from FIFA and must get the go-ahead from the Government before proceeding with any plans to play behind closed doors.
The view is divided amongst clubs with the majority against the idea of games without fans although it’s understood stances have softened in the aftermath of the roadmap published last Friday which effectively indicated that matches with restricted attendances could be the best-case scenario for 2020.
A parish of closed-doors opponents had optimistically clung onto hope that a form of normality might be possible by September.
Now, they acknowledge that it could be 2021 before anything approaching business as usual is feasible and therefore they have to be open to making the best of a bad lot.
The National League Executive Committee (NLEC) meet virtually today for more discussions but it would appear that all summits are hypothetical until the FAI are able to provide firm estimates of compensation available from UEFA to help smaller leagues and how they intend to make this safe for protagonists.
In the meantime, Waterford’s decision to temporarily lay off their staff has indicated that clubs are running out of road.
Their method of communicating it has infuriated manager Alan Reynolds and the Blues angle is perhaps wrapped in with owner Lee Power’s reservations about his Irish future.
Nevertheless, it’s evident that there is a firm divide within the league and it’s last year’s mid-table finishers that find themselves exposed.
Waterford followed St Pat’s in laying off their employees, a move that Sligo Rovers took at the start of the Covid-19 crisis. Cork City followed suit before switching to the wage subsidy scheme that has proved a major help for clubs with players on modest enough salaries.
But the fact that the expense of paying around 15 per cent of the wage bill (under the amended terms of the scheme) has still proved prohibitive for clubs illustrates that the struggle is real without ticket income and door-to-door fundraising avenues.
European qualifiers Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Derry City and Bohemians are in a slightly healthier position with UEFA money a factor.
Still, Rovers players accepted a 25 per cent pay cut, while Bohs have worked out an arrangement with
their squad to pay monies over a longer period of time. Dundalk and Derry are reliant on the backing of wealthy owners.
They can’t keep shelling out cash indefinitely without a knowledge of when they’ll play for points again.
And the other crucial point to note here – one that the players union
PFAI have been quick to clarify – is that those clubs who have temporarily laid off players are still going to have reach an agreement on contracts that were thrashed out at the start of the season. It’s not as though they no longer have any obligations to them.
In other words, if Waterford don’t pay wages for, say, May and June, and their players collect the Covid19 unemployment deal, that doesn’t mean the Blues no longer owe the squad the wages for that period.
This is the difference between availing of the subsidy and then topping up wages, or going the St Pat’s and Waterford route and laying individuals off.
Should football resume, the Saints and Waterford will have to enter into a negotiation. They have effectively deferred payments; they can’t abandon them without pressing a nuclear button.
Unfair
And it’s not just their players that will be monitoring actions closely; those clubs that have continued to pay wages will take issue if they feel a rival has gained an unfair advantage by turning off the tap.
Under licensing, league members have to resolve any outstanding pay issues by the end of every season and while this year has presented unexpected problems, the authorities will have to be mindful of tensions which may arise.
At all levels of the game, the Covid19 complications can be traced to contracts. Those who are speaking about writing off 2020 and starting again in 2021 really aren’t taking that into consideration.
Similar comments apply to any chat around players returning to training. What needs to be established is if they will be paid for doing so by clubs who may not want to do so until they are certain it’s building towards meaningful matches.
Hence, the need for all concerned to figure out where this is headed.
They can’t keep shelling out cash indefinitely without knowing when they’ll play for points again