KDL chairman on matters off the pitch

With the playing season all but over Mike Rice spoke to KDL chairman Sean O’Keeffe about the past, the present and the future for soccer in the Kingdom

THERE’S much to discuss within the Kerry District League. Between facilities, formats, the potential of summer action, the standard of play in the county, and plenty more in between, there’s no shortage of points to mull over.

Sean O’Keeffe has been Kerry District League Chairman for 13 years, and with the season now at an end, he seemed like the right man at the right time to help The Kerryman take stock on what’s just gone by.

Speaking over the weekend, O’Keeffe began this review by giving his thoughts on the facilities put in place at Mounthawk Park.

“When I took over from Christy Leahy facilities were very basic, and I could not envisage the huge progress that would be made in the years that followed,” he said. “As everyone knows, funding the kind of projects we required was very difficult, and our aim from the outset was to ensure we were in a position to finance any project we had in mind. The great thing now is that all the facilities in place, which cost in excess of €2million euros... is all fully paid for. Our KDL finances are closely monitored, and we won’t start a new job unless we have the money to pay for it. That has been the motto of the KDL Secretary John O’Regan, and it has never changed over the years.

“Of course, the funding we got through the Sports Grants was a huge help, but we also had to do a lot of fund raising ourselves. We are very excited now that the all-weather surface is being put in place at our second pitch at Mounthawk Park, and that should be completed by the end of September. We have our weekly lotto draws and raffles are held at all the big games to Mounthawk Park. We also have great sponsors in Kerry Group, Domino’s Pizza and The Greyhound Bar, and we really appreciate their support over the years. Some people might not agree with it, but our €2 entry fee at the gate for every player helped in a major way to finance the enhancement of our facilities. Every cent that is collected at the entrance gate is ploughed back into the game.

“All that was there when I took over was two undeveloped pitches and dressing rooms, and now we have two all-weather pitches which are flood-lit, as well as a spacious hall – and our facilities are now recognised as a centre of excellence by the FAI.

He added that he was delighted to see Castleisland AFC now putting an all-weather pitch in place, describing it as a huge boost for the game in the north Kerry Town that builds on the work of the late Georgie O’Callaghan in promoting soccer to underage players in Castleisland

Our conversation arrives at the end of a shorter season than usual. This, O’Keeffe said, was was mainly due to having an all-weather pitch, and a rule-change that saw all cup games completed on the day, with no replays except in a final. A second all-weather pitch, he said, should help this situation still further.

He added that a reduced number of teams in some divisions also helped to run the season off more quickly, while he was pleased to see a reduction in the number of walkovers over the year just gone.

Looking to the future, he said that continuing to foster and promote the game is among his main goals, while he would also love to see a Kerry triumph at national level.

When asked if summer soccer was on its way to Kerry, O’Keeffe said there was a big question mark over it.

“There has been a lot of speculation out there regarding this but, until we are notified by the FAI, things will remain as they are,” he said. “I don’t see any benefit of playing our league in the summer as a lot of the players are employed in the hospitality sector during this period and would not be available for their clubs.

“A lot of young players also get visas to work in the United States for the summer. If the FAI make it compulsory, of course we will have to comply, but that remains to be seen.”

He was similarly cautious on the speculation around the KDL entering a team in the League of Ireland at under-19 level, saying there is much to consider when it comes to this issue.

“We would have to think long and hard at entering an under-19 team, as we already have an under-17 team to finance, and another team would put us under financial pressure,” he said. “Of course we would like to enter

a team at this age level, but the time is not right now, and maybe it will be considered further down the line. At present I don’t see any advantage for the KDL entering a team at this age level, but if circumstances change we may give it consideration “Logistics is a big issue here also, as traveling in buses is very expensive, and the officials have to be paid as well. I can’t see Kerry having a team playing League of Ireland at senior level, as it is not feasible and would be virtually impossible to fund. Our main aim is to nurture players up through the underage process and hope that most of them will go on to play with their clubs at senior level.” Further down the age levels, O’Keeffe said there was much to be positive about.

He said it was great to see that the Kerry Schoolboys League entered a team at the under-15 level of the League of Ireland. He also added that plans are in place to enter an under-13 team next season, saying that such a move could bring about many benefits.

“This gives young players a great chance to play the game at the highest level at a young age and greatly helps them acquire the skills to be competitive at all age levels,” he said. “The under-13 team will be something to aspire to by young players who are interested in making the Kennedy Cup team, which is at under-14 level.

“All these young players will be committed to playing soccer as their number one sport, and that is great for the development of the game in the county.

“The big clubs with their own facilities have a big advantage over others, and the successful ones put a lot of emphasis on coaching players from a very young age,” he said when asked about the standard across the county. “Clubs in the lower divisions don’t have an opportunity as their funds, very often, is very limited. A lot of people from clubs are getting the qualifications to progress to be fully qualified coaches, and that is a huge boost for clubs and players.

“We have been knocking on the door of success in national competitions in recent years, with Killarney Celtic getting to the semi-final of the FAI Cup, and [they] were unlucky to go out to Dublin side Sheriff YC in a penalty shoot out. They won the Munster champions League Trophy in 2011. The Park got to the semi-finals of the FAI Youth Cup and Munster Youths Cup last season, while Tralee Dynamos done very well in the Munster under-17 Cup.

“We won’t be able to survive with the likes of Shamrock Rovers, Cork City and Waterford,” he said of under-17 level, “but the lads are playing good football and are enjoying playing the game at national level. Unfortunately a lot of rural clubs are decimated by emigration and are finding it hard to get a decent panel of players together as young players tend to drift away to seek employment.

“The world is a small place now, and young people have no fears of heading to distant lands if they can secure employment. This is also affecting other sports and the trend will continue until more employment opportunities are available in the county”

The KDL has much to look forward to before the year is out, he said.

It hosts the under-16 Victory Shield International Football Tournament in 2018, and this will take place from November 12 to 16.

It followed much campaigning by the KDL, and after getting the green light from the FAI, O’Keeffe said everyone involved is now looking forward to the prestigious event.

Work has being carried out on the pitches in recent times, and they will be closed off after that, until the tournament begins.

“Officials from the FAI were down to check out our facilities, and they were pleasantly surprised by what they saw,” he said. “The games will be played at Mounthawk Park and the adjoining pitches at Tralee Dynamos and St Brendan’s Park.

“The Rose Hotel is hosting the teams and their families, and is fully booked out for the tournament. Other hotels in Tralee will be catering for the families and supporters of the teams competing.

“The manager of the Irish team, Paul Osam, was down to inspect our pitches last week and he was very happy with everything. Teams from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be competing. The Republic of Ireland won the competition for the very first time last year, so they will be doing their best to try and retain it in on home soil.

“Cross-channel scouts will also be present, so it is a great window of opportunity for young players to impress and enhance their chances of getting a call up for an English club. The tournament is also being covered by EIR Sports, so that exposes players to a huge audience. Outside of the sporting aspect, a big crew will be traveling with the teams, so it is a great boost for Tralee at a quiet time of the year.”

Asked if any further projects were in the pipeline, he said there is not much else to report at present.

He added, however, that they have come a long way over the last 15 years and described the facilities available to players now as being of the very highest calibre. He said that construction of a futsal hall is being considered given the growth in the game’s popularity and the efforts to promote it across the country.

On the standard of refereeing in the county, he said it was great to see Derek O’Shea being appointed to referee the FAI Junior Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium – and

doing an excellent job in the process – with other signs of progress elsewhere.

‘We now have referees who are doing a great job in the under-17 League of Ireland games, and clubs around the county are showing great respect for the officials at games, which is a very welcome development,” he said. “Incidents involving referees are now very rare, and that is mainly due to the fact that the standard of refereeing has improved, and players and club officials are much happier with the way officials perform at games. “We must thank the Kerry Referees Society for all their hard work behind the scenes recruiting new referees and ensuring that they are well-prepared to take charge of games. “Now childcare is a major issue for all leagues, and the KDL are putting a lot of emphasis on it to ensure all young players are fully protected. No one can be in charge of teams now unless they meet all the requirements set out by the FAI. Coaches now have to attend childcare courses and must be garda-vetted before they can work with underage teams; all other sports have the same guidelines in place.

O’Keeffe said he has no plans to vacate his position in the near future but added that if someone else wants to challenge him they are welcome to. He will step aside when he knows the time is right to make such a move.

For now, he said, it’s all about continuing to promote the game, raising the standard, and increasing the number of clubs competing.