Frustration at lack of information
WITH the Government giving the green light for some sport to resume as the country slowly emerges from lockdown, some categories including junior soccer are left in the dark as to when they can resume.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin revealed on Tuesday that in terms of sport, senior GAA inter-county training can resume on April 19th, while children’s non-contact training for outdoor sports can resume in pods of 15 from April 26th.
Outdoor sports facilities such as pitches, golf courses and tennis courts can open from April 26th also.
Finally, some sort of a roadmap after months of a hard lockdown, but some sports, including the Sligo/Leitrim District Soccer League are still in the dark.
Noel Kennedy, Secretary of Sligo/ Leitrim DSL said it is extremely frustrating that the league is still waiting to hear when it can resume, particularly seeing as inter-county GAA has a return date.
With four rounds played before the lockdown in November, the league is quite simply running out of time to get games played off as the 2021/22 season is set to begin in August.
He welcomed the news that there is a roadmap for training to recommence but said much more clarity was needed.
He told The Sligo Champion: “We received communication from the FAI to tell us that training was allowed from the 26th of April for underage football in pods of 15 that is non-contact.
“Elite GAA is allowed back training too but it is frustrating for us that we are still waiting to hear.”
He said that when the league was being played, the clubs ran everything brilliantly in terms of covid compliance and there was only one case of covid during the season which was then postponed in October.
Noel said they are looking at possible ways to complete the league, if the time frame allows.
“If we do get back within a reasonable time frame, we have two options, to complete the league or have it as a once off open draw with 12 teams in the Super
League, that would be 11 games.
“And it would be the same for the Premier League.
“That will only happen if we have the adequate time frame to do it,” he pointed out.
“The new 2021/22 season normally would kick-off the last week in August and if we had 12 games, that’s 12 weeks or three months, so if we only had June and July that’s a very short time frame to complete this year’s league and commence next year’s.”
They will have to wait until April 12th to receive more clarity, he added.
“We have a meeting with the FAI on the 12th of April on Zoom and they are going to give us an update then.
“Once we are given a window, we can then write to the clubs and hear their views on what they want.
“The most important thing is the safety of players, that is what is most important here.
“The way we look at it, you can’t expect lads who have been away from games for so long to come back out playing Sunday, Wednesday, Sunday, Wednesday, you just can’t.
“Another thing too is the Leaving Cert. “The most important thing is that we bring it back safely.
“A massive concern as well is in terms of injury.
“Injuries can very easily happen when players are not playing physical sport for so long, there is no doubt about that,” Noel said.
He said the manner in which the clubs ran the games prior to the postponement of the league was very commendable.
“We finished in October with 4 rounds played and we were delighted to get to play.
“The clubs were fantastic, they were very covid minded and the covid officers that were appointed were brilliant.
“There was only one incident of covid in Arrow Harps and that was quickly dealt with and all the protocols followed. “We were very happy with everything.” He said that from speaking to the clubs they are eager to get back playing, with the players’ safety at the top of their priorities.
“We are in contact regularly with the clubs and they are also putting the safety of their players first.
“They too are disappointed by the lack of information.
“I think the content of what came out from the Government’s announcement was very, very poor.
“I am delighted to see any sport back, elite or otherwise, but I would love someone to tell me what’s the difference between someone in one of our clubs and elite GAA?
“What are they doing that we are not doing?
“I am very disappointed in what the Taoiseach said.
“I feel they should let us back in pods training as if the lads were back in pods training that would be getting them ready for the season.
“But until we get the green light we are not allowed.
“What’s paramount is the safety of the players,” Noel said.
He said there needed to be clarity. “I am extremely disappointed at the level of information and the decisions of Government.
“They are allowing pods of children from April 26th but yet pods of adults are not allowed back, such as ourselves, while other sports are,” he added.
For now, it’s waiting to see what April 12th will bring and what direction the Sligo/Leitrim DSL season will take.