The FAI is disbanding its Emerging Talent Programme, putting the onus on League of Ireland clubs to develop elite underage players without additional funding.
Active since 2006, the programme that caters for 12- to 15-year-old boys and girls was previously cut from 12 to eight centres across the country.
A source informed The Irish Times that the association’s executive will explain to its members at Saturday’s AGM in Stillorgan the specific areas that are set for “massive cuts across the board”.
Bank and other borrowings were reduced from €50.9 million in 2022 to €43.2 million last year as the association, under interim chief executive David Courell, focus on serving their legacy debt.
Staff in Abbotstown are working in a precarious financial situation with the FAI actively seeking additional Government funding to help League of Ireland clubs like Bohemians, who run an academy that costs €500,000 annually.
In the programme notes before the Republic of Ireland faced England and Greece last week, FAI president Paul Cooke called on fans to “remind politicians that football is calling for real support now”.
Cooke added: “We need to offer our best young players an academy system that allows them to deliver on their promise.”
In the FAI’s 12-year pathways plan, produced by chief football officer Marc Canham in February, the emphasis is on clubs to develop young players, rather than the association adopting a centralised system, similar to what the Irish Football Association operate on the Ulster University Jordanstown’s campus.
The FAI spends €5 million annually on 24 club academies, money that largely comes from Uefa and Fifa, but FAI assistant director of football Shane Robinson believes that this figure needs to be doubled, via additional Government support.
“Ordinarily, the FAI would be getting €2.9 million from Sport Ireland but they are actually getting double that due the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU),” Thomas Byrne TD, the Minister of State for Sport told Newstalk last month.
“They are getting €5.8 million, which is essentially an emergency funding facility.
“On top of what they are already getting, they are asking for more and I am not sure how realistic that is,” Byrne continued.
“We want to see an academy structure build up but I see, lately, they are blaming Brexit on not having an academy structure, as they now have a responsibility to train their players.
“Quite frankly, when I see that stuff, I wonder, as the FAI always had the responsibility to train their players but they weren’t doing it.”
Canham’s new role within the FAI was announced this week, changing titles from director of football to chief football officer.
The association explained that Canham’s elevated role is due to increased responsibility in recent months, which includes the men’s and women’s senior managers reporting directly to him, and he continues to lead the roll-out of the pathways plan.
The FAI would not comment on whether or not his new position included a pay rise.
