FAI Academy manager Will Clarke has warned that Brexit’s negative impact on Irish football is about to affect the competitiveness of the Republic of Ireland senior men’s team.
Before the United Kingdom formally left the European Union in January 2020 – a move that prevents Irish talent from joining English or Scottish clubs until they turn 18 – there were approximately 100 Ireland players aged 16 to 18 in full-time professional environments.
That number has dropped to about 20, with teenagers such as Mason Melia signing with St Patrick’s Athletic, and Finn Sherlock from Cavan choosing a move to Hoffenheim’s academy in Germany instead of the five-hour round trip to train with Shelbourne.
“The effects of Brexit have not reached the international team yet,” noted Clarke, during his annual briefing on academy funding.
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“The current under-19s would be the first crop of post-Brexit players. There’s a lot of quality there, a lot of talent, but the player pool is shrinking year-on-year. That, to be honest, is the real issue.”
Tom Mohan’s most recent Ireland under-19 squad included eight players from League of Ireland clubs, eight from English clubs, and one each from Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
“For us to be successful at senior international level, the key challenge we face is how to get 35 players playing regularly in the top five leagues in Europe, averaging 1,400 minutes a season,” Clarke continued.
“In the past, if you look at 16- to 18-year-olds, we’d have roughly 90 to 100 players at UK clubs pre-Brexit. At the moment, in full-time environments here in Ireland across those age groups, we have nine on professional contracts, with a handful of players abroad. No more than 20 players in full-time environments, compared to 100 five years ago.”
The FAI is seeking Government funding of €8 million annually to double the current spend to €16 million, which would support 26 club academies across 18 counties, with 26 per cent of this money returning to the exchequer in the form of direct taxation.
The proposal, submitted to the Department of Sport last September, is for an 11-year agreement to invest in a three-tier academy system.
The Government requested two alternative methods of funding, with the FAI insisting that €8 million is the minimum required to remain competitive with similar-sized European countries. Smaller requests of €4 million and €2 million are also under consideration, with 81 per cent of any funding to go directly to the clubs.
“We are firm on option one,” said Clarke. “We believe €8 million a year is the minimum needed to keep Ireland competitive. This does not guarantee success, but it gives us the best chance of success.”
The FAI also envision a gradual reduction in funding by 10 per cent per year when the academies begin to sustain themselves through player sales to larger markets. Ideally, Melia’s €1.9 million move from St Pat’s to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2026, when he turns 18, will become the norm, rather than the exception.
“We are grateful to the Government for their initial funding to audit each academy,” Clarke added. “But the pressure is on. We must deliver – this is public money, and they’re looking for a return on investment.”
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An academy executive will be appointed to ensure the audit of every club is completed by August 15th. The “strict deadline”, said Clarke, is to allow the new fund to be included in October’s budget.
“We’re confident in our ability to make this work. There’s a clear entry and exit strategy.”
The 11-year plan differs from the ongoing Horse and Greyhound Racing fund, introduced in 2001, which received a €4.1 million increase in 2025, bringing it to €99.1 million. This boost was provided by former minister for agriculture Charlie McConalogue, who was appointed Minister of State for Sport after last year’s general election.
Clarke has been central to discussions with McConalogue’s department, along with FAI chief executive David Courell, League of Ireland director Mark Scanlon and director of football Shane Robinson.
The Premier Division clubs rejected the FAI’s proposal last month to extend the coaching hours of elite male and female teenagers by an additional 45 days per year, with sessions to be held in Abbotstown. The clubs described the plan as “poorly conceived” and called for improved communication regarding future negotiations with the Government.
