SOCCER NEWS:LESS THAN a year after the introduction of the 10-team Premier Division in the League of Ireland, 72 per cent of club officials want to change it again, according to a survey carried out as part of a review of the merger between the league and the FAI, results of which have been provided to the clubs at meetings around the country this week.

There are some fairly stark findings for those running the league with 54 per cent of the club officials who responded indicating that they don’t believe the current management structures provide effective governance for the league, half expressing the view that there has been no improvement in the relationship between league clubs and others strands of the game since the merger and 37 per cent disagreeing with the assertion that club licensing has ensured standards that are “set and adhered to”.

In the instance of the governance question not a single one of the 46 officials from 22 clubs who took part “strongly agreed” with a statement to the effect that the National League Executive Committee (NLEC), a committee of six none of whom are allowed have direct links to member clubs, combined with “club conventions” provides good governance.

There were, however, some positives for Abbotstown officials with initiatives in areas like improved qualifications for coaches and standards of facilities generally being well received while there was significant though not universal support for the current timing of the season.

Less pleasing from the association’s point of view, though, will be the fact that a majority of officials do not believe that the benefits of running an A Championship side justify the costs involved while only a little over half acknowledge that the standard of the administration of the league has improved in the nearly three years since the merger took effect.

“I wouldn’t say that the findings disappoint me,” said league director, Fran Gavin when asked about the views expressed, “because the survey is all about identifying ways in which we can do the next two years better and it’s only the first part of the process. The feedback this week has been very good.

“Clearly, though, there are issues in relation to things like the NLEC but then you have to take into account where the clubs have come from (far greater direct control of the league) and what they’ve gone to with the new structures but we’ll be looking at a lot of things when the process is complete and we publish a full report,” added Gavin.

Gavin and the FAI’s leadership will take some solace from the recognition expressed of the financial difficulties still facing the clubs. Although this is to be addressed by a separate strand of the review with an interim report due over the next couple of weeks and a full scale assessment to come in the spring when the 2009 accounts have been digested.