Is there a crisis facing local soccer clubs?

Local soccer administrators and clubs appear to be facing a fight for survival after a second club withdrew from the North East Football Premier League this week with the news that long-established and well-respected Louth club Dromin Utd will not complete the current campign.

Dromin join the recently-departed Woodview Celtic and the Premier League now comprises nine teams.

'It is with great disappointment that we announce Dromin United will be withdrawing both senior teams from all competitions for the remainder of the season. Our juvenile section will not be affected,' was a statement on Facebook from the Louth club.

North East Football League secretary Gerry Gorman issued a statement on Facebook also

'Collectively we cannot afford to sit idly by and pretend all is generally well, when overall there are a lot of issues that require urgent addressing, and crucially if we are to really get to the bottom of it all, allow for the adoption of a mechanism that will reflect a greater input of views, and concerns from all stakeholders, and not just through the normal admin channels, as a clear trend has emerged casting doubt on the abilities of the tried and trusted methods that served us so well in the past, but will likely not be enough to maximimise what may or may not be out there in the short to long term future.'

However, on a more positive note, OMP Utd will be returning to the NEFL next season and will now probably make an application for a place in the Premier League.

MEETING
The NEFL has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday 15th March where they hope it will be possible to discuss this matter and produce some plan for the short-term and long-term.

FACEBOOK COMMENTS (on NEFL FACEBOOK)

Michelle Noel Reilly: It's disappointing to get this news of another senior soccer club .However i would like to wish your juvenile section best wishes for the future. A lot of hardwork goes on behind the scenes to run a club. Here's hoping Dromin will be back in the years ahead. Noel Reilly Drogheda Town F.C

Martin Costello: Will summer soccer help or hinder this trend I wonder? Traditionally it was soccer in winter and gaa in summer but both seasons have now got longer and people are being forced to choose and it's now at schools level .

Paul Kellett: Very sad news to see another great club fold in our league I think the league need to start looking at stopping this happening going forward summer league is the way forward but I know tat it don't slove all the problems either

Stephen White: Unfortunately an increasing trend within the league and with the GAA season almost 12 months long now and as mentioned very professional it's a big hurdle for a lot of clubs to now manage.

CHRONICLE COMMENT (Conall Collier)

It's time for all the stakeholders to get serious about the future direction of the NEFL and not just adopt a passive attitude.

Look at all the achievements of the past 36 years - the development of the sports complex outside Navan in an era when local soccer was not taken seriously by other sporting organisations - need to get that spirit back again with 'CAN DO' attitude rather than 'there's nothing we can do' outlook

With so much instant communication now (social media) it appears as if there is no need for any verbal interaction (does anyone talk to anyone or just snipe and whinge on social media).

The trend at management meetings of the MDL in the recent past has been that delegates will turn up (to avoid a fine) agree with everything that the committee members say and then go home without making any input on the night.

The League is well organised and well run, but it's looking inwards too much and needs to start promoting itself outside its own circle.

Changing the season will not solve the problem - it will just move the problem.

The meeting that the NFFL has scheduled on 15th March should be the first in a series of meetings pre-AGM.

The main focus should be the establishment of a working group to identify and tackle problems that have been building gradually over the last decade or so due to apathy.

Example - look at how the car draw disappeared due to a lack of interest.