Derry City insist All-Island League proposal must be 'deeply examined' in 2021

Derry City director, Mr Denis Bradley asked the FAI to further explore Kieran Lucid’s proposals at the association’s virtual AGM on Tuesday afternoon and called for ‘honest discussions’ in the coming weeks.

The Brandywell club has already given its backing to Lucid’s cross-border league plans after he published his final recommendations following a lengthy consultation process involving Dutch analytics company, Hypercube, earlier this year.

Mr Bradley believes both the Irish League and League of Ireland are currently in a ‘precarious’ financial state which has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.

And he’s hopeful that upcoming meetings involving the FAI, IFA and UEFA will further examine the prospects of an All-Ireland league and Lucid’s ‘integrated and integral’ plan.

“I asked the FAI about the All Ireland League and the Hypercube proposals.” confirmed Mr Bradley. “I just wanted them to know that’s something Derry City would like to pursue.

“It’s one of the things which has to be looked at very closely this coming year. The danger is that everybody thinks the league is in difficulties because of Covid, the reality is that the league was in difficulty before Covid, it’s just been made worse (by Covid).

“And it’s not just one league, both leagues are not in good shape. Derry City’s view is that there must be very honest discussions going forward about what makes Irish football viable.

"At the moment we’re reducing ourselves to about four teams with money coming from Europe. That’s the only thing which is making it viable throughout the country and that’s not sustainable.

“The Lucid/Hypercube proposals are a very integrated and integral plan with integrity because it’s not threatening anybody. It’s giving everybody an opportunity and it’s very well thought out.

“As far as I’m aware it’s been very well received by UEFA. If we’re going to have any future at all we’re going to have to have very strong backing from UEFA.

"Otherwise I’m not too sure how things will develop. Both leagues are depending on government money at the moment. It’s not a sustainable situation going forward.

“There has to be a conversation between all the parties involved. That has to be an adult conversation, mature and about the future and not the past.

“The FAI welcomed the Hypercube suggestion and all the clubs in the south welcomed it after we put out our initial statement saying how important it was.

“Only two clubs in the north didn’t. I think that now needs to be deeply examined in the coming year.

“Derry City’s view is that the proposals have to be examined and we have to be persuaded why it shouldn’t happen rather than persuade people why it should happen. Otherwise it just comes down to self interest, pettiness or a lack of realism and social and political realism.

“All of these things we would be demanding of the two national associations given the leagues are in the state they are in, why they shouldn’t look at alternatives that would give us hope and give us possibilities and at least a challenge.”