Morris calls for grassroots football to be protected

 

By Shane Brophy

 

Independent Tipperary County Councillor Seamus Morris has written to Minister for Sport Shane Ross T.D., appealing for grassroots football to be protected despite the current difficulties engulfing the FAI.

Currently, government funding to the FAI through Sport Ireland remains suspended pending changes to the management structure of the governing body for football in Ireland following on from the end of John Delaney's reign as CEO and the financial crisis that has engulfed the association.

It was added to last Friday with the FAI declaring that it has outstanding debts of €65 million at the end of 2018 with fears growing that there would have to be pay cuts or redundancies in an effort to right the ship financially in the coming years.

In the firing line of that would be the development officers around the country, including North Tipperary's James Scott, whose salary is part funded by Tipperary County Council and whom Cllr Morris has pointed to as a success story and why grassroots coaches need to be protected.

“As a person involved with Nenagh AFC for many decades in many guises, I have seen the incredible progress in football standards in North Tipperary,” he reflected.

“I remember in my time togging out as a footballer togging out on the side of the road on a frosty morning. This thankfully is a thing of the past because of the massive investment in clubs in North Tipperary, driven by incredible local volunteerism.”

 

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