Soccer

LOI players get 'respect' from FAI

Soccer: The League of Ireland players due to take part in the Dublin Super Cup have resolved “issues” they had with their treatment…

Wed Jul 27 2011 - 01:00

Soccer:The League of Ireland players due to take part in the Dublin Super Cup have resolved "issues" they had with their treatment by the FAI ahead of this weekend's inaugural tournament at the Aviva Stadium.

After a meeting between the PFAI and Airtricity League director Fran Gavin this evening, a statement from the former said the dispute was over.

“Following discussions between the general secretary of the PFAI and the Director of the League, the PFAI is please to announce that the issues between the Airtricity League XI and the FAI have been resolved,” a statement read this evening. “The players are looking forward to playing at the weekend and are relieved to put this dispute behind them.”

PFAI general secretary Stephen McGuinness told Newstalkthis evening that the issue was mainly about "respect" and there was never a chance the players would boycott the tournament.

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A statement from McGuinness earlier today said the players “expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the conditions offered to them for their participation in the Dublin Super Cup”.

Chief among them was the money on offer for the 22 players, a take-home of around €300, but it is now believed the association has agreed to raise the €650 gross fee due to each player to €1,000 and increase their ticket allocation for the four-game tounament from two to six.

McGuiness played down the issue surrounding the facilities being made available to the players after their games against Manchester City on Saturday and Celtic on Sunday.

After both games, they will have to be bussed to Wanderers RFC for showers because their dressing room, one of four in the stadium, is not adequately equipped.

Celtic would have been in a similar position had the FAI not installed showers recently and McGuinness revealed this evening there was a commitment from the association to have the fourth dressing room up to standard by the time next year’s pre-season tournament comes round.

Inter Milan are the fourth team in the tournament but they will not face Damien Richardson's Airtricity XI.