Survival of the fittest as the show begins

ONE OF nervous anticipation is probably the best way to describe the mood on the opening night of the 2009 League of Ireland season.

The anticipation is traditional and accompanies the start of every new campaign when, at least on paper, all are equal, the players fresh, the pitches pristine and the supporters have dreams and songs to sing.

But the nervousness is a new feature of the domestic game, being one born not of concern about how a team might perform on the pitch but about how a club will get by off it. In the wake of the heavy financial turbulence of last season and against the backdrop of a deepening economic crisis, there are well-founded worries about the state of Irish football and its ability to withstand the gathering storm. Opinion seems to be divided between those who think the game is already up and those who, whilst not wildly optimistic, reckon it can survive and over time thrive. But all seem to accept things could get worse before they get better.