McGuinness: Bohs’ situation ‘grave’

PLAYERS’ union chief Stephen McGuinness has described theongoing financial uncertainty at Bohemians, who are over €5 million in debt, as grave.

McGuinness also says that Bohemians’ slow negotiations in relation to players whose contracts they want to cancel is holding up the transfer system within the Airtricity League as other clubs wait to see what’s happening at Dalymount Park.

“Obviously, we’ve been speaking to them for a number of weeks now in relation to the contracts of the players. The situation currently is that they are trying to raise funds as we speak to ask lads to cancel contracts,” explained McGuinness.

The club have offered 13 weeks wages to player to walk away from their contracts while the players want 26 weeks.

“There have been a number of discussions between the PFAI, Bohemians and the players to see if we can find middle ground and we’re still working at that.

“That process is ongoing. I would have liked it to have been done and dusted at this stage, but that hasn’t been the case.

“The club wanted to hold onto Barry Murphy, Paul Keegan and Brian Shelley. I don’t think that’s feasible now as the ones they want to hold onto are the ones that would get contracts at other clubs and be the easiest to move on.

“Ideally, I’d like them to have 20 professionals next year, but I don’t know whether that will be the case.

“The players are currently owed two weeks wages. They were due to be paid last Friday, they weren’t. We would hope to get another deal done that the players would be paid two weeks wages before Christmas, but we’ve just got to wait and see.

“The Bohs situation is grave. It was grave from the first time I started talking to the club and that hasn’t really changed.