120 players look for new clubs

SIMON MADDEN, who captained Dundalk last season, has offered a glimpse of the uncertainty facing virtually every League of Ireland footballer as their union, the PFAI, yesterday released an initial list of 120 players actively seeking new clubs.

Despite playing every minute of every competitive game for Dundalk last season, right-back Madden is now on the dole awaiting offers of a new contract. As PFAI general secretary Stephen McGuinness outlined, Madden is just one of over 90% of domestic players whose one-season deal ended last month.

It’s a list that includes newly crowed PFAI Player of the Year, Eamon Zayed, the league’s 22-goal top scorer with Derry City last season, who could play for Libya in the African Cup.

“You see teams in England giving players contracts for three or four years, you can see why they give everything to their club — you see them kissing the badge,” said 23-year-old Madden. “Over here, you could be kissing 12 badges throughout your career. You could be with a new club every year. You can’t be loyal to any club,” added Madden, who feels the economic climate, which has clubs offering 40-week (one season) deals only, is disrespectful. “We need a bit of loyalty back from the clubs. We’re working hard and I think sometimes (respect) isn’t there.”

Madden is on the PFAI’s third close season training course ahead of what is the second annual (winter) tournament for out of work professionals FIFPro (the international players’ union) arranges in Oslo, Norway.

Former Shamrock Rovers coach Trevor Croly heads an 18-man squad to play Sweden, with a second 60-minute game against either Norway or Finland on December 16. Scouts form 22 clubs attended last year which resulted in 16 of the Irish squad getting new contracts while the other two players decided to retire. Daryl Kavanagh was named player of the tournament.