McGuinness: Travesty if we lose Cork City FC

PFAI chief Stephen McGuinness said today that it would be a travesty if Cork City FC were lost to the League of Ireland.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s High Court hearing, McGuinness confirmed that all the players have been placed on the open to transfer list and the exodus of Pat Sullivan and Robert Mezeckis would further trim the wage bill.

“If Cork were to go, purely from a geographical point of view, it would destroy the league. My own opinion is that it will be, without doubt, the greatest travesty in Irish football if we lose Cork City,” said McGuinness.

“We can’t lose the club ... it’s that simple. I told the players that we have got to do everything in our power as stakeholders within the game to keep this club alive. We will do whatever it takes and the players are fully behind the PFAI in this quest,” he said.

“Tomorrow is D-day for the club in the High Court and we will know everything and what the situation is after the hearing.

“I met with the chairman Tom Coughlan at the Rochestown Park Hotel and then followed that up with a meeting with the players.

“We had a frank discussion about the situation the club is in and we have been lobbying that every player become a free agent.

“Thankfully he (Coughlan) agreed to that and we may see a few players exit the club in the next few days.

“It’s the minimum the club could do in the situation they are in and they have got to be up front and honest and the wage bill in its current guise is going to have to change if the club is to have any chance of survival.

“It’s precarious, to say the least, going back into the High Court tomorrow morning so now every player has been given the opportunity to move with the transfer window closing tomorrow. If the club does face a worse case scenario, then we will have an extension on the window for the players,” he added after a meeting with the playing staff.

“We are also looking at, if Cork do get through the High Court and they are paid by the following Wednesday, that they would also be free to go and move within Ireland.

“That’s something that we are seeking and I am back in Dublin today to meet with the FAI to discuss that option as well.

“That’s where we are at the moment — Friday’s game with Bray goes ahead as scheduled — it’s definitely going ahead for the players — but we need the FAI to schedule the game in as well.

“The club can trade for 21 days and beyond even if they fail in the High Court and the liquidator comes in so the players have been training away with a view to facing Bray here in Cork tomorrow night.

“They have nothing else on their minds and they are fully supportive of what Tom Coughlan is trying to do and the PFAI are fully behind him as well,” said McGuinness.

“The Revenue are the preferential creditors in all of this and they want their money and that’s the bottom line in the crisis.

“I am disappointed with the Revenue’s approach and I am obviously disappointed at Cork City FC as they have not paid their tax.

“Hopefully come tomorrow, the club can satisfy the Revenue and we still have a football club here in Cork,” he concluded.

Article courtesy of The Evening Echo newspaper.