Daire Doyle: 'If we are serious about football being an industry in this country, we need to look at what successful countries do'

Longford Town boss Daire Doyle has called on provincial football associations to come together to help football grow as an industry in Ireland.

Town boss Doyle made the remarks on Friday evening when discussing the merits of signing players from the Leinster Senior League.

In recent seasons, Longford have signed Dean Byrne and Mick McDonnell from the junior ranks, and former Bluebell United midfielder Aaron Robinson is the latest to join De Town from a similar background.

So far, several players from the junior ranks have joined League of Ireland clubs to play elite level sport.

But despite that, outside of the National League, there is no structure in place that links junior clubs to the League of Ireland.

And Doyle made the call that he would like the introduction of a pyramid structure to help football become an industry in this country.

“I think (tapping into junior leagues) is something that should be looked at in this country because we lack any type of pyramid,” Doyle said.

“If you look at England there are levels the whole way down and there’s clubs who can go from the very bottom to higher levels.

“I think that it’s something that can be looked at and have one body that will control it.”

But he did concede that this would be difficult to put into practice.

“It will be very difficult because there are people there holding positions of power that like holding them.

“I don’t know how quickly that can happen but for me personally I think it needs to happen and it should happen.

“If we’re really serious about football being an industry in this country, we need to look at what successful countries do.

"If we can do that it's something that we can have success with to create a better environment and industry for football. 

“It's something that I think we should do as a country to develop our game and give teams and players a chance to develop.”

Currently, there is no plan in place for junior leagues like the Leinster Senior League to return.

As a result, several junior players have joined clubs still playing in the Northern Irish top-flight and the League of Ireland.

Doyle added that he expects that trend to continue: “It’s going to be difficult to see the Leinster Senior League get back up and running until the summer,” he said.

“A number of players have gone up north and a few that have come into the League of Ireland as well.

“It’s a free hit for those players by coming in and seeing if they can play at that level.

“We feel that Aaron (Robinson) can do that and reach that level,” he added. “He’s a player who I think can hold his own.”

However, back to matters for his own side, Longford will be hoping to compete in the top-flight ahead of their return after a four-year absence.

And Doyle believes his side have the tools do so: “We have to win games and we have to get results.

“We have to be prepared and we have to be ready and committed.

“We have a group that are that and the buy-in and backing that we have for that.

“I have no doubt that the players will rise to the challenge, I am confident about that. I think we can and will do that this year.”