Shamrock Rovers Academy Director Shane Robinson: 'We need more help with financial support'

Shamrock Rovers Academy Director Shane Robinson admits that the League of Ireland underage pathways – and sport – need more support as it looks to push on in the coming years.

Robinson was speaking at the EA SPORTS National Underage League launch at FAI HQ in Abbotstown on Tuesday afternoon.

EA SPORTS arrival as title sponsors comes just as the FAI have also confirmed that the underage leagues have had a revamp of sorts this season.

Rather than a gap year from under-13s to under-15s – which was the case – an under-14 league has been set up in place of the previous under-13 league, although that is largely due to the impact of Covid-19 on last season.

And the association has also appointed Will Clarke as their new League of Ireland Academy Manager.

Despite the recent positive moves from the FAI, the former Hoops league winning captain believes the underage league’s need to further improve going forward if there is a desire to replicate current academy set-ups visible in England.

“We still are (behind),” he told extratime.com. “We need more help with financial support and everything.

“Shamrock Rovers have been brilliant in terms of the board and everyone getting behind it and putting money into the project that we embarked on five years ago.

“But everything costs money and having a big sponsor on board is good. But it needs investment.”

In recent months, those within League of Ireland circles have called on more support to come through government funding – with Robinson stressing that it’s not just football which needs this support.

“We need serious thought about where we want sport to go in this country, and football is an important bit of that,” he said.

“It’s not just the FAI, it’s sport overall. I think we have seen the importance of sport over the last 18 months, and how many people have missed it.

“The well-being of people involved gets effected when there is no sport, and it is important that we have everything right with the pathways for each kid.

“Every player that plays has a different journey, and the underage leagues is aimed at the kids who are the top of that at the moment, but it’s important that we get every facet of that right.”

However, for the moment at least, Robinson is pleased that he can see the Hoops’ underage sides finally return to action this weekend after an extended break of competitive action.

“All the kids are looking forward to it just as much as the coaches and staff,” he said. “It has been a long break with Covid and 18 months of interrupted play. But it’s great to have them back this weekend.

“It was difficult because we finished last season at the end of November after having an interrupted year and then we had Christmas – and were interrupted again in January.

“There’s nothing you can do which can replicate what you can do on the pitch in terms of training and players being around people their own age with the excitement that brings.”

'It's brilliant for the city - Derry City has always been built on good local players' - Paddy McCourt as the Candystripes continue to promote young local talent to their first-team https://t.co/SLrAT7FIB4pic.twitter.com/RhamgaFXcn

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) June 23, 2021