Euro 2024 reminds us future for Ireland could be bleak, but it doesn't have to be

Watching Euro 2024 over the past few weeks has been great for any football enthusiast. However, as fulfilling as it has been – who doesn't like watching three games a day - there is that lingering sense of frustration.

Ireland's absence from the tournament is a sobering reminder of the challenges we face in developing our football infrastructure and talent pipeline. The key to changing this narrative lies in significant and sustained investment in Irish football.

The necessity for funding in Irish football has been widely discussed, especially since Brexit. The traditional pathway of Irish players moving to UK clubs for their development is no longer viable.

The system that produced talents like Damien Duff and Robbie Keane who went to the UK at 15/16 is outdated, we cannot rely on UK clubs to provide the necessary training and minutes for our young players anymore.

As a result, the development of homegrown talent within Ireland has become more critical than ever.

The stats are telling.

The League of Ireland’s recent presentation to Leinster House, led by Will Clarke and Shane Robinson, laid out the bleak realities.

The number of players competing in the top five European leagues and the average minutes played per season are critical indicators of a country’s success at senior international level.

For countries outside the top five European football nations, long-term success is closely linked to these factors.

Ireland needs between 36 and 42 players, each playing on average 1,350 minutes per season in one of the top five European leagues to be competitive.

In the 22/23 season, we had 16 players while our average was 613 minutes per season – we are light years away.

Another harsh stat from that Leinster House briefing - only four