The League of Ireland is hitting new heights after Shamrock Rovers successful UEFA Conference League run. Ireland’s coefficient has now risen to 31st. The coefficient position of 31st means that the FAI Cup winners will start off in the Europa League qualifiers for the first time ever from next season .
The 2024/25 season saw 4 League of Ireland teams competing in Europe. Shamrock Rovers are expected to be the first ever non title winning Irish side to be seeded in every round of The Conference League qualifiers after their historic run this past campaign.
However, the League of Ireland is not without its faults. Leeds United legend and Home Farm youth academy product Ian Harte recently had his say on one of those faults. Ian Harte, who went on to make 64 appearances for Ireland (11 goals), 288 appearances in 9 years for Leeds, as well as a further 67 appearances for Levante, the oldest club in the city of Valencia, recently criticised some League of Ireland clubs for standing in the way of young players.
Speaking with BETWAY INSIDER, Ian weighed in on the current debate between Stephen Bradley and Heimir Hallgrimsson caused by the Ireland manager’s comments that Shamrock Rovers players will “Hopefully get a career change from this good success (in the Conference League).”
League of Ireland clubs “killing young lads’ chances” – Ian Harte on Heimir’s comments.
“Listen, Irish [domestic] football is good. It is good; it obviously gives you a platform, but the best league in the world is the Premier League. Young lads want that opportunity to push themselves. If it does work out, then brilliant; if it doesn’t, then they can always come back.”
“From what I’ve heard, it’s difficult for these young lads. There was a young lad who was at Rovers – Justin Ferizaj – and there were loads of big Premier League teams interested in him, but the price tag that was put over his head by Shamrock Rovers priced a lot of teams out of the market.”
“Ultimately, it’s about young players and giving them opportunities to make a career in the game, but if you’re out pricing them with a move to England, certain big clubs, I think it’s wrong of Irish football clubs to be doing that as well because you’re killing these young lads’ chances.”
“Shamrock Rovers have done that with quite a few players, and it has become more and more difficult. Though, I think their whole set-up, their stadium and training facility – it’s probably the best in Ireland.”
So you wouldn’t take any exception to Hallgrimsson’s comments…
“To be honest, the Irish league is the Irish league. It’s not the Premier League. If you’re going to benefit yourself and, not only that, your international football team, you have to go; you have to move 100%.”
“It’s the only way players are going to develop and be better. So yeah, I definitely think for them to benefit, then you either need to go to England, or they need to go to Europe. The Irish league, no matter how good it is, has a certain level that it can only reach. Whereas, when you’re moving abroad, it opens so many more doors.”
Whether you agree or disagree with the man who played every minute to earn Ireland qualification to the infamous 2002 World Cup, Ian Harte’s experience as a player and now agent sheds additional light on the recent debate between Stephen Bradley and Heimir Hallgrimsson.
His comments might not go down well with people in the League of Ireland community.
The full interview, including criticism towards Stephen Kenny, advice for Troy Parrott, and much more, can be found here.