FosterÕs exit adds to UtdÕs bad luck with managers

GALWAY United aren’t having much luck with their team managers lately. For the second time in less than a year, the club has been left in the lurch after Ian Foster agreed terms to take over at Dundalk last Friday. Though he had been publically linked with the position at Oriel Park, few United fans thought the Englishman was about to abandon his sideline role at Terryland Park.Though United will once again be entitled to cry ‘foul’ over the circumstances of Foster’s surprise departure, the new boss at Dundalk has obviously no qualms of conscience about setting up a new managerial base in Co. Louth. He claims that there had been a “fundamental breach” of his contract by United over payments that he was due. In other words, Foster was owed money.Dundalk officials had approached the United Board for permission to hold talks with Foster as he had another year to run on his contract with the Tribesmen, but the request was turned down. Foster himself, it is understood, also made contact with United officials in order to pursue Dundalk’s interest so, at least, the club weren’t completely in the dark about the matter.Of course, that is no consolation to Galway United this week as they begin what is likely to be a protracted search for a new manager. Though only Derry City’s boardroom demotion to the First Division over illegal contracts with their players saved United from the relegation play-offs, the perception was that Foster had done reasonably well in Galway given the restricted budget and limited resources at his disposal.He had only taken over the role at the start of the season when Jeff Kenna controversially broke a verbal agreement with United in signing up with St. Patrick’s Athletic. The former Republic of Ireland defender had wanted Foster, his then assistant, to join him in Inchicore, but he opted to stay at Terryland Park. United understandably felt scorned and, not surprisingly, reserved their best displays for their league matches against St. Pat’s as underlined by a clean sweep of victories in the clubs’ Premier Division encountersFoster feels he was free to leave United because of contractual difficulties, but his decision only adds to the club’s managerial woes. Since May 2005, they have struggled for continuity as Stephen Lally, Alan Gough/Jim Noone who were appointed in a caretaker role during the summer of 2006, Tony Cousins, Billy Clery (caretaker), Kenna and Foster have all been in the United dug out. The big question now who will be there next?With so much local apathy towards United over the past couple of seasons in particular which has seen a significant drop off in attendances and increasing financial difficulties, the last thing the club needed now was to be left managerless with the new season less than three months away. From a public image point of view alone, it doesn’t look good and United will do well to attract an individual of substance to take over from Foster. It’s likely that they will end up having to shop local Against this background, it almost beggars belief that Galway city will have three clubs in League of Ireland football next season as Salthill Devon, assuming their geographically isolated grounds at Drom meets with FAI criteria, look set to join Mervue United in the First Division. It’s financial madness and, arguably, clubs’ egos are compromising rational decision making.Take Mervue, for instance. It cost what is widely believed to be a six figure sum to fund their debut First Division campaign and while it was a great achievement to reach this level of football, the bottom line is that despite their best efforts, only hopeless Kildare County finished below them in the league and there was hardly anyone at their matches. Salthill face a similar fate . . . out of their depth and putting an inordinate strain on their financial resources.Now don’t get me wrong . . . both Salthill Devon and Mervue are superbly run clubs where the voluntary effort is second to none. They have wonderful juvenile academies and their facilities are top class, but playing in the League of Ireland is a costly business and in the current economic recession is tantamount to committing financial suicide. What’s the point of it anyway, unless Mervue and Salthill are going to be competitive. Otherwise, they are just making up numbers and paying a hefty price to do so. Frankly, Galway is only big enough for one League of Ireland club.

To read more of this column see page 53 of this week's Connacht Tribune