Dundalk boss Matt Hulsizer reveals owners’ growing frustration with red tape

Matt Hulsizer has admitted that Dundalk owners Peak6 “are re-evaluating the league we are in because it is not in dire financial straits” after breaking of the “bureaucracy” of trying to do business in Ireland make, became disaffected.

It’s been almost three years since the American investment firm took control of Oriel Park, and while founder Hulsizer says he still “has high hopes” for the future of Dundalk, he feels that he and his partners ” misunderstood the market ”.

In a rare interview from his Illinois base, Hulsizer also confirmed that Dundalk operates on a payroll that is twice that of its rivals in the Irish League, and that Peak6 of the FAI and IRFU “is a number between 20 and 30 million Euro ”offered. Earlier this year to run the management company that operates the Aviva Stadium.

Benefits

After qualifying for the Europa League group stage last month, Hulsizer insisted he was ready to share his share of UEFA’s € 4million prize pool as long as it benefits the league as a whole.

Just days after the IRFU hit back his father, Dundalk chairman Bill Hulsizer, after criticizing Irish rugby bosses for not allowing the Lilywhites to use Aviva Stadium for the inaugural Europa League game Using FK Molde next week, Hulsizer Jnr has fired the IRFUs claiming that it would not be operationally possible to hold two sports games 48 hours apart with “zero credibility”.

The owners of Dundalk also stood ready to rid both the FAI and IRFU of their losses related to the Aviva, with the proposal of a 50/50 split on any future profits they could make. As part of that plan, Hulsizer admitted that Dundalk wanted to move up to 10 games per season from Oriel Park to Aviva.

Sources also confirmed that Louth County Council had previously rejected an approach by the American owners to be equal partners in a new stadium. Instead, Louth GAA confirmed last month that it had been granted planning permission for a new venue with a capacity of 14,000 in the county.

“As the owner, it has been difficult to try to do what we want to do. Maybe we got the market wrong. We will do our best in the future, ”began Hulsizer. “I think we still have high hopes. I’m worried about the league. The League of Ireland and the FAI are not in good shape.

“We are reassessing the league we play in because it is not in great financial trouble. We love Ireland, we love the Irish people. The Irish bureaucracy confuses us. There are some things that have been done in a certain way that is not. ”I don’t see why.

“It certainly makes it difficult for us to plan investments when the league and the bureaucracy are against investing. We definitely won’t get the full value of our investment, we know that. It could be great. The question is, can we get enough value? ”

Hulsizer added, “The only big thing that hangs over the sport in Ireland, at least in the case of the FAI, is the Aviva. They have a big bill that they don’t have enough events to pay for. We thought we had a good solution. ”Solution.

“It’s difficult to be successful without a successful league. Gary Owens (FAI’s outgoing Provisional Executive Director) asked if we would be willing to share (Europa League revenue). We have no problem with that. ”

“We understand that the league has to be successful. This was also similar to our Aviva discussions. We can help, we just don’t want to donate it so you can keep mispending. That’s the problem. We’re happy to be contributing, we just want to say how it’s being spent.

“The Aviva is a problem. In the next 30 years, 100 million euros cannot go out the door for the Aviva. ”

There was a spit between the IRFU and Dundalk this week, with Hulsizer unhappy with the IRFU’s stance.

“Look, I think we were trying to help the FAI and the IRFU. I don’t think they got it that way. We tried to help there, it doesn’t seem to be wanted. That’s fine. It’s confusing to my father, not annoying to him, “explained Hulsizer Jnr. “What is not believable is that they cannot turn the stadium over. Come on. Peak6 did that. We could come out at halftime and let U2 play and still turn the stadium around. It’s just not believable. There that’s no credibility. They don’t want us to play there, OK. ”

Amid this boardroom level turmoil, there was also upheaval in the soccer operation. Hulsizer Snr was accused of meddling in team selection and alienating staff and supporters after head coach Vinny Perth left earlier in the season.

While Filippo Giovagnoli’s appointment was a gamble, the Italian boss himself referred to it as a “kamikaze mission”. There is a sense of justification after qualifying for the Europa League.

“I think my father did an excellent job. It’s the best revenue the team has ever made. I still wouldn’t give us good grades because we’re struggling with the FAI. My father is unpaid. He does it out of kindness. ”He loves Ireland and loves football. He tries to help. It’s hurtful. He has no agenda.

“The thing that is not truth is that my father chose the team. Vinny selected the players and the squad and brought the players onto the field. My father tried to be helpful and said if the players weren’t playing for him he had to change the strategy, get the players to play for him, or switch players. If he didn’t, we’d have to change managers. At some point it comes down to results that we expect to win. Our payroll is double that of everyone in the league so we have to do better. ”

Despite willingness to invest up to 30 million euros in control of the management company that operates Aviva Stadium, Dundalk does not own a home stadium in Oriel Park. “We lease it. It’s a really tough scenario from an economic point of view.

“If you rented anywhere, would you spend a lot of money fixing it? We want to make sure our fans have a great experience. The Aviva just made too much sense. When we play games that are relevant to the world, we can make it stand out. It’s that won’t happen, so we’re going to spin and try to get the most out of Oriel. We try our best. ”

Irish Independent