Tim Clancy has called on the government to get behind ambitious Irish clubs - so that the League of Ireland can benefit from more Gavin Bazunu-style windfalls.
This week the sod was turned on Tallaght Stadium’s new €11.5m development, including a north stand and upgraded facilities in the main stand.
Meanwhile, Shamrock Rovers are set to receive a €2m-plus cheque once the sale of their former goalkeeper Bazunu from Manchester City to Southampton goes through.
Bazunu is the product of Rovers’ academy - and Clancy believes all clubs are capable of producing top-class players once they have the right backing.
“There are loads of plans off the pitch [at St Pat’s] and I know the chairman is very active in regards to getting a new stadium, and I know there is a lot of support for it as well.
“Hopefully that can get all the green lights and it can go ahead.
“I know there are also plans for an academy and training facility that the first team can tie into.
“The more of them we get in the country, where clubs have their own training facilities and new stadiums are built as well, the better it will be in terms of the product.
“Then you see Gavin Bazunu going to Southampton. If that gets through, it’s a lot of money that Shamrock Rovers are making from that.
“I think the better facilities we have and stadiums we have dotted around the country, you’d hope to see a lot more deals like that.
“Instead of clubs in England taking our players to their academies, if we have the structures in this country where we can develop them, get them into the first-team and then they move over and get sold on for big money, it’s going back into the League of Ireland rather than lower down in the pyramid in England.”
St Pat’s aren’t the only club with big plans for their stadium. The Saints have sought support from Dublin City Council for a proposed redevelopment of Richmond Park.
“There are a lot of plans,” Clancy continued. “I know Finn Harps have plans for a stadium, Drogheda, Pat’s, the Shelbourne and Bohs situation, Derry have upgraded their stadium recently and I know there is more development there, Sligo have plans for a new stadium as well.
“There are a lot of clubs in the country that are ambitious and I think with the government getting behind it, that’s the biggest key.
“I know the situation with housing in the country, it can get prioritised, but sport is a massive part of culture in this country.
“It gives a lot of people a lot of joy, and football is probably the most participated sport as well.
“So to have a strong national league would filter down and be beneficial to the country as a whole.”
Meanwhile, Clancy believes Irish clubs are more confident than ever in Europe - thanks to the exploits of Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers.
Dundalk have twice appeared in the Europa League group stages, while Rovers became the first Irish club to achieve it in 2011.
Clancy’s St Pat’s will take on the winner of Stintul Gheorghe (Moldova) and Mura (Slovenia) in the Europa Conference League second qualifying round on July 21 and 28.
The Saints boss said: “With the extra competition [the Conference League], we are probably getting pitched against teams that give us a better chance to progress.
“You saw Bohs last year got a few good results, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk twice in the last six or seven years and Rovers before them.
“It gives us an opportunity to go and showcase ourselves on a European stage.
“I suppose the confidence that clubs will get from Dundalk’s two trips to the Europa League group stage and Rovers as well under Michael O’Neill, it gives teams like that the confidence that they can go and win games, which probably wasn’t there before the ice was broken with Rovers 11 years ago now.”
Clancy won’t let his players look too far ahead, however, with a crucial clash against UCD coming up tonight.
Jamie Lennon has trained all week but won’t make it, but James Abankwah is available ahead of his July 1 move to Udinese.
“We have four or five games before we play the European games,” said Clancy. “So whoever it is, it will take care of itself.
“But we’ve five league games before then, the important thing is that we put ourselves in a position to compete and make sure we’re in Europe again next year.
“And then we can focus on the European game when it does come up and try and get through a few rounds.”
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
