The Irish FA published its new five-year corporate strategy on Thursday.
Entitled 'A Roadmap For Football – Irish FA Corporate Strategy 2022-27', the document outlines the association's aims across all levels of the game in Northern Ireland.
There are more than 30 strategic objectives and in excess of 100 individual actions included in the plan, covering areas such as participation levels, facilities, revenue and developing women's and girls' football.
But what is in the document and what does it mean for football here?
We have outlined some more info from the document below and what the key figures have said...
What is it?
As mentioned above, the strategy outlines the Irish FA's strategy for developing football at all levels here over the next five years.
It is a wide-compassing document detailing aims and targets for areas including participation levels, facilities, generating revenue and developing women's and girls' football in Northern Ireland. More than 30 strategic objectives and over 100 individual actions are included in the document.
According to the Irish FA's vision, it wants to "promote and develop football for all in Northern Ireland".
What are the aims of the strategy?
The targets set by the IFA are outlined in seven strategic pillars supported by four 'enablers'. The seven strategic pillars include:
- Participation: Giving everyone the opportunity to get involved in football, whatever your ability or wherever you're from.
- Performance: To ensure all players, from grassroots to elite, perform to the best of their abilities.
- Facilities: Improving our footballing infrastructure to encourage more people to participate in the game.
- Revenue: Generate strong revenue to fund all levels of the game across Northern Ireland.
- Engagement: Embracing our audience and embracing new digital trends.
- Women’s and girls’ football: Continuing to develop the women's and girls' game and maximising the success of the women's football team.
- Corporate social responsibility and sustainability: Becoming a leading organisation on sustainability and championing equality, diversity and inclusion.
Within those seven pillars there are four enablers, including:
- People and Operations: Resource accordingly to support strategic delivery.
- Governance and Regulation: Devise relevant policies to support delivery of the strategy.
- Performance and Tracking: Implement methodology and process to track delivery against objectives.
- Data Analysis and Insight: Introduce methodology for gathering data and feedback to support and evidence strategy delivery and positive outcomes.
Break down what it means...
Well, according to the Irish FA website:
"...the strategy seeks to grow the number of boys and girls playing football, introducing them to its positive health and social benefits, and to improve Northern Ireland’s stadia and the spectator experience."
It adds: "Other objectives include enhancing the system of coaching here and creating the conditions for more competition success with the senior men’s, senior women’s and other international teams.
"Performing strongly on the international stage, transforming the football pyramid in Northern Ireland to support ambitious clubs and increasing the number of players, coaches, officials and administrators involved in football feature within the objectives outlined in the strategic pillars.
"Building an international class National Training and Development Centre is another goal as well as boosting facilities at all levels of the game, including improving playing surfaces used by teams at the top level.The association is also aiming to generate revenues in excess of £100m over five years to reinvest in the game and to make the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast a premium venue for conferences and other events.
"Other objectives include developing more partnerships and building excellent working relationships with Northern Ireland’s 11 councils and with the Northern Ireland Assembly plus boosting the women’s game at all levels and becoming a leading organisation here when it comes to sustainability and championing equality, diversity and inclusion."
Revenue prospects...
The IFA said that research from a Social Return on Investment Model (SROI) showed football has economic, social and health benefits that currently add up to £470m in Northern Ireland per annum. Another objective outlined in the Irish FA’s new corporate strategy is to generate £3bn in SROI for the community over the five-year period.
Who was consulted on the strategy?
According to the Irish FA, the association "consulted widely on the document’s contents. It staged up to 50 strategy workshops and working group meetings, and it held several discussion forums with stakeholders across Northern Ireland."
What they said...
Chairman of the Irish FA Board, Stephen Martin: “This strategy is progressive and will require determined effort from everyone at the association supported by leagues, clubs and the entire football family.”
Irish FA President Conrad Kirkwood: “Football in Northern Ireland has the ability to cross all divides. It has the power to be a tool to bring about great change. It can help educate, promote health and wellbeing, and give everyone an unparalleled sense of belonging. Most importantly football can promote inclusivity like no other sport.
“The global Covid pandemic presented real challenges for each one of us. As we emerge from the worst of those challenges football – and the people with a passion for it – has a real opportunity to improve people’s lives. I hope that this strategy will be a roadmap to deliver those improvements.”
IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson: “The vision, mission and values contained in this strategy will give us daily reminders of why we are here and what is expected of us.”
The full roadmap can be viewed on the Irish FA website.
