It's been a tough time for all concerned and I know people will say football should be run like a business, but it can't be. Business principles can apply but this is not like a manufacturing industry where I go out, make 1,000 footballs and know what price to sell them at in order to cover my costs and make a profit. Football depends on success on the field and you don't know what will happen.

Last year was a disaster for the Eircom League as regards attendances. When budgets were made out at the start of the year nobody was to know that. I do apologise to the players and the situation they have been put in because of that. But I would like to say that I am doing everything in my power to rectify the situation and since I went on with Joe Duffy on Liveline last week, a number of people have come forward and offered their support and guidance from a business point of view and it is all greatly appreciated. So as it stands, every effort will be made to keep as many of the players from last season's squad but at the same time the budget will be cut by between Euro750,000 and Euro1m.

Unfortunately, there are other issues that need resolving. Finbar Flood resigned as chairman of the club in June 2006 but as a personal favour I asked to him to have a look at the club financially for 2007. In late November I received an email back that was two paragraphs long and it indicated that certain things could be done but there would be certain conditions attached. It was very clear certain people didn't want me here as one of the conditions was that I step aside from duties with the club for a period of time. If that were to happen, they'd finance the losses of the club.

This club is about the fans because they are the ones that make it and I had no problem facilitating that request and stepping aside into another role for that period of time and leave the key areas of administration for Finbar to monitor. I'd never have a problem with that but I must add this option has never been put to me. They seem to want me out of the way completely but I'm the owner. That is like saying you own a house but can't have any contact with the tenants.

Who are these people?

Well, I have no problem in mentioning them. There is Ozzie Kilkenny, chairman of the Irish Sports Council, Ivano Cafolla and property developer Gerry O'Reilly.

They have a problem with me and if you ask them what it is, they'll tell you that I keep coming back to the well. Ozzie also feels that my face doesn't suit the relocation of Shelbourne and a new dawn for the club. But I am the owner.

It is unreasonable and impractical that I be asked to step aside completely for a period of time and I am refusing to do it. The surprise is if they feel I haven't helped the club in the re-zoning of Tolka Park; if they feel I have hampered the club's move and I am to blame for the current situation, then why are they willing to finance this club's losses and put Euro1.3m into it for the coming year.

Whether there is a way out from that aspect, time will tell. I may be a contrary bollocks at times, but I'm not the worst in the world and I've never refused a call from anyone. Martin Luther King said he had a dream and that wasn't realised until after he was dead. I too have a dream and that's to see an Eircom League team do well in Europe. I'm not saying they can win the Champions League but they can certainly qualify. We came close and it may not happen in my lifetime, but if it ever does, maybe people can look back and say I played a part in that, despite things going wrong like they have lately.

All this isn't helping my dream and it's why, if Ozzie wants to talk, I'd be more than willing to in the best interest of a club that I have always done my best for.