Caley Thistle and Ross County set for Euro 2016 cash boost
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BOTH Caley Thistle and Ross County will receive a cash windfall if Owain Fon Williams and Liam Boyce are selected for this summer’s European Championships.
Caley Jags goalkeeper Fon Williams has been selected in Wales’ provisional 29-man training camp squad, while County forward Boyce is in the frame to head to France with Northern Ireland.
Each club stands to gain a minimum £89,250 from the players going to the Euros, which could help significantly with summer transfer plans.
The UEFA Executive Committee agreed its distribution model for Euro 2016 in September 2014, with the sums remaining the same as the previous tournament four years ago.
Both Caley Thistle and Ross County are classed as Category Two clubs and stand to be paid £3570 (€4530) per day their players are on duty. The agreed regulations state payments cover the dates two weeks before the national team’s first game, until the day after their final game of the competition.
Wales begin their campaign against Slovakia on June 11 and play their last group-stage game against Russia on June 20. Northern ireland start against Poland on June 12 and finish the group against Germany on June 21. Factoring in the fortnight leeway period before the competition, both Highland clubs could be paid for 25 days worth of international duty.
Of course, should either Wales or Northern Ireland progress beyond the group stages, the amount received by both clubs will increase.
UEFA has a target amount of €150m set aside to distribute to clubs whose players participate in Euro 2016, a €50m increase from the previous tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
Fon Williams, who won his only cap to date against the Netherlands last November, will jet out with Chris Coleman’s squad to Portugal for a pre-tournament camp on May 23. The final 23-man squad for France will be named on May 31 and as the 29-year-old is one of three goalkeepers in the provisional squad, is in prime position for a spot. Wales play their last friendly before the Championships against Sweden on June 5.
Northern Ireland will name their final squad on May 28, a day after their friendly with Belarus. They play their last friendly against Slovakia on June 4. Six-cap forward Boyce was in the last squad for friendlies against Wales and Slovenia but withdrew due to a hand injury.
