The Gravy Train Rolls On....

Sorry about missing the Blog for the last 2 weeks.  Cheltenham week and St Patricks Day are huge on the Island of Lanzarote .  We were flat out in the bar and when the work is there you have to take it.  Serving as many pints as possible and not drinking them!!  Unlike some we have to pay rent for the bar and our apartment etc, we do not have someone to pay OUR rent unlike our esteemed CEO (sorry EX CEO) John Delaney.

I have been more than critical of John Delaney and the control that is the FAI for more than 20 years and have commented on it extensively when I had the column in the Irish Sun.  Finally all the Chickens have come home to roost.

I would like to paraphrase the reply of ST. Pats to the ludicrous 5,000 Euro clubs received in 2016.  What prevails in the FAI is an approach where it dictates policy with an occasional PR flurry to try and create a public image that its senior executives are committed to change and improvement.  In fact the FAI abandoned the LOI.  They were allowed to do this by the majority of the clubs.  Let us hope that the PROBLEM CHILD with receive the love and attention needed for it to grow and prosper under the new CEO.

Is this likely to happen?? NO  is the answer because as it stand now nothing has changed.  The new CEO will have to work “very closely with the new Executive Vice President”, a newly created role not publicly advertised in an organisation in receipt of significant public financing.  This new Executive Vice President just happens to be none other that our beloved ex CEO John Delaney.  Plus Changes Plus La meme choses. (excuse my French lol).The more things changes the more they stay the same..... It is time for a complete change, all the nodding dogs that have kept the man in power and are now continuing to try to do so need to go.

John Delaney needs to answer to the public about the financial affairs of the FAI.  Are they in breach of Company Law due to the non declaration of Loans/Benefits to/from Directors of the organisation? For example, how was the loan paid back, was it out of Grant Money?

There is a huge need for transparency in all bodies that receive significant public funds.  There needs to be an end to the reign of John Delaney. A reign where the man himself goes around giving out grants to the Clubs at grassroots level as if it is his own personal cash, not your money and mine.  By keeping the grassroots happy he kept himself in power. In fairness to John Delaney he was good at pressing the flesh like politicians of old, but we do not need a CEO that has a cult following.  Or  where reporters cannot ask questions at an AGM, indeed AGM’s which are basically held in secret.  We need a CEO that runs the business as a business and not a vehicle that enables him in inflate an ego that is already at bursting point.

It is time for John Delaney and his minions to do the right thing for Irish Football and resign en bloc, if they do not do this voluntarily then they should be forced to resign en bloc.  Let the people who want our League to grow and flourish run our League.

Congratulations to Tom Mohan, his staff and the Under 19’s squad on qualifying for the European Championship.  A fantastic achievement to do it with one game to spare.  I hope Mick Neville is passing on all my coaching tips - NOT!!  Also congratulations to Stephen Kenny on his great start, already you can see his style of football coming through after a couple of days.

 Seriously well done to all, you have brightened a cloudy week in Irish Football.