Nero fiddles while Rome Burns.

Another sign of no change in the attitude of the FAI “suits”  to the working people they are supposed to look after. The treatment of the Under 21’s sums up their mind set totally.

At Under 21 we have a team bristlning with talent playing in a Euro Qualifier.  They have to travel to Armenia next Thursday, then play Sweden the following tuesday.  This will involve taking a total of 5 flights, three there and two back. It basically means the lads are going to be exhausted for both matches and their hopes of qualifying severely damaged. Why is this happening you ask - Well the FAI are in such a state financially that they cannot afford to look after International teams property..  The reasons of course are financial. The fall out from the John Delaney debacle is now affecting the elite level of Irish football. We know already it is having a devastating effect on the grassroots. Employees are in fear of losing their jobs and all sections within the structures are suffering.  

We have just had the case of money due to go to the FFA (Football For All) being siphoned off elsewhere.  This is an absolute disgrace. People with disabilities are already discriminated enough in their normal life without carrying on the discrimination by the FAI.  Colm Fay of FFA found out in March that the budget from government was É212,490 when he was under the impression that no more than E80,000 was available. A full-time member of staff  has left the FAI and not been replaced. Colm Young reported this to Donal Conway and Rea Walsh, the new face of the FAI and they failed to shed any light on this matter SHOCK, HORROR

This is a disgrace and wrong at every level.  Who WAS to blame - John Delaney. Who IS to blame now - the current mob..  All of these things happening we are told, are because of the financial crisis left in the wake of John Delaney .  How bad is it?

We don’t know.  Why do we not know? Because the accounts for 2018 and the amended accounts for 2017  have not been published. They are due this month, or maybe next month or the month after.  While the FAI are not doing the job they were elected to do, it seems they can come to a quick arrangement wihen it comes  John Delaney , which we have no details on. That deal will make the E100,000 they can’t find for the U21’s look like small change.

I will also point out that the “suits” were not able to attend the Oireachtas committee meeting because they were being wined and dined in Switzerland.  How much did that junket cost I wonder. The more things change the more they stay the same. 

Last night Dundalk beat Linfield 6-0.  A result that clearly shows the gap that has been created between the LOI and the Irish League.  I don’t think there is any real doubt that currently the LOI if far stronger than the Irish League despite the fact that the FAI show no interest in our League.

What is worrying was the behaviour of a small section of both fans.  Despite the 20 years of the Peace Process the mind-set of this small section hasn’t changed.  The display of the PARA flag in Windsor Park was done to provoke a reaction from Dundalk.supporters.  The same thing happened in reverse at the match in Oriel Park with the singing of pro IRA songs. Can you imagine the scenes if these matches were played in al All Ireland League.