Hopefully change will Happen.....

This week I should be talking about League of Ireland football on the pitch.  Dundalk's late winner against Bohs, Derry moving to 2^nd place, Rovers continuing their fantastic run of results. On Monday  UCD beating Cork City and that's without mentioning the first division.  But alas it is not to be.  The shadow of John Delaney hangs over our League and the whole football network.  The board have said they will resign – WHEN? John Delaney says he will “step aside” – NO NOT ENOUGH, he must go.

The Sports Council need to put an experienced Sports Administrator in place now,  to run the association on a daily basis until all the investigation are completed.  These investigations should be carried out by Companies that are independent of the FAI and appointed by an external body probably Sports Ireland.  The terms of reference of these companies should include a root and branch forensic audit of the accounts of the FAI.  We have the situation where at the present moment even their auditors don’t have confidence that the FAI’s books are in order.  This is a book keeping task and while it may be time consuming it is a task any of the accountancy firms are capable of doing.  I think people are looking at this as the main task and expect some juicy headlines/scandals to arise from the investigation.  We will have to wait and see.

Although the forensic audit is important I do not believe that it is the most important strand of this investigation.  We have to understand how a man who came into power on the back of supporting the Genesis Report, a Reformer was allowed to become an autocrat.  The people who allowed this, by their silence, by their constant massaging of the Ex CEO’s ego, by never having the balls to say no, they fed out of the trough. His glory was their glory.  They could get John Delaney to open a pitch, dressing rooms, whatever... and bask in the reflected glory.

 

No this is not just about finances, important though that is.  This is an opportunity to change how Irish football is run.  Removing senior people but not changing the organisational structure will serve no good.  Without reforming the structure the problems will still be there.  Believe me there are many more potential John Delaney’s out there, people who know how the system works and are ready to fill the void that has been created.  This cannot be allowed to happen.  We need to develop an organisational structure that is fit for purpose in the 21^st Century.  We need to consign the present arcane system to the bin.  Parish pump politics, gombeenism has to be done away with. The mantra of “the Leader is great, the Leader is good” has got to end.

We need professional people to run a business in a professional manner.  I do not believe it is the CEO’s job to disperse funds personally.  We have enough ex players in the different areas of the country who would be delighted to do that job

A note of thanks to all our journalists who wouldn’t let this story die.  I am sure I missed some of the coverage here in Lanzarote but  Mark Tighe, Daniel McDonnell, Owen Cowzer and Neil O’Riordan certainly kept all the information up to date and I even got used to twitter lol . if I missed anyone  - apologies!

From someone who loves Irish football please take this opportunity to change the face of Irish Soccer and make me proud.

Will there be Change?

Can someone explain to me why the League of Ireland clubs have to play so many fixtures in April?  It appears nonsensical

That the clubs have to risk life and limb to fulfill a glut of fixtures.  I think there are a couple of options which could happen:

a.     Extend the League by 2/3 weeks.

b.      Do away with the summer break.

The first option is expensive for the smaller clubs in the Premier Division and would also impact on the First Division as regards playoffs etc.

The second option to me is a realistic one.  When we agreed to go for summer football I don’t believe it was ever intended that we take a summer break.  I accept that every couple of years we could have a problem if Ireland qualified for a major tournament.  Surely we can deal with that, if and when the problem arises.

Many managers complain about the problems that arise with the glut of fixtures.  The full time clubs are really being handed a huge advantage with the present fixture list.  I believe it is a problem that could be easily sorted out if there was dialogue between the clubs themselves and the clubs and the FAI

.

The John Delaney saga continues.  He appeared before the Oireachtas Committee – or did He?  He is all Lawyered up.  After a brief monologue about all he has done for Irish football he proceeded to tell us that on legal advice he would not answer question on his time as CEO (14 YEARS) but would answer questions on the job he gave himself  17 DAYS ago – Executive Vice President.  After the “Long Day” of Oireachtas hearings as John Delaney called it, even though he did not answer questions,  suffice to say the fellow members of the cabal did what they do – support their great leader because they know he will be forever grateful.

We had a Treasurer who stated that he knew nothing about the infamous E100,000 loan, he also did not know how many bank accounts the FAI held and indeed he did not feel insulted or undermined in his role when he realised  that he was outside of the Golden Circle of 3 who knew about the loan. 

Indeed how can the board stay in place, when the majority of them did not know about the loan but signed off on the Accounts for 2017.  I believe that this is a breach of company law.  The fact that the Sports Council has stopped grants to the FAI is a serious blow to grassroots football and they are now being punished because of the actions of John Delaney and those close to him.   This is the “family” that John Delaney purports to love.

He has run the FAI as his own personal fiefdom, where he and he alone was responsible for handing out grants and getting as much publicity as possible. Now there are difficult questions to answer and he is passing responsibility to those close to him, who seem ready to fall on their swords to protect him.

Maybe the attitude of the FAI is perfectly summed up by the treatment meted out to Des Casey – a man who has devoted himself to League of Ireland soccer and European soccer and should now be enjoying the fruits of his labour. To withdraw his VIP tickets which meant an 83 year old man with mobility problems would have to make his way to the Upper East Stand is a terrible way to treat such a man. He is now unable to attend to watch his beloved Ireland

It is time for a fresh start, a new beginning. If those people do not resign en masse it is time for the Government to force their hand. Or is our Government represented by the outrageous performance of Jackie Healy Rae.  Are we ready to accept that in the 21^st Century Gombeenism is not only alive and well but is actually flourishing.

I could write so much more but I have to stop myself because as I write I get more and more annoyed.  The FAI claim that an increase in attendance in the League of Ireland is down to them.  No so,  John Delaney fooled our League for many years and any improvement is despite you - NOT because of you and your minions.

Who are the April Fools?

It’s now a couple of weeks into the John Delaney/FAI saga.  We have seen a man resign from the post of CEO and be appointed to the position of Executive Vice President, a new post in an organisation permanently strapped for cash.  An organisation that borrowed €100.000 from its own CEO but did not recognise this loan in their accounts.  Sports Ireland now has reservations about said loan.

We have also witnessed a full on PR operation from the “Grass Roots” of Irish Football, in support of the Ex CEO. His Trojan work in giving out Government money as if it was his own, his ability to press the flesh and consume numerous Chicken dinner is being repaid.  John Delaney refers constantly to the “football family” but obviously some of this family are regarded higher than others.  While the “Grass Roots” are courted by the Ex CEO the League of Ireland has been starved of attention.  John Delaney worked out very early that the “Grass Roots” have enough power to keep him in control.  The League of Ireland however has been left to survive or die with little interest shown by the great man.

To continue with the analogy of the FAI Family we are now in the position of the father moving to a smaller house down the road but he is also going to run the big house he  has left.  He moved from a 3 figure salary to a smaller 3 figure salary, which will enable him to get a further 3 figure salary from UEFA.  Which one of us is the April fool????

The post of Executive Vice President should be withdrawn and no other post offered to him.  His time as father of the family has come to an end.  Let’s get someone in who loves all the family equally.

We are still waiting for the Competitions Director, who announced the “Champions of Ireland” competition in February, and who stated he would have a sponsor in March to give details or maybe he meant March 2020 or 2021or 2022.....  It must have been an early April Fools announcement in February as he announced it BEFORE it was agreed with his Northern counterparts

On a better note the League of Ireland continue to please, good crowds and it looks like 2 competitive divisions.  I thought Dundalk played really well in beating Cork City and Rovers continue to win and look very solid.  It is a huge game for Cork this week against Rovers.  Even this early in the season I think this is a must win game for Cork, while Dundalk will be hoping that Rovers slip up. In the first division things look extremely tight with no team really showing they want to be the boss.

It was great to show the Dundalk /Cork game last Friday and looking forward to Cork and Rovers this week, good following of League of Ireland people into to see the games. Very disappointing that we have been unable to stream games this season.

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.

Travelling Band

Despite  my love of all things Dundalk I have to say it is great to see other teams challenging them in the race for this years League title.  Bohs have done fantastically well in the first couple of matches, Keith Long deserves great credit for his work  both last season and this one.  His young team are doing him proud.

Rovers currently on top of the League, though with a match extra played must be giving their fans hope that they can challenge for a League title this year.

Speaking of Rovers what about the decision of the Competitions Director to make Finn Harps travel to Tallaght on a Monday evening after playing at home on the previous Friday.  Finn Harps are a semi-professional team with players having to take time of work for midweek matches.  No consideration was given to this.  It was not Harps fault that Tallaght will not available in May, nor  indeed was it the fault of Rovers.  But Rovers have a full time set up.  Why could the fixture not have been swapped?  Only the Competition Director knows.....   I am sure he will be delighted to explain his decision to us all.  I don’t think so!!

I read with interest the comments of Stuey Byrne during the week and I suppose they are particularly relevant to to-days footballers seeming to have greater power than the Manager.  Stuey wrote that I cured him of that! In fairness to Stuey I don’t think he was challenging the authority of the Manager, he just thought he knew better and he could have been right.  But as a Manager I knew that I had to get results to survive and I always took the view that if I was going to get sacked I would get myself sacked.  This meant that players did as they were told because in the end I was the one going to get the bullet.  For that reason it was my way or the highway.  I do not think this philosophy would survive in this day and age.

Streaming to Screaming...

Firstly I’d like to apologise to all the holidaymakers who came into Keely’s Bar Lanzarote to watch the recent LOI matches which we are usually in a position to stream.  Unfortunately due to an “upgrading” of  the 1XBet.com site these matches were not available.

The F.A.I sold the rights of LOI matches last year to this site.  I believe each club received the paltry sum of €15,000 from this sale.  I stand to be corrected on this.....  I would like to know what is going on?  Why are we now 3 games into the season and not in a position to watch a streamed LOI game.

To compound this problem we now have Soccer Republic reduced to 25 minutes showing only the goals and with no discussion on any of the games.  Again the 1^st division is totally ignored.  The FAI continue to dumb down our League.  The launch was kept as a secret and now it appears that it wants to keep the LOI matches a secret too.

It is time for the F.A.I. to do the honest thing and let people who want to run a vibrant league run it.  This death by a 1000 cuts cannot be allowed to continue.

The season so far has not gone to plan, with the big Two  – Dundalk and Cork struggling a little bit.  The surprise packet ; Bohs, with  9 points out of  9 are the early pacesetters. I believe it will settle down in the next few weeks and I hope Dundalk’s efforts will not be hampered by Management by Committee.

Speaking about different Management structures, what about the manic performance of Chelsea’s Management staff and the Chelsea goalkeeper.  Nobody seemed to know what they were doing..... I have never in all my life witnessed a player refusing to come off.  I watched it and smiled at how different the game is now. God be with the days when players had respect for and fear of the manager!  I’m afraid had it been me the keeper would be in hospital and I would have been arrested for putting him there!

My Reaction    -     KEPA   I'm going to F...ing KILL YOU

To end on a positive note League attendance went from 43,256 for first 3 games in 2018 to 50,576 in 2019. This is due solely to the League Clubs marketing themselves.  Imagine how good it would be if the people running the League did the same thing.

A few days after the Best League in the World kicked off I have to say first what a great feeling it was to be alive to watch a LOI match on TV. The match itself and the coverage of it was top class so too the amount of time given the game and LOI in general.
This should be the standard that we teddy to achieve each week. Why can we not have Friday night soccer every Friday of the season? What are the obstacles to one game a week being televised. Surely the FAI can negotiate a deal with RTE to promote our League. The game itself was a great advertisement for the league, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Dundalk against a surprisingly resilient Sligo Rovers. Not what I expected from a team managed by Liam Buckley.
Despite the veil of secrecy thrown over the opening of the 2 league's the attendances were really good. I think there is a feeling that this year the duopolyj of Cork/Dundalk will end. Supporters of St. Pat's, Rovers, Waterford all feel they have a chance this year. This is good for the league and for supporters starved of success in recent years. Let's hope they are right. A truly competitive league it's what we all want.
Just a mention about the poor performance of the Referee. While nobody wants to see players sent off or booked unnecessarily rules are rules. How the keeper did not get a yellow card is beyond compression and two other Sligo Rovers were lucky to stay on the pitch.