Governance of the FAI

[osarusan]

If a private company can set up an academy programme that still leaves LOI and domestic football in general in a better position than they were, then the private company making their money as well doesn't bother me.

If they end up making loads of money while LOI and domestic football plods along as usual, it's an issue.

If one side was to take advantage of the other, I'd expect the FAI and LOI to be the ones getting screwed by the private company, rather than the other way round.

To be honest, the perception of the LOI as a two-bit league with players available for buttons, and the inability of most clubs to tie their players down for longer than a year, will result in a drawn-out solution, if there even is one.

[Stuttgart88]

I wouildfn't be as relaxed - TPO is a murky business - and I'd also have conflict of interest concerns at FAI level.

[Real ale Madrid]

https://www.the42.ie/gary-owens-niall-quinn-4986831-Jan2020/


Quinn, having made it known he would be interested in assuming a role with the FAI while ruling himself out of becoming full-time CEO, was appointed as Interim Deputy CEO of the FAI last week.

The creation of such a role was not among the governance reforms recommended by the Governance Review Group report of last year, and the role was not publicly advertised.

So much for corporate governance.

Owens then threw in this clanger.


“Listen, I could work in the commercial world for a lot more money than I’m actually getting for this. I started playing football a long time ago at St Joseph’s, I love the game, I go to international matches, so we’ve came together to try and make change.

A bad start.

[sidewayspasser]

I could work in the commercial world for a lot more money than I’m actually getting for this.
Didn't JD say something similar some years ago?

[osarusan]

Didn't JD say something similar some years ago?

FAI appears to be full of lads foregoing multi-million euro salaries elsewhere for the good of the game, yet the game and association is f**ked.

[Stuttgart88]

Time to resurrect this thread I reckon.

Never a dull moment at the FAI:

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0806/1157607-unrest-continues-as-fai-directors-refute-owens-claims/

So, it seems that the new Independent Chairman & CEO are telling porkies about the Board approving the MOU with the government.

There is also a concern over how the likes of Barrett, Owens, Quinn and the new LOI Director were appointed, as the roles weren't advertised. I'm not sure exactly which roles were filled without a formal process, but it appears that some/most were part of Quinn's Visionary Group.

Rea Walshe keeps her job despite close ties with JD, and offering him free formal legal advice against Bar Society regulations.

Quinn has backtracked a bit on the 10 year Council tenure limit, saying that it will now be subject to an assessment olf skills, proprietry etc.

And of course the key argument seems to be the actual make up of the 12 man Board, with the government/FAI MOU saying it should now be 6 independents and 6 elected from the "football family" but the football family are saying they should hold the balance of power. It is currently 8 elected, 4 independent. FIFA & UEFA have written in support of the 6/6.

I'm a little bit unsure how I feel here. In ordinary circumsdtances you'd think 4 independents on a board of 12 should be enough, but Irish football is far from ordinary. Council has been complicit in the FAI's failure for decades and the the old Board was clearly a shambles. You just can't trust the "football people" to do the right thing in this country. The 6/6 split looks high to me, but I'd like to know what's common in comparable organisations.

Could be a tasty EGM coming up!

[tetsujin1979]

Time to resurrect this thread I reckon.

Never a dull moment at the FAI:

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0806/1157607-unrest-continues-as-fai-directors-refute-owens-claims/

So, it seems that the new Independent Chairman & CEO are telling porkies about the Board approving the MOU with the government.

There is also a concern over how the likes of Barrett, Owens, Quinn and the new LOI Director were appointed, as the roles weren't advertised. I'm not sure exactly which roles were filled without a formal process, but it appears that some/most were part of Quinn's Visionary Group.

Rea Walshe keeps her job despite close ties with JD, and offering him free formal legal advice against Bar Society regulations.

Quinn has backtracked a bit on the 10 year Council tenure limit, saying that it will now be subject to an assessment olf skills, proprietry etc.

And of course the key argument seems to be the actual make up of the 12 man Board, with the government/FAI MOU saying it should now be 6 independents and 6 elected from the "football family" but the football family are saying they should hold the balance of power. It is currently 8 elected, 4 independent. FIFA & UEFA have written in support of the 6/6.

I'm a little bit unsure how I feel here. In ordinary circumsdtances you'd think 4 independents on a board of 12 should be enough, but Irish football is far from ordinary. Council has been complicit in the FAI's failure for decades and the the old Board was clearly a shambles. You just can't trust the "football people" to do the right thing in this country. The 6/6 split looks high to me, but I'd like to know what's common in comparable organisations.

Could be a tasty EGM coming up!






This was discussed on Game On on 2FM last night.
On the 16 member athletic board, two are independent. The gymnastic and swimming boards both have nine members, with two independents. The boxing board has ten members, with three independents. Cricket has 12 members with five independents. Instead of a board, Rugby and GAA have management committees, with ten and sixteen members respectively, and both with no independent members.

You can listen back to it here - https://2fm.rte.ie/2fm-shows/game-on/ - under Game On Full Show 05 08 20
It's the first segment of the show, Tony O'Donoghue discusses the makeup of the other sporting bodies' board around the ten minute mark.

[John83]

There's that, but then how many of those organisations are quite as in the red as the FAI?

[geysir]

I listened to the OTB interview with Ross and McSharry. the question was put to Ross, ‘when did 4 turn into 6 independent board members?’ and for the next 11 minutes he waffled on and on and i’m none the wiser.
Perhaps the FAI should be garbed in sackcloth and ashes until they demonstrate evidence of competency in a transparant and functional structure. I seriously doubt that the 6 independents would be interfering in football centric matters.

[geysir]

What happened at the EGM? Did they first check out the accounts, look deep into the bottomless dark hole, had a look at the bailout plan and thought 6 + 6 doesn't look too harsh?

[Stuttgart88]

What happened at the EGM? Did they first check out the accounts, look deep into the bottomless dark hole, had a look at the bailout plan and thought 6 + 6 doesn't look too harsh?I'd say that's a fair synopsis, to which I'd add that the "football family" has made it clear that while they may have a weak hand, they are still important and they are watching the Board and its way of doing things very closely.

[Stuttgart88]

More governance shenanigans (http://https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/5769617/andrew-doyle-shelbourne-resigns-fai-finance-committee-governance/)at the FAI.

Andrew Doyle of Shels has stepped down from the FAI’s finance committee. This follows a PWC partner Sean Brodie who resigned from the audit risk and compliance committee in May. Each joined their respectice committee in October 2019 but neither committee has met since then.

“I’m not entirely sure it is possible to resign from a Committee which does not yet exist, but I do so in any event”, wrote Doyle (http://https://www.the42.ie/andrew-doyle-5173345-Aug2020/).

Personally I’d love a job on a committee that never met, but I guess Brodie and Doyle are professionals :)


Doyle alleged shortcomings in six areas, accusing the FAI of:
• Unauthorised borrowing
• Failure to convene critical committee
• Failure to provide financial information to financial committee members
• Breach of independent chairman’s duties
• Blocking of nominations’ committee independent majority
• Failure to address formal complaints

[John83]

More governance shenanigans (http://https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/5769617/andrew-doyle-shelbourne-resigns-fai-finance-committee-governance/)at the FAI.

Andrew Doyle of Shels has stepped down from the FAI’s finance committee. This follows a PWC partner Sean Brodie who resigned from the audit risk and compliance committee in May. Each joined their respectice committee in October 2019 but neither committee has met since then.

“I’m not entirely sure it is possible to resign from a Committee which does not yet exist, but I do so in any event”, wrote Doyle (http://https://www.the42.ie/andrew-doyle-5173345-Aug2020/).

Personally I’d love a job on a committee that never met, but I guess Brodie and Doyle are professionals :)


Doyle alleged shortcomings in six areas, accusing the FAI of:
• Unauthorised borrowing
• Failure to convene critical committee
• Failure to provide financial information to financial committee members
• Breach of independent chairman’s duties
• Blocking of nominations’ committee independent majority
• Failure to address formal complaints
Nesta99 gave another link in the FAI troubles thread. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/shels-chairman-andrew-doyle-hits-out-at-appalling-fai-governance-1.4327848?mode=amp&__twitter_impression=true

It sounds bloody awful, and same old same old. I hope someone raises it with the Minister for Sport, Staycations and the Cúpla Focail in the Dáil. The FAI should be getting it in the neck for this.

[passinginterest]

It's very worrying, especially considering the issues with the Delaney regime were also basically all of the same things. I would have though governance and the finance and audit committees would have been at the very top of the priority list.

[geysir]

Initially I thought the most worrying bit was the self branding of the rescuers of Irish football as 'The Visionaries'.
As it turns out, Barrett made a good deal with the government, better than anyone could have expected and even negotiated a radical elevation of the grant funding paid out to Irish football annually.
The 6+6 issue turned out to be a flat tire, a red herring issue. The perception was of the bleating of delusional FAI peeved egos. The idea of 6 V 6 was projected to appeal to emotion but instead what was more evident was a board of 6 + 6, making 12.

Niall Quinn apparently branded as a non-football entity, not part of the exclusive breed the "football family". The criteria must be something awesome to get into the FAI football family house, if 90 caps, 10,000 headers and 20 goals over 15 years don't get you past the door.
Mick Wallace complaining about "government blackmail", typical culchee politician complaining about 'dem in Dublin' just sounded to me like a politician with a political agenda. Just how silent was Mick during Delaney's era, not a peep from Mick then.

The other stuff from the Shels member - most probably genuine grievances, I'd wait and see what transpires over the next months.

[elatedscum]

Initially I thought the most worrying bit was the self branding of the rescuers of Irish football as 'The Visionaries'.
As it turns out, Barrett made a good deal with the government, better than anyone could have expected and even negotiated a radical elevation of the grant funding paid out to Irish football annually.
The 6+6 issue turned out to be a flat tire, a red herring issue. The perception was of the bleating of delusional FAI peeved egos. The idea of 6 V 6 was projected to appeal to emotion but instead what was more evident was a board of 6 + 6, making 12.

Niall Quinn apparently branded as a non-football entity, not part of the exclusive breed the "football family". The criteria must be something awesome to get into the FAI football family house, if 90 caps, 10,000 headers and 20 goals over 15 years don't get you past the door.
Mick Wallace complaining about "government blackmail", typical culchee politician complaining about 'dem in Dublin' just sounded to me like a politician with a political agenda. Just how silent was Mick during Delaney's era, not a peep from Mick then.

The other stuff from the Shels member - most probably genuine grievances, I'd wait and see what transpires over the next months.

Might be my fault, genuinely interested but I struggled to follow a lot of what's written in that post

[Charlie Darwin]

Initially I thought the most worrying bit was the self branding of the rescuers of Irish football as 'The Visionaries'.
As it turns out, Barrett made a good deal with the government, better than anyone could have expected and even negotiated a radical elevation of the grant funding paid out to Irish football annually.
The 6+6 issue turned out to be a flat tire, a red herring issue. The perception was of the bleating of delusional FAI peeved egos. The idea of 6 V 6 was projected to appeal to emotion but instead what was more evident was a board of 6 + 6, making 12.

Niall Quinn apparently branded as a non-football entity, not part of the exclusive breed the "football family". The criteria must be something awesome to get into the FAI football family house, if 90 caps, 10,000 headers and 20 goals over 15 years don't get you past the door.
Mick Wallace complaining about "government blackmail", typical culchee politician complaining about 'dem in Dublin' just sounded to me like a politician with a political agenda. Just how silent was Mick during Delaney's era, not a peep from Mick then.

The other stuff from the Shels member - most probably genuine grievances, I'd wait and see what transpires over the next months.
It's so good to hear you stand up for us in Dublin.

[Stuttgart88]

Might be my fault, genuinely interested but I struggled to follow a lot of what's written in that postI didn't thgink it was that difficult to follow!

Quinn was (indirectly I think) referred to as a non-football person or an outsider by a, eh, football person complaining that non-football people were taking over the FAI.

There are two issues here: whether these guys now in charge are any good, and whether good governance practice is being followed. The answer to first question is still to be established and there are worrying signs already that we won't like the answer to the second. The lack of transparency in appointment processes is a big worry already.

[CraftyToePoke]

FAI new CEO will be Jonathan Hill according to the times

- https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/fai-to-unveil-former-fa-commercial-director-jonathan-hill-as-new-chief-executive-1.4357913




The Football Association of Ireland is to have a new chief executive for the first time since 2005 as former English FA commercial director Jonathan Hill completes final negotiations over filling the vacancy.

Olympic Federation of Ireland president Sarah Keane had emerged as the favourite to fill the permanent vacancy once interim boss Gary Owens pulled out of the running and, while she made the final interview stage last Friday, Hill’s candidature was considered by the interview board as most suitable given their current challenges.

Facing a period when the debt-ridden association requires significant private turnover to complement the State aid clinched by recent reform updates, Hill can point to a proven track record in driving revenues.

He more than doubled commercial income to €900 million during a five-year cycle at the FA.

Since leaving Soho Square in 2009, the Leeds United fan, who started out in the broadcasting industry, has remained in sport, working for leading companies such as Kentaro, IMG, WPP, and most recently Laureus.

[Stuttgart88]

Seems like being a Leeds fan is important at the FAI

[John83]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0922/1166731-dundalk-chairman-hits-out-at-irfu-and-fai/
PEAK6 offered to run Lansdowne Road for the FAI. I'm a little unclear whether he offered to run it for both of them or just decided to take a swipe at the IRFU, but from the article:

Hulsizer said: "We were informed that the IRFU had no interest in running the stadium at a profit and were content to have it available for their matches. The letter came from the FAI and in fairness there was no contact with the IRFU.

"I noted recently the IRFU reaching out to the Government for financial help because of Covid-19 and find it ironic the utilising of an asset to obtain cash is less acceptable than asking the Irish Government and the Irish taxpayer to bail them out."

[littlebray]

Will they have to defer the AGM again to allow the new man to read himself in, in order to be able to answer questions?

Is he even confirmed? No word since the 'leaks' five days ago ....

[tetsujin1979]

Former head of the feasability study for the 2030 World Cup David Courell has been appointed as COO: https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/courell-appointed-chief-operating-officer
FAI welcomes €19m in funding from the government: https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/fai-welcomes-%E2%82%AC19m-covid-19-funding-from-government

[Stuttgart88]

I awoke today in a parallel universe where the FAI has a good, reputable and low key CEO, a good COO, a popular MNT and a wildly popular WNT, while the IRFU's leadership is getting slated and reported to the Government for its its treatment of its women players. Next you'll be telling me that some bat virus is threatening humanity and we can't do normal things anymore.

[Stuttgart88]

Former head of the feasability study for the 2030 World Cup David Courell has been appointed as CEO: https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/courell-appointed-chief-operating-officer
FAI welcomes €19m in funding from the government: https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/fai-welcomes-%E2%82%AC19m-covid-19-funding-from-government

Typo: COO, not CEO

[Diggs246]

I awoke today in a parallel universe where the FAI has a good, reputable and low key CEO, a good COO, a popular MNT and a wildly popular WNT, while the IRFU's leadership is getting slated and reported to the Government for its its treatment of its women players. Next you'll be telling me that some bat virus is threatening humanity and we can't do normal things anymore.

The rugby girls can grow up tbh
They and they alone got beaten by Spain not to qualify for the women's rugby World Cup
They were criticised by the management and are now literally being babies.

Just to put it into football context. That result is 100 times worse then the lux defeat

[jbyrne]

The rugby girls can grow up tbh
They and they alone got beaten by Spain not to qualify for the women's rugby World Cup
They were criticised by the management and are now literally being babies.

Just to put it into football context. That result is 100 times worse then the lux defeat

this appeared in the IT a while back...

In the 2019-2020 IRFU accounts, the union spent €2.5 million on women’s representative rugby. By way of comparison, Italy spent €800,000 on the women’s game including domestic rugby and administration salaries. Ireland had six pre-tournament camps, Scotland had one and another was cancelled because of budgetary constraints.

The focus in Spain in terms of international rugby for the women’s game centres on Sevens. They don’t have access to elite competition at 15s level. So purely based on funding and preparation, Ireland should have been well primed to qualify from the event in Italy.

we lost to Spain and Scotland in the qualifiers. I think I read that Scotland spend approximately 40% on their womens team than the IRFU do. the failure to qualify for the WC was inexcusable and nothing to do with the IRFUs resourcing of the game here.

id love to have a pop at the IRFU but its very hard to in this instance...

[pineapple stu]

FAI AGM time again. The FAI have reported a surplus of €6.7m for 2021 (https://www.fai.ie/sites/default/files/atoms/files/The%20Football%20Association%20of%20Ireland%20FS%2 0to%2031.12.2021_FINAL%20SIGNED.pdf), which sounds very positive.

Slightly strangely, cash at bank has gone from E16m up to E27m (ie an E11m increase), while they've borrowed an extra E1m so they now owe E63.5m in loans. I don't really know why they're holding so much cash when there's so much debt knocking about. Other creditors (mainly deferred income) are up around E3m.

Still, it's a solid result and if they could repeat that this year (and I don't know if that's feasible; grant income in particular is well up for example), they'd be well on the road to recovery I think.

[SkStu]

FAI Chairman, Roy Barrett, to step down shortly. Not sure what this means for the FAI over the next few months or for Kenny’s tenure but bound to create some chaos after a period of relative stability.

1613236640348004352

[joey B]

FAI Chairman, Roy Barrett, to step down shortly. Not sure what this means for the FAI over the next few months or for Kenny’s tenure but bound to create some chaos after a period of relative stability.



Kenny’s biggest ally in the association apparently,he might be sitting uncomfortably at present…..

[paul_oshea]

What's he done over his tenure? Was he treating it like a going concern? It doesn't seem wholly sensible to rush in the board of directors quota. It's like tomorrow saying we want 50/50 male to femal primary school teachers or in banking we want 50:50. You'd lose huge experience overnight

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Lads, I don't know about anyone else but the start of this year has filled me with some optimism. More players seem to be on the brink of a breakthrough, other players establishing themselves further, depending on who comes in but breaking up the boys club in the FAI can only be a good thing and of course, it looks like we'll be getting a new, competent senior manager. 2023 will be the start of something great. You mark my words. I feel it in me waters.

BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!!!

[paul_oshea]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0113/1346548-barrett-insists-football-deserves-cut-of-betting-levy/

Found this article good, someone finally calling out the horsey industry but to get money you have to spend money and that's what that industry does.

[Razors left peg]

Lads Im aware we dont link The S*n stories here, but I think the following is worth highlighting. Well written by Neil O'Riordan who I do trust more than the average reporter there, Ive linked his tweet about the article.

https://twitter.com/noriordan/status/1663481740676014081?s=20

In my opinion this needs to be followed up on, where did the money go?

[Eirambler]

I get the sense they're hinting at what they think the answer to that question is without requiring you to click on the link in the tweet.

[Stuttgart88]

Exactly. The lawyers have restricted what Neil can say but I think the meaning is clear.

[Diggs246]

He used to be a w**nker but he's alright now

Sorry I couldn't resist

[SkStu]

havent seen much about this on here or in general. Sounds promising (like many plans and promises in the past).

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0608/1388047-fai-unveil-863m-wish-list-after-stark-facilities-audit/

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65836095

[ltfc_2004]

I was talking to 4 TDs prematch across all parties and they said they fell around laughing at the FAI plan and the FAI had done feck all lobbying for it


One of them said straight out that getting €50 for the local GAA club was worth about 1,000 votes versus if he got the local soccer club €100k it was worth 10 votes.

He also said the FAI don’t know how to lobby at all and whoever is doing the PR is robbing a wage. This is total soccer nut who has no time for the GAA bar the votes.

[Thewhitepele]

I was talking to 4 TDs prematch across all parties and they said they fell around laughing at the FAI plan and the FAI had done feck all lobbying for it


One of them said straight out that getting €50 for the local GAA club was worth about 1,000 votes versus if he got the local soccer club €100k it was worth 10 votes.

He also said the FAI don’t know how to lobby at all and whoever is doing the PR is robbing a wage. This is total soccer nut who has no time for the GAA bar the votes.

I think the FAI are doing all right, they are not going the quiet way around it but given the size of the underfunding I think they had to go big. For the first time there has been a spotlight on the poor funding. The government will find it hard to ignore it and my experience is all politicians love nothing more than a capital project in their area. The key for this government will be those that can have a ribbon cut before the next election. I don't think everything will be funded but the government will fund some things. Football is up and coming again if your political pals dont realise this the last laugh will be on them at the ballot box.

[Stuttgart88]

I think the FAI are doing all right, they are not going the quiet way around it but given the size of the underfunding I think they had to go big. For the first time there has been a spotlight on the poor funding. The government will find it hard to ignore it and my experience is all politicians love nothing more than a capital project in their area. The key for this government will be those that can have a ribbon cut before the next election. I don't think everything will be funded but the government will fund some things. Football is up and coming again if your political pals dont realise this the last laugh will be on them at the ballot box.

I think you’re absolutely right and I think the political establishment is behind the curve on this issue. Varadkar seems positively hostile to supporting football. I posted here ages ago that I wrote to him asking to investigate the governance of the FAI around 2011 and I got a letter back saying the internal affairs of a sporting institution are none of his business (he was the competent minister at the time) and referring me to an Oireachtas Committee chaired by John O’Mahony TD (now senator). Big John ignored several emails yet the same committee was quick to seek attention after the Rowan/Tighe stuff came out.

I do wonder if the WNT have a good WC if it’ll create momentum among the political classes. “We did well but we could be even better if…”

[jbyrne]

I was talking to 4 TDs prematch across all parties and they said they fell around laughing at the FAI plan and the FAI had done feck all lobbying for it


One of them said straight out that getting €50 for the local GAA club was worth about 1,000 votes versus if he got the local soccer club €100k it was worth 10 votes.

He also said the FAI don’t know how to lobby at all and whoever is doing the PR is robbing a wage. This is total soccer nut who has no time for the GAA bar the votes.

they sound like buffoons tbh.
rapidly heading towards being the fattest population in europe, mental health issues on the rise, crime on the rise...... and we are represented by these sort of eejits who cant see the benefits in growing all our sports and only have an eye on the next vote. shower of wallies

[tetsujin1979]

I was talking to 4 TDs prematch across all parties and they said they fell around laughing at the FAI plan and the FAI had done feck all lobbying for it


One of them said straight out that getting €50 for the local GAA club was worth about 1,000 votes versus if he got the local soccer club €100k it was worth 10 votes.

He also said the FAI don’t know how to lobby at all and whoever is doing the PR is robbing a wage. This is total soccer nut who has no time for the GAA bar the votes.

FWIW I did a podcast a year ago with Aodhan O'Riordan. He said the same thing - that the GAA and IRFU are streets ahead of the FAI when it comes to applications for grants.

[Stuttgart88]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/06/23/death-of-former-fai-honorary-treasurer-and-administrator-joe-delaney/

No better thread...

[ontheotherhand]

FWIW I did a podcast a year ago with Aodhan O'Riordan. He said the same thing - that the GAA and IRFU are streets ahead of the FAI when it comes to applications for grants.


He said the same again on LoI Central a few weeks back iirc. That episode, I think, preceded the actual request for a grant. I think his point was that they are brutal at lobbying, aren't really trusted for obvious reasons and have never come to the government with a plan. One of those things has changed at least?

[EalingGreen]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/06/23/death-of-former-fai-honorary-treasurer-and-administrator-joe-delaney/

No better thread...I went out to Italia 90 with a couple of Scottish pals, but stayed on for a bit when they (predictably enough) went home after the Group matches. I ended up in Genoa on the day of the Romania/ROI game, but no ticket. Got chatting to a couple of Irish lassies who'd flown out on the day, similarly without tickets and told them I was going out to the stadium early, to see what I might pick up.

Anyhow, when we got there there was a big crowd of ROI fans surrounding a fella in an FAI blazer. He had loads (hundreds?) of tickets in bundles, bulging from his pockets, which he was giving out free to all and sundry - I nabbed three, but probably could have got more.

It's very possible that that was the late Joe Delaney.

[Stuttgart88]

It's also possible it wasn't. I got given plenty of tickets for Holland v Egypt by another senior FAI figure outside the stadium just before KO on condition I only gave them to Irish fans. Dr. Tony O'Neill, a guy whose reputation remains fully in tact. In fact, I've said before his premature death was probably a "sliding doors" moment for Irish football.

[texidub]

There's a memory! O'Neill (ex-UCD, if we're talking about the same man) was always great for the tickets, stutts... and yes, I only heard good things about him over the years.

[liamoo11]

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/bombshell-dropped-at-pac-as-executive-of-irish-horseracing-regulatory-board-on-leave-amid-urgent-investigation-into-financial-matter/a375344883.html . Horse racing doing its bit to get the football a better chance of getting a bigger slice of the betting tax pie

[Stuttgart88]

Saw that. And IRFU dragged into the RTE Barter Account scandal, if only in the sense that public money was being spent on the IRFU in an undisclosed manner. Good day for the FAI all round :)