The John Delaney Thread

[seanfhear]

But what about the money the Scots are owed for our offside goal ?They don't have the "DON Delaney"

[Stuttgart88]

Better than any of us could have written

https://ewanmackenna.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/the-teflon-john/

[DannyInvincible]

Better than any of us could have written

https://ewanmackenna.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/the-teflon-john/

Great piece. Very comprehensive, and, of course, damning.

[SkStu]

Better than any of us could have written

https://ewanmackenna.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/the-teflon-john/

Good god, when you write it out like that...

[nigel-harps1954]

Yet, this sort of thing will not be reported by the media. John Delaney will be paraded around as the saviour of Irish football, he'll be on Sky Sports again talking about how he took down Delaney and that Irish football is in a great state.

Sickens me really that he cannot be held accountable for the mess he has overseen.

[pineapple stu]

Yet, this sort of thing will not be reported by the media.
In fairness, from the bottom of the article -


Abridged version in Sunday Business Post 14 June, 2015

[nigel-harps1954]

In fairness, from the bottom of the article -

I'll slightly alter it to 'more significant media' so!

[Stuttgart88]

In "more significant media" Vincent Hogan is far more positive about JD

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/other-soccer/vincent-hogan-john-delaney-should-honour-right-of-supporters-to-air-views-31299232.html

[EAFC_rdfl]

I see pics from the CCFL end of season shin dig with JD looking 'in great tune' :wink: from Friday night last. Still out sweetening up all the grassroots folk I suppose

[DannyInvincible]

Some facts and figures that demonstrate the sorry state of Irish football: http://www.balls.ie/football/wes-hoolahan-and-the-figures-which-demonstrate-the-sorry-state-of-irish-football/297196

(Interestingly, since Jack Charlton's first squad in 1986, a total of 177 players have played senior football for Ireland.)

[DeLorean]

I read that earlier actually, what's with the stuff about McGeady's accent? There's surely no truth in that. I've always been a big fan of McGeady but he's an infinitely more frustrating player than Hoolahan, and it has absolutely nothing to do with his accent.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd say McGeady is more frustrating because he tries more things. Hoolahan is a creative player who can split defences open but a lot of them time he is just spreading the play, which isn't really something that'd be tolerated in a winger.

[DeLorean]

Agreed, nothing to do with his accent.

[DannyInvincible]

I read that earlier actually, what's with the stuff about McGeady's accent? There's surely no truth in that. I've always been a big fan of McGeady but he's an infinitely more frustrating player than Hoolahan, and it has absolutely nothing to do with his accent.

Aye, I've never heard anyone ever question or doubt McGeady's credentials - Irish or general ability - on the basis that he's Glaswegian/not Ireland-born. People have questioned McCarthy's commitment on those grounds, mind. When he was injured for the Glasgow fixture, doubters were saying it was really that he didn't have it in him to face Scotland. There were no problems on that front last weekend, which just goes to show what wild imaginations some football fans have.

[Gather round]

(Interestingly, since Jack Charlton's first squad in 1986, a total of 177 players have played senior football for Ireland.)

We've used 122 players since then (qualification games only).

[Wolfman]

Yeah, so what?

[OwlsFan]

Yeah, so what?

But why didn't you say "So what" for Danny's statement that we've used 177? The figure 177 on its own means little but when compared to the North, I think it is an interesting contrast and shows we have a bigger pool than the North (ok, hardly a surprise) but we haven't been afraid to use it and experiment.

[DeLorean]

But why didn't you say "So what" for Danny's statement that we've used 177?

Exactly! I'm actually curious as to what Danny found interesting about the first stat? Seems like a lot of players or very little? I must say the figure means nothing to me one way or the other without giving it much thought. The comparison between Northern Ireland's figure and ours is pretty useless seeing as friendlies, I presume, are included in ours.

[Stuttgart88]

I loved seeing the bloke dressed as JD in the singing section, as per D69er's blog. Very funny.

[DannyInvincible]

Exactly! I'm actually curious as to what Danny found interesting about the first stat? Seems like a lot of players or very little? I must say the figure means nothing to me one way or the other without giving it much thought. The comparison between Northern Ireland's figure and ours is pretty useless seeing as friendlies, I presume, are included in ours.

I should have clarified. It was smaller than I casually assumed it would be for some reason, considering that's over nearly three decades (and probably also because it's a figure I hadn't really properly thought about at all until I saw it), but it makes sense when you do think about it as there isn't that high a "turnover rate" in senior international football. There is significant and long-term continuity between squads.

How many senior internationals might we have had throughout the entire history of the FAI then? Around 600 or so?

[Stuttgart88]

Who can name them all?!

[OwlsFan]

Who can name them all?!

Hmmm, let me see: Glen Whelan, Alan Quinn, Kieren Westwood....

[tetsujin1979]

Who can name them all?!

soccerscene have a pretty conclusive list here: http://www.soccerscene.ie/ss_gen/index.php?level=sssenior
although they've included the managers as players and managers!

[DannyInvincible]

soccerscene have a pretty conclusive list here: http://www.soccerscene.ie/ss_gen/index.php?level=sssenior
although they've included the managers as players and managers!

There's only two Marc Wilsons!

[Stuttgart88]

Note to Tets. Not every question is to be taken literally. As my daughter says, what do you get if you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?

[Stuttgart88]

Anyway, since JD assumed the top position what has been our best win? Slovakia at home?

For a guy whose strategy is to focus on the senior team and hope the rewards can pay for the rest of the game, the senior team hasn't actually done that well. It's a bit like New Labour's reliance on the City to provide the tax revenues to pay for everything else. When the City blows up the strategy is laid bare. The same can easily be said for Irish football.

[Charlie Darwin]

Note to Tets. Not every question is to be taken literally. As my daughter says, what do you get if you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
Paul O'Shea?

[tetsujin1979]

Note to Tets. Not every question is to be taken literally. As my daughter says, what do you get if you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?

A paradox?

[Stuttgart88]

It requires no answer! That's the joke.

[Crosby87]

The Pope on global warming?

[Gather round]

I should have clarified. It was smaller than I casually assumed it would be for some reason, considering that's over nearly three decades (and probably also because it's a figure I hadn't really properly thought about at all until I saw it), but it makes sense when you do think about it as there isn't that high a "turnover rate" in senior international football. There is significant and long-term continuity between squads.

How many senior internationals might we have had throughout the entire history of the FAI then? Around 600 or so?

Sorry for dragging you off topic, lads. I mentioned it only because 1986 was the end/ start of an era for our teams, in obviously different ways.

DI's right about continuity. Aaron Hughes has been around for nine qualifying campaigns, Roy Carroll eight. Nine of our current squad played regularly in Euro 2008 qualifying.

PM for ya Danny ;)

[tetsujin1979]

It requires no answer! That's the joke.

http://i.imgur.com/D20j8hw.png

[NeverFeltBetter]

Caught canvassing with a Labour TD: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/donohoe-confident-fais-delaney-would-not-advocate-for-a-party-after-reported-club-visits-with-kelly-716115.html

[Stuttgart88]

Isn't he a Fianna Fáil man through and through?

[bennocelt]

More like Me fein through and through

[Crosby87]

Delaney is starting to become a somewhat popular first name for girls....im kinda on the fence.

[tetsujin1979]

I'm no political analyst, but isn't he the direct opposite of everything Labour stand for?

[Crosby87]

Labour stand for something? :p

[NeverFeltBetter]

Didn't realise, but this was actually front page news today. Seemed like such a minor report online.

[osarusan]

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/ministers-defend-john-delaney-s-reported-campaigning-1.2500194


The Sunday Times reported Mr Delaney had visited local soccer clubs and a barber shop with Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly in his Tipperary constituency and urged people to vote for him.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath said Mr Delaney’s canvassing for Mr Kelly was “highly unusual and inappropriate’’.

Speaking in Dublin on Sunday, Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Joan Burton said if Mr Delaney was advising people to vote for Mr Kelly she supported that.

She said politics was full of people from various sporting bodies who had particular political allegiances, or who expressed a particular political viewpoint about how somebody was doing, without it necessarily being party political at all.

“I’ll say, really, that is a matter for John Delaney,’’ she added.

Speaking on Newstalk, Minister for Sport Paschal Donohoe said what people did in their personal time was their own business.

“I would be certain John, or anybody else involved in a public body, would not be using their public offices to advance any candidate,’’ he added.

An FAI spokesman said Mr Delaney had no comment to make on the matter.

The part about it being in his personal time is a bit laughable really.

The only reason his 'personal time' is valuable is because of who he is professionally.

[Real ale Madrid]

Kelly will hinder his campaign more than help it by getting John Delaney to canvass for him. It strikes me as misguided and desperate.

[Charlie Darwin]

Kelly will hinder his campaign more than help it by getting John Delaney to canvass for him. It strikes me as misguided and desperate.
This is Michael Lowry's constituency. That will tell you everything you need to know.

[IsMiseSean]

Kelly will hinder his campaign more than help it by getting John Delaney to canvass for him. It strikes me as misguided and desperate.
Can Alan Kelly's reputation get any worse?

[osarusan]

Whiter than white Willie O'Dea weighs in on the issue.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fai-s-delaney-lobbying-for-kelly-totally-inappropriate-o-dea-1.2502144




Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive John Delaney’s decision to seek electoral support for Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has been described as “totally inappropriate” by Opposition TDs.

Fianna Fáil Deputy Willie O’Dea said Mr Delaney should not have visited local soccer clubs and a barber shop with Mr Kelly of Labour in the Tipperary constituency, urging people to vote for the Minister.

“I think it’s totally inappropriate. I think it’s absolutely inappropriate. Frankly I’ve never heard anything like it,” Mr O’Dea said.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Showing up at random funerals to press the flesh is totally acceptable of course.

[Stuttgart88]

What's wrong with visiting a barber shop?

[geysir]

John Delaney
"It's very important to keep a Minister in your own barber shop"

[osarusan]

Interestingly, despite the earlier comments that it was 'personal time' (Not sure of Alan Kelly actually said that himself), Kelly is now saying that Delaney was acting on behalf of the FAI:


Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has said Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney was acting “on behalf of the FAI” when encouraging voters to support him.

Mr Delaney has been criticised for visiting local soccer clubs and a barber shop with Mr Kelly in his Tipperary constituency by Opposition TDs, who said it was “totally inappropriate”.

However, Mr Kelly said he could not see anything wrong with Mr Delaney supporting his bid to be re-elected as a Labour TD.

“He was fulfilling engagements on behalf of the FAI with me in Tipperary last Friday and I don’t see anything wrong with that whatsoever,” Mr Kelly said.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/john-delaney-was-acting-for-fai-with-voters-says-minister-1.2502949

[NeverFeltBetter]

The smart person would just leave it at "He was just helping my in a personal capacity" but Kelly just has to say he was operating "on behalf of the FAI". That guy just constantly comes off as less smart than he probably is.

[DannyInvincible]

So, on Tuesday, the FAI released a statement praising John Delaney for his purportedly-sterling skills of negotiation after Ireland supporters were granted an extra allocation of tickets for the Euros with UEFA.

The statement read (http://www.balls.ie/football/john-delaney-is-not-the-all-conquering-hero-he-was-claimed-to-be-yesterday/322702):


The Football Association of Ireland is delighted to announce that following talks between FAI CEO John Delaney and UEFA, an extra allocation of tickets for EURO 2016 has been made available for Republic of Ireland supporters.

6,502 more tickets have been received will be for the three Group E games against Sweden (June 13), Belgium (June 18), and Italy (June 22).

FAI CEO John Delaney said today: "I am very happy to say that following meetings with Nyon, Switzerland last Friday UEFA have awarded Republic of Ireland fans with 6,502 more tickets.

"These tickets will go some way to satisfying the huge demand for Ireland matches at EURO 2016."

Cue heavy and well-deserved praise for Delaney around Ireland and on social media; he putting the work in for the fans and all that...

Except, the extra allocation of tickets had absolutely nothing to do with him at all!

As Balls.ie reported (http://www.balls.ie/football/john-delaney-is-not-the-all-conquering-hero-he-was-claimed-to-be-yesterday/322702):


The FAI were not the only national association to receive an extra tranche of tickets this week. The IFA announced on Wednesday that an additional 4,058 tickets are being made available for their fans, while the Football Association of Wales have been given an extra 4,177 tickets.

The IFA's explanation for the extra allocation differs somewhat from the FAI's. Naively, no one at the governing body of Northern Irish football attempted to claim the glory.

Instead, they provided the simple reason that it was due to the huge demand for tickets shown by the fans.


"UEFA has today confirmed that Northern Ireland’s ticket allocation for the group games of EURO 2016 has gone up from 25,000 to 29,058, an increase of 4,058.

This follows the huge demand shown by Northern Ireland fans who applied for more than 50,000 tickets for the tournament.

UEFA has notified all Participating National Associations in recent days of their final quota for the group matches. The figures were adjusted based on the final number of ticket requests for each game and were aimed at maximising the number available to fans."

John Delaney, not the all-conquering hero he was claimed to be this time yesterday.

We doubt many are surprised.

I thought the language the FAI had used in their statement was interesting/suspect: "...following meetings with Nyon..."

How does one meet with a place? Usually one would meet in a place. Presumably, this was a sly euphemism for saying that he "met" with them, not in Nyon, but remotely, or had a telephone conversation, in other words. And that conversation probably amounted to little more than UEFA confirming to the FAI that more tickets were on the way to the FAI due to the heavy demand, just like other associations were benefiting too.

What a complete charlatan of spin and nonsense Delaney is.