The John Delaney Thread

[BonnieShels]

The problem about YBIG is that they have a high profile so therefore they are considered the default pulse of the Irish soccer supporter which as the hipster denizens of Foot.ie will attest is not true at all.

[BonnieShels]

I know the cliffnotes version of it. I know that someone who is supposed to represent us, and routinely makes a fool of himself, on foreign trips was caught red handed singing sectarian songs.

The Irish national team has Protestant fans too. It is embarrassing that a man of his stature is marginalising them like this.

His girlfriend/wife deserves better than the vitriol she is getting on that site but it is par for the course there, unfortunately.


Republicans and nationalists can be Protestant too. I think the word you meant was unionist and then that statement makes no sense then. Never equate religion with political persuasion and never do it on this site. You may have another new assh0le ripped for your good-self. I take everything else you said though.

Republican songs offend even myself and I'm a Nationalist. But the offence is usually of the musical variety and of the fact that it's usually some sh1tehawk in a Celtic jersey singing them.

[The Fly]

The problem about YBIG is that they have a high profile so therefore they are considered the default pulse of the Irish soccer supporter which as the hipster denizens of Foot.ie will attest is not true at all.

Foot.ie is representative of very little when it comes to the national team.

[bennocelt]

Apologies, I didn't see them, I was going on newspaper reports, some of the language there is pretty abusive and totally undeserved. I didn't see the posts on YBIG either.

I'd still be curious to see what was "retweeted and stuff like that". You really should stand beside what you post online

Probably not, but it's the sort of thing a girlfriend would post about her partner fairly regularly. I had a look through her page, and I didn't see any evidence that Delaney does use it as his own account

Will get it later Stutts if that ok
Edit: this tweet on newstalk after that cringing interview @PatKennyNT (https://twitter.com/PatKennyNT) @NewstalkFM (https://twitter.com/NewstalkFM) @EmmakEnglish (https://twitter.com/EmmakEnglish) perhaps delaney shud not be using his "girlfriend" to hide behind. coward. man up to the fans, muppets


It's well within my rights to retweet or reply to any thing that's posted on our dear leader JD. Anything else doesn't concern me. I am not searching the deep net for whatsherface (cant even remember her name), but if you type in JDs name her tweets relating to his great work are fairly common, or at least were. She works in PR ffs

You are only fooling yourself if you think dear John doesnt have a word in her ear, that's naive. Remember this is they guy who cant get enough of the limelight.

I did make this pic for Halloween.
2200

[geysir]

The only thing I can say about the BIG discussion board (because I don't go there) is that since its advent, we don't have to suffer that self appointed supporters rep moron being interviewed on national media.

[tetsujin1979]

Will get it later Stutts if that ok
Edit: this tweet on newstalk after that cringing interview @PatKennyNT (https://twitter.com/PatKennyNT) @NewstalkFM (https://twitter.com/NewstalkFM) @EmmakEnglish (https://twitter.com/EmmakEnglish) perhaps delaney shud not be using his "girlfriend" to hide behind. coward. man up to the fans, muppets


It's well within my rights to retweet or reply to any thing that's posted on our dear leader JD. Anything else doesn't concern me. I am not searching the deep net for whatsherface (cant even remember her name), but if you type in JDs name her tweets relating to his great work are fairly common, or at least were. She works in PR ffs

You are only fooling yourself if you think dear John doesnt have a word in her ear, that's naive. Remember this is they guy who cant get enough of the limelight.

I did make this pic for Halloween.
2200
Fair enough, nothing you would consider abusive there, but there really is no need to @-include her in the discussion. Like I said, she's just his partner, she's done nothing wrong and doesn't deserve to be dragged into the discussion at all

I never said he doesn't speak to her, or even to mention his work on his behalf, but it's equally naive to assume he has control of her account, even moreso when she works in PR - they're given extensive training on securing their social media accounts

[bennocelt]

Fair enough, nothing you would consider abusive there, but there really is no need to @-include her in the discussion. Like I said, she's just his partner, she's done nothing wrong and doesn't deserve to be dragged into the discussion at all

I never said he doesn't speak to her, or even to mention his work on his behalf, but it's equally naive to assume he has control of her account, even moreso when she works in PR - they're given extensive training on securing their social media accounts

I understand but isn't she also putting herself out there when she appears with him in the newspapers, on the tv, spreading his propaganda, etc.
Who is using who for publicity?

[tetsujin1979]

good question, I have to admit when their relationship was first announced, I did wonder the same. Two minutes later I stopped caring about it.
I hope If he's learned anything from this mess, it's to get out of the public eye as soon as possible.

[Charlie Darwin]

I hope If he's learned anything from this mess
Hahahahahaha.


it's to get out of the public eye as soon as possible.
Hahahahahahahahahaha.

[bennocelt]

Ken early piece
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/the-greatest-threat-to-delaney-is-john-delaney-himself-1.2017995

This piece is interesting!

"Delaney warned on Tuesday that the “backlash” against Malone was beginning. On Thursday, Delaney’s partner Emma English retweeted several messages criticising Malone and The Irish Times."

[geysir]

That's Malone told off now, I hope he can recover his equilibrium soon.

[tetsujin1979]

She's deleted her account now. In PR, you can't not have a twitter account, so I expect her to have a new account soon.

[Charlie Darwin]

Are you happy now, Benno????

Seriously, regardless of people making horrible comments about her, her conduct has been bizarre for a PR person. Goes to show how much of PR is about knowing the right people rather than actual talent.

[geysir]

Does she actually know people and tell the difference between right and not right people? that's an achievement in itself.
I'm struggling to know my dog.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well she knows Delaney apparently pretty well so I'd say her radar is a bit off at least.

[geysir]

it's weird that we assume she's some classic bimbo type,
we are totally sexist here but I suppose that's okay .....here.

[Charlie Darwin]

To be fair, I never assumed she was a bimbo, I just inferred it from her exact words and behaviour.

[geysir]

Are you appealing for me to exercise something called fairness or should I infer that for the most part you are unfair, if you have to flag when you are being fair.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Met her briefly at that do two months ago, my impression was that she seemed pretty shallow...but it was literally a cursory introduction.

[Charlie Darwin]

Both, to be fair.

[geysir]

Met her briefly at that do two months ago, my impression was that she seemed pretty shallow...but it was literally a cursory introduction.
You really are an event groupie, AB.

[DannyInvincible]

I heard the faithful on YBIG have been putting their feet in it again. Then again..... we are talking about the same standard of people that created and commented in a "Is Stephen Kelly black or white?" thread.

Not to indulge its daftness, but I'm pretty sure I read (possibly on this forum) that he was of Maghrebian descent via his mother. Is that true?


The Irish national team has Protestant fans too. It is embarrassing that a man of his stature is marginalising them like this.

Marginalising Protestant fans how exactly? Do you feel marginalised, Bonnie? Irish republicanism isn't anti-Protestant, nor is it pro-Catholic. It's an entirely secular ideology.


His girlfriend/wife deserves better than the vitriol she is getting on that site but it is par for the course there, unfortunately.

Then why would the very few guilty parties be banned, the offending material promptly deleted and a charitable donation offered in apology?


I did make this pic for Halloween.
2200

C'mon, you know rightly that's downright insulting to the makers of Hallowe'en masks!


it's weird that we assume she's some classic bimbo type

Do we? Who assumed that?

[DannyInvincible]

The only thing I can say about the BIG discussion board (because I don't go there) is that since its advent, we don't have to suffer that self appointed supporters rep moron being interviewed on national media.

What was that fella's name again?

[Charlie Darwin]

Not to indulge its daftness, but I'm pretty sure I read (possibly on this forum) that he was of Maghrebian descent via his mother. Is that true?
I believe it is, yeah. He mentioned it in some interviews a few years back.

[tetsujin1979]

What was that fella's name again?
Alan Hunter? The head of the Irish Supporter's Football Association, that nobody else could join or contact or confirm the existence of

[geysir]

Do we? Who assumed that?
I inferred it.
I was chatting with Charlie.

Are you serious? Are we serious?

[ArdeeBhoy]

You really are an event groupie, AB.
Hardly, I could barely avoid her, for that exact instant. Even I have a modicum of decdorum, on occasion...

[DannyInvincible]

I believe it is, yeah. He mentioned it in some interviews a few years back.

Hmm, so, just to get something straight here once and for all, that makes him what then? Black or white?...

[Charlie Darwin]

Take it to the eligibility thread :p

[DannyInvincible]

Alan Hunter? The head of the Irish Supporter's Football Association, that nobody else could join or contact or confirm the existence of

That's the guy. Just seeing an old thread devoted to that chancer here: http://foot.ie/threads/22097-Alan-Hunter-the-voice-of-Irish-football

[DannyInvincible]

Foot.ie is representative of very little when it comes to the national team.

In what sense do you say that, Fly? Just interested in hearing why you think that. Is it that you think the opinions expressed here are "off-kilter" or is it that fewer posters from here tend to attend games as regularly as, say, a larger proportion of posters on YBIG?

[Charlie Darwin]

That's the guy. Just seeing an old thread devoted to that chancer here: http://foot.ie/threads/22097-Alan-Hunter-the-voice-of-Irish-football
I had to look him up and see if he's still going. This is the most recent comment from him identifying himself as leader of the IFSA, from March 2011: http://www.thejournal.ie/profile/0/happy-saint-patricks-day-friends-throughout-world-alan-11745/

[bennocelt]

Alan Hunter? The head of the Irish Supporter's Football Association, that nobody else could join or contact or confirm the existence of

Does he have a twitter account?:p

[ArdeeBhoy]

In what sense do you say that, Fly? Just interested in hearing why you think that. Is it that you think the opinions expressed here are "off-kilter" or is it that fewer posters from here tend to attend games as regularly as, say, a larger proportion of posters on YBIG?
Yeap, in a nutshell. And none of the YBIG lot I know regard themselves as 'super-fans', some were really just peed off with how the FAI handled the Scotland tickets distribution...as many have been to many games but didn't even get offered a ticket unlike the FAI's cronies.

[Charlie Darwin]

My own reading of the situation is that there are a lot more people (not in YBIG) than we think who like and respect Delaney and they've been relatively quiet in all this. All of us who follow Irish football know exactly what he's like, and the main journalists seem to have finally started sticking the knife in, but like Blatter in FIFA Delaney has spent an inordinate amount of time building allies in Irish football (at our expense) and it will take a lot more than a media campaign and his glaring demonstration of his own utter incompetence and lack of intellect to oust him.

[DannyInvincible]

Yeap, in a nutshell. And none of the YBIG lot I know regard themselves as 'super-fans', some were really just peed off with how the FAI handled the Scotland tickets distribution...as many have been to many games but didn't even get offered a ticket unlike the FAI's cronies.

Their dissatisfaction was entirely appropriate and justified. The FAI's response is cop-out. Why not introduce a fair and transparent scheme like that operated very successfully by the SFA?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Well they claim they are going to...

As for Chas's post, yeah that's right but hopefully JD's recent antics will be published eventually in the mainstream media and then he will have to resign, at the very least due to embarrassment, never mind other implications...

[Crosby87]

Holy Moses lads...taking on any internet thing only furthers it. She is a nobody, looking for her 15 minutes.
I love coming on here for the frankness of the Irish but other times I wonder.

[DannyInvincible]

I had to look him up and see if he's still going. This is the most recent comment from him identifying himself as leader of the IFSA, from March 2011: http://www.thejournal.ie/profile/0/happy-saint-patricks-day-friends-throughout-world-alan-11745/

I see he made it on to Prime Time in 2004:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEitwow6M6s

Even Dunphy was asking who "this guy" was representing in mock exasperation by the end of the discussion, ha.

I found this post shedding some light on his background from YBIG: http://www.ybig.ie/forum/phantom-supporters-association_topic21941_post430560_SID2710161def1e7 f7a2zde6ccc77aaa0507175926.html#430560


Hunter Claims to be the head of a body called the Irish Football Supporter's Association, with allegedly 50/70,000 members!

The Reality is that the IFSA doesn't exist outside of Hunter's mind, and the 70,000 list is apparently his daddy's database of anyone who's travelled on any sort of sporting trip (incl rugby) with his dad's firm since the year dot.

We therefore have one delusional individual going around saying anything he wants, claiiming to be representative of the views of Irish football fans. And the media have bought it. Comical really....

Pretty sure that's co. down green from here. He's not been on in a while, unfortunately.

Anyone know which travel firm Hunter's father ran?

[DannyInvincible]

Well they claim they are going to...

As Bonnie mentioned earlier, the proposed "solution" is something called Fans Direct: http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/fans-direct-applications-open


This is being established to provide those supporters who either do not wish to join, or do not have access to, the 23 Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporters Clubs (ROISSCs). It will provide a route for independent supporters to apply directly and be considered within this group for away match tickets. Tickets will be allocated within the Fans Direct database based on previous match attendance. It is intended that Fans Direct will be included in the current customer base considered for away ticket allocations, including existing ROISSCs, Season Ticket holders, Club Ireland members, FAI clubs and leagues, FAI Sponsors and the official FAI travel partner.

To manage this process we are now inviting applications from supporters who wish to join this group through fansdirect@fai.ie. For those without access to email, applications can also be made by post to Fans Direct, Football Association of Ireland, National Sports Campus, Abbotstown, Dublin 15. The process will be managed by the FAI's supporter liaison officer.

This system is intended to serve the needs of supporters during the remaining EURO 2016 campaign, anticipating that some countries have moved from providing 10% stadium allocations to 5% allocations.

There's nothing transparent about it. It just treats those who apply for membership as if they were members of another supporters club, as far as I can make out. That's nothing like the system the SFA have in place.

[ArdeeBhoy]

A big fat Hmm to that. Ironically on the night of Thanksgiving, might well turn out to be a bit of a turkey...

[DannyInvincible]

A view on McDonnellgate from an IFA aficionado: http://ifaapollo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/the-john-delaney-show-and-missing-utv.html

[Stuttgart88]

Interesting. That blogger comes across a bit chippy and narrow minded himself there, but as I see it:

1. The sectarian nature of the song is open to debate, as is its potential to offend.
2. The fact that it is debatable asks serious questions of JD's judgment
3. People who sing songs about irish independence presumably support democracy and self-expression. The FAI treatment of the fans' protest that same night contradicts those principles.
4. The cyber bullying appears to have been minor and whilst unforgivable it is clearly a smokescreen, a deflection tactic.
5. The whole episode reflects badly on Irish football and this stems from the FAI CEO deliberately seeking to elevate his public profile. The more recognisable you are the more likely your behaviour will be scrutinised.
6. Whilst the FAI has done some good things, the episode copperfastens the widespread belief that it is a badly run organisation whose senior figures close ranks to defend their own privileged positions from external threats.

Also, what was the background to the FAI statement? Were all of the BoM members in agreement? We're they even asked?

As Bonnie said ages back in the governance thread, we need a new FAI. It's that simple. I'd happy to explore means of instigating an Oireachtas inquiry or to pressurise the FAI into an external examination of their governance.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know. My guess is something as simple as opening a thread here with the wording of a petition calling for genuine reform and asking someone with some profile to retweet it. If it gets no attention, so be it.

Could anybody even set up a simple one page home page reformthefai.com with a facility to collect signatures and spread via FB and Twitter? Tets?

[DeLorean]

He seems to be very much the victim amongst any casual observers I've spoken to. "Jaysus, what's the world coming to? An Irish man can't even sing an Irish song in a pub anymore". They don't seem too fussed about the threatened legal action either. That's not my own view btw.

[backstothewall]

If you want to start a petition the best way to do it is change.org or avaaz.org.

The way they are set up means people can sign in via facebook, and when they put their x on the petition it appears on their timeline, which lets other like-minded people see that the petition exists.

[Stuttgart88]

Ok. If anyone wants to help draft a wording for a petition pm me with your private email address.

[Stuttgart88]

He seems to be very much the victim amongst any casual observers I've spoken to. "Jaysus, what's the world coming to? An Irish man can't even sing an Irish song in a pub anymore". They don't seem too fussed about the threatened legal action either. That's not my own view btw.
I know, it's extraordinary. I think you can even be an avid RA head and lover of these songs and still appreciate how it was an ill judged thing to do.

I once saw John Delaney sing a rebel song in a multi storey car park. It was wrong on so many levels.

[BonnieShels]

Ok. If anyone wants to help draft a wording for a petition pm me with your private email address.

Start the ball rolling. You have mine sir.

Also here's my latest on it:
http://www.krank.ie/category/opinions/john-survives-statement-supreme-presidium/

[tetsujin1979]

Interesting. That blogger comes across a bit chippy and narrow minded himself there, but as I see it:

1. The sectarian nature of the song is open to debate, as is its potential to offend.
2. The fact that it is debatable asks serious questions of JD's judgment
3. People who sing songs about irish independence presumably support democracy and self-expression. The FAI treatment of the fans' protest that same night contradicts those principles.
4. The cyber bullying appears to have been minor and whilst unforgivable it is clearly a smokescreen, a deflection tactic.
5. The whole episode reflects badly on Irish football and this stems from the FAI CEO deliberately seeking to elevate his public profile. The more recognisable you are the more likely your behaviour will be scrutinised.
6. Whilst the FAI has done some good things, the episode copperfastens the widespread belief that it is a badly run organisation whose senior figures close ranks to defend their own privileged positions from external threats.

Also, what was the background to the FAI statement? Were all of the BoM members in agreement? We're they even asked?

As Bonnie said ages back in the governance thread, we need a new FAI. It's that simple. I'd happy to explore means of instigating an Oireachtas inquiry or to pressurise the FAI into an external examination of their governance.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know. My guess is something as simple as opening a thread here with the wording of a petition calling for genuine reform and asking someone with some profile to retweet it. If it gets no attention, so be it.

Could anybody even set up a simple one page home page reformthefai.com with a facility to collect signatures and spread via FB and Twitter? Tets?

If it's only one page, the easiest thing to do is make a page on blogger.com

[ArdeeBhoy]

Keeping the seasonal theme going, in terms of the FAI changing, more chances of turkeys voting etc.

Good luck with any 'campaign', though expect to be ridiculed once their 'awesome' propaganda machine kicks in.