Delaney: should he stay or should he go?

[Roverstillidie]

Any chance of a poll about whether people think he should walk after the staunton appointment debacle (not stan per say, but the leaking to the press, poor spinning through dervan and the add on of robson undermining stan)?

[exile]

the whole board should have been made walk the plank long ago about time we got a good old fashioned lynch mob together and burned them out of merrion square and then hang them from the trees

[Anto McC]

He shouldnt be there in the first place but he should certainly walk now

[Plastic Paddy]

I set up a poll and registered the first vote. Guess which way I jumped... ;) :D

:ball: PP

[Roverstillidie]

on the grounds is 100% anti the waterford waster, i think ill hazard a guess?!?

[onenilgameover]

Glad this poll was created...Does anyone have anything positive to say about Delaney? There should also be poll created asking people do they wanna actually get this muppet ousted? (ie do something about it) We could get him sacked if we really wanted to..bit a people power would do it?

[A face]

And dont even mention Fran Rooney ffs

[lopez]

Glad this poll was created...Does anyone have anything positive to say about Delaney? There should also be poll created asking people do they wanna actually get this muppet ousted? (ie do something about it) We could get him sacked if we really wanted to..bit a people power would do it?TBH, I know FAI about him but there was a bit of a glowing article about him in the daily blueshirt today - good business history, hasn't put a foot wrong since taking over as CEO, got good deal with RTE to show EL games. Time to walk the plank is if this 'inspired' move goes pear-shape. CVs count for nothing in football e.g. Bertie Vogts and Scotland. I'm voting he stays (for a while) just because it kills me seeing Irish people out of work. :o

[brine3]

He only got in because of his dad, not because of his track record. They seem to think they are some kind of dodgy mobile phone dealers, not a sports governing body.

Sack them all and hand the FAI over to the Genesis people.

[OwlsFan]

Firstly, I like the foot.ie logo - very clever.

Secondly, the poll is a knee jerk reaction to an appointment which we don't know whether it will work out.

Thirdly, other than the appointment, is there another reason Delaney should resign ?

Fourthly, who would you replace Delaney with ?

Fifthly, to the person who said the whole Board should resign, who should that be replaced with :rolleyes: ?

I'd say lets review the appointment at the end of the first campaign. I heard Damien Richardson wholeheartedly supporting it on the Last Word on Friday. I am surprised as anyone by it but I do hate knee jerk reactions. I would love to hear from Aldo who was my man.

[klein4]

Secondly, the poll is a knee jerk reaction to an appointment which we don't know whether it will work out.

Isnt that the point? we dont know because steve staunton has no track record in management. so on what basis was he given the job? I think 99.9% of people want him to do well but its a total unknown as to whether he will or not cause he has no previous track record in management.
and I think delaney should at least apologise/explain why people were man handled by security on the way into the Faroes match and told they would be refused entry if they carried a red card protesting at the way the FAI was being run.

[Superhoops]

He only got in because of his dad, not because of his track record. They seem to think they are some kind of dodgy mobile phone dealers, not a sports governing body.

Sack them all and hand the FAI over to the Genesis people.
He may have got involved initially because of his Dad, but John Delaney has shown himself to be a very shrewd operator and he certainly has organised the FAI into better shape than it was up to 12/18 months ago. Even Delaney will admit that there is still loads of work to do.

You have to remember that there is 30, 40, 50 years of 'old school' thinking still around the FAI and that the FAI Council, to whom the Board of Management (of which Delaney is the CEO) reports, is made up of nominees of the EL clubs, the various leagues, schools/colleges/universities football, womens football, referees and several Honorary life Vice Presidents and Honorary Life members. I believe there are over 80 in total, all with different views and different vested interests.

The only body not represented on the FAI Council are the 'fans', although indirectly through the EL clubs and leagues you could argue they are. I believe there ought to be independent Irish football supporters representation on the FAI Council, but how would you organise it? You only have to read this forum to see the wide variety of views and opinions that supporters have and to see the difficulty there would be in getting a consensus and a mandate to represent supporters interests.

You should also remember that Delaney was appointed CEO, after going through a selection process with many others. While he may have bulshi**ed his way up the FAI ranks under the previous administration, his appointment as CEO, while not directly overseen by the Govt. was certainly approved by the Minster of the Arts, Sports and Tourism. His appointment and the manangement structure that is now in place is in line with the recommendations of the Genesis Report.

Delaney is a successful businessman so you have to assume he has some commercial accumen. He is also a football man and knows his way around the Irish and international football scene. Fran Rooney had similar qualities but his management and leadership style lost him the respect and support of everyone in Irish football, apart, ironically from the fans and the only thing he did for them was (a) made a couple of hundred extra international match tickets available to EL fans and (b) brought Brazil to town.

Suggestions of impractical solutions like 'sack them all' and 'hand the FAI over to the Genesis people' do not really contribute to the debate.

There is no way Delaney would have 'staked his future' on recommending the appointment of the Stan/Bobby team, if he did not think it was the best workable option that was available at the time.

So far, he has shown himself to be an effective CEO and has not done much wrong. He has secured better sponsorship deals, he has 'extracted' more Govt. money for grassroots football, he has been to the fore in ensuring the FAI interests are proprerly represented in the Landsdowne Road project and in discussion with the GAA re Croke Park. Arguably, his only controversial decision prior to his recommendation of the appointment of Stan/Bobby was his recommendation that Brian Kerr's contract should not be renewed, a decision that was probably supported by the majority but not all fans.

I have a feeling that this time Delaney will have got it right again.

[Plastic Paddy]

Secondly, the poll is a knee jerk reaction to an appointment which we don't know whether it will work out.

Thirdly, other than the appointment, is there another reason Delaney should resign ?

Fourthly, who would you replace Delaney with ?

Fifthly, to the person who said the whole Board should resign, who should that be replaced with :rolleyes: ?

I'd say lets review the appointment at the end of the first campaign. I heard Damien Richardson wholeheartedly supporting it on the Last Word on Friday. I am surprised as anyone by it but I do hate knee jerk reactions. I would love to hear from Aldo who was my man.

Your points 2 and 3: Since I was the one who set the poll up, you'll forgive me if I state my reasons for doing so. Not quite as knee-jerk as you'd have it, the nonsense surrounding the jettisoning of Kerr and his replacement with a "top-class international manager" was but the final straw for me where Delaney is concerned. People here are talking about his abilities as a "businessman", puff pieces in the Indo notwithstanding; I'd expect nothing less than business competence from a qualified accountant. What Delaney is not is a football man and it shows.

What I also find deeply worrying is the emphasis being placed on the Genesis report as some sort of panacea for the ills facing the game in Ireland. In his position as FAI CEO Delaney should have seen it implemented, challenged or replaced by a better plan. The lack of action is staggering. And that's before I question the track record or suitability of Genesis, a management consultancy that I'd never heard of before or since in this or any other line of work, to advise on the way forward for football in Ireland. I detect a lack of leadership. And that's Delaney's job.

And even if I hadn't thought any of that about Delaney previously, the backing of a p*ss, wind and sh*t merchant like Damien Richardson would soon have me running for the door. The guy may be a hero on Leeside but, after Fat Pat had done all the hard work, even Roddy Collins could have taken Cork to the league title. Loquacity when compiling programme notes or newspaper columns does not a good football analyst make (Eamon Dunphy take note).

Take it from me, this is a considered action. I think the poll results thus far show how foot.ie posters feel on this one. Fairly conclusive, no?

Your point 4. Not my job, but I'd suggest for the next FAI CEO an outsider (i.e. no-one tainted by association with the current administration) with at least a top-flight MBA and proper experience in sports marketing and administration. Not some parvenu whose dad was great mates with Milo Corcoran and the like. It's not good enough.

:ball: PP

[Student Mullet]

My attidude to Delaney is the same as my attiture to Brian Kerr. He should only be removed if there is someone better available to replace him.

As for Genesis, I've only read their third report (the one on the eL) and I was less than impressed. I've written a short fanzine piece on it, below, if anyone is interested.

www.stigonline.com/STIGi1.pdf

[geysir]

Your points 2 and 3:Not quite as knee-jerk as you'd have it, the nonsense surrounding the jettisoning of Kerr and his replacement with a "top-class international manager" was but the final straw for me where Delaney is concerned. People here are talking about his abilities as a "businessman", puff pieces in the Indo notwithstanding; I'd expect nothing less than business competence from a qualified accountant. What Delaney is not is a football man and it shows:ball: PP
"top-class international manager"
Where exactly did you find that quote?

Its not a great stretch to assume that they tried to get O'Neill.
On the appointment of Staunton.
After Stan, who else was available? who else applied?
Who else would you prefer to manage the Irish team, realistically?
There are reports that the alternative was Aldridge and Whelan.

[Plastic Paddy]

"top-class international manager"
Where exactly did you find that quote?

Paragraph 6 in the following article, plus countless other sources. It was widely reported at the time of Kerr's dismissal.

http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer/2005/1102/1130406925839_1130953139429.html

:ball: PP

[Den Perry]

"top-class international manager"
Where exactly did you find that quote?

Its not a great stretch to assume that they tried to get O'Neill.
On the appointment of Staunton.
After Stan, who else was available? who else applied?
Who else would you prefer to manage the Irish team, realistically?
There are reports that the alternative was Aldridge and Whelan.

Eh????? Venables would definitely have been a better choice. And he DID apply

[nedder]

Eh????? Venables would definitely have been a better choice. And he DID apply


You're just hung up on Venables. Rumour has it that you would have needed a securicor van to collect from ladbrokes had he been made manager!!!:) :)

[geysir]

Paragraph 6 in the following article, plus countless other sources. It was widely reported at the time of Kerr's dismissal.

http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer/2005/1102/1130406925839_1130953139429.html

:ball: PP
I heard and read quite a few but not that one.
So who else would you have realistically preferred as manager?

[Den Perry]

You're just hung up on Venables. Rumour has it that you would have needed a securicor van to collect from ladbrokes had he been made manager!!!:) :)

Don't believe rumours. All my bets were with Paddy Power, Betfair and Boylesports. I also had a straight bet with delaney.....now i'm beginning to wonder did he know something Ididn't????/

[Plastic Paddy]

So who else would you have realistically preferred as manager?

My preference or otherwise is not germane to this thread. It's the "process" that was followed that so irks me, as I elucidated above.

:ball: PP

[Macy]

Secondly, the poll is a knee jerk reaction to an appointment which we don't know whether it will work out.
Knee Jerk reaction? Take the whole Kerr/top class replacement/stauton appointment out of it, and he should still go!

[Peadar]

Thirdly, other than the appointment, is there another reason Delaney should resign ?

Where have you been for the last year?
Do you know anything about Irish football! :rolleyes:

[Tired&Emotional]

Glad this poll was created...Does anyone have anything positive to say about Delaney? There should also be poll created asking people do they wanna actually get this muppet ousted? (ie do something about it) We could get him sacked if we really wanted to..bit a people power would do it?


He'd make a good politician & spindoctor.....:rolleyes:

[klein4]

Where have you been for the last year?
Do you know anything about Irish football! :rolleyes:
at last someone has said it....

[geysir]

My preference or otherwise is not germane to this thread. It's the "process" that was followed that so irks me, as I elucidated above.

:ball: PP
Criticism of the process and Delaney is for free. The result of the process is stimulating examination of the process.
I doubt if there would be more than a few whispers about the process if O'Neill had accepted. He didn't.
As regards the process to find a new manager, a different process might well have come to the same conclusion.
The appointment is germane to the thread otherwise the process would not be up for discussion. It's the appointment which is the focus. If you have criticism about the process to find a new manager then outline an alternative. An opinion on the result of the process is germane.
Possible alternative process?
Kerr should have stayed.
Have a new manager in place before Kerr's contract runs out.
Appoint a respected legend or legends to find another manager.
Appoint a different manager from those available.
Wait longer for more candidates.
Any other?

[Plastic Paddy]

Criticism of the process and Delaney is for free. The result of the process is stimulating examination of the process.

I doubt if there would be more than a few whispers about the process if O'Neill had accepted. He didn't.

As regards the process to find a new manager, a different process might well have come to the same conclusion.

The appointment is germane to the thread otherwise the process would not be up for discussion. It's the appointment which is the focus. If you have criticism about the process to find a new manager then outline an alternative. An opinion on the result of the process is germane.

I'll say it again and emphasise the key point for you. My preference or otherwise for the post of senior team manager is not germane to this thread, which is about whether the FAI CEO should stay or leave.


Possible alternative process?
Kerr should have stayed.
Have a new manager in place before Kerr's contract runs out.
Appoint a respected legend or legends to find another manager.
Appoint a different manager from those available.
Wait longer for more candidates.
Any other?

All I ask is that any future managerial appointment is based on a clear strategy for HR recruitment and retention. That's what any CEO of any company or organisation, private or public, would be expected to deliver. Where's the FAI's HR strategy?

Patronage and nepotism do not constitute such a strategy. Delaney must go.

:ball: PP

[rerun]

CVs count for nothing in football
...just as well for Staunton!!!

[zinedineontour]

why the **** should the lad resign ?? what were his choices ffs ? we didnt have the cash to appoint anyone else and its not that attractive a job to be honest ..

[zinedineontour]

ok so we have 45 deluded people voting so far ...

[Schumi]

Only 6 that I can see.

[klein4]

Criticism of the process and Delaney is for free. The result of the process is stimulating examination of the process.
I doubt if there would be more than a few whispers about the process if O'Neill had accepted. He didn't.
As regards the process to find a new manager, a different process might well have come to the same conclusion.
The appointment is germane to the thread otherwise the process would not be up for discussion. It's the appointment which is the focus. If you have criticism about the process to find a new manager then outline an alternative. An opinion on the result of the process is germane.
Possible alternative process?
Kerr should have stayed.
Have a new manager in place before Kerr's contract runs out.
Appoint a respected legend or legends to find another manager.
Appoint a different manager from those available.
Wait longer for more candidates.
Any other?
must win an award for most use of the word "process" in the one post.

[geysir]

PP. Any ideas what you would consider to be a clear strategy for (HR?) recruitment and retention, vis-a-vis international football manager?
Where exactly did patronage and nepotism play a part of the FAI process to select a manager?

[Plastic Paddy]

You want some strategy consultancy, geysir? I'm happy to send you my day rates by PM. I'll even give you a ten per cent discount due to your "patronage" of foot.ie. :D

As for the other question, I've given my views clearly enough. I invite you to draw your own conclusions from here on.

:ball: PP

[geysir]

You want some strategy consultancy, geysir? I'm happy to send you my day rates by PM. I'll even give you a ten per cent discount due to your "patronage" of foot.ie. :D

As for the other question, I've given my views clearly enough. I invite you to draw your own conclusions from here on.

:ball: PP
As the strategy is germane to the most serious of footballing concerns, the football manager of the national team, surely financial gain would not come between us. :)
There is nothing in your first post about the process re nepotism and patronage.
The only hint of nepotism in relation to the process that could be inferred from your post is that Delaney was friendly with Stan therefore not in a position to appraise his merits objectively and inclined to nominate him for the job because of the (alleged) friendship.

[Schumi]

The nepotism referred to Delaney (whom this thread is about afaik) getting his job.

[superfrank]

I have little or no interest in the Irish national team anymore, however there is very little to do about Delaney being Chief Executive.

Personally the guy annoys me.

[joema]

Hes will be on today fm in a few mins... text 0854100102

[Jerry The Saint]

what were his choices ffs ?

His choice was obvious...


we didnt have the cash to appoint anyone else and its not that attractive a job to be honest ..

All of which Delaney knew back in October.

[klein4]

very funny.
:D

[geysir]

I don't have any particular agenda for Delaney. I do not find that there is any compelling reason why he should go just now after the appointment of a new management team. The big surprise for me is to find out that the ex FAI accountant is the power hungry back stabbing silent assassin.
(unlike any accountant I know.)
It will be by accident that Delaney is associated with the success of a football related decision that he was involved in.

[lopez]

You want some strategy consultancy, geysir? I'm happy to send you my day rates by PM. I'll even give you a ten per cent discount due to your "patronage" of foot.ie. As for the other question, I've given my views clearly enough. I invite you to draw your own conclusions from here on.PP, speaking from my own experience, a cv counts for nothing. Perhaps it's different where you work , but having applied for management positions on the Underground for the last 5 years I've been knocked back every time for people who have less experience, qualifications, and proven ability (as I've had a successful trial secondment) to do the job. True, when it comes to imcompetency, LUL and the FAI are markedly similar in this field, but I digress.

Also I've witnessed 'nepotism' and, to use the Spanish term, the 'Padrino' syndrome, just to help you through the process of course. And then there is the other bogey of HR: 'positive' discrimination. Officially it doesn't go on, but then neither does nepotism. Still, at least with LUL, it's good to see that they are still letting loose morons that aren't one legged black, Irish, Jewish lesbians.

I'm always told it's 'how you perform on the day'; making sure you hit those 'key' points that they are looking for in the interview. Perhaps that's what they liked about 'Stan' - I couldn't see Snowflake 'performing' in an interview looking at him struggling to remember Delaney's first name at the press conference last night. Like it or not, the FAI's approach to recruitment is not as pioneering - or unusual - as you all might think. It's an improvement on picking someone over a bloke who through a bun at you on the team coach a decade previously.

[geysir]

it's an improvement on picking someone over a bloke who through a bun at you on the team coach a decade previously.
Paddy Mulligan claimed innocence about that dire deed. Fai 'criteria' has its plusses though, couldn't have imagined that Paddy was up to the job.