Devlin - Failed before he started ??

[A face]

In yesterday's Mirror, comparing the eL to the lower teams in League 2 in England.

Whatever about the debate, is he totally out of order putting pressure on eircom League clubs who are investing huges sums of money trying to get support from the local communities in which they are in ??

Is this reckless behaviour from an FAI official entrusted to uphold the best interests of our league ??

Should he be reprimanded over these unnecessary comments, which deliberately are trying to devalue the leauge. As a result every club official trying to pitch for sponsorship and reveneue now have a steeper hill to climb as a result of this irresponsibility.

Are eircom League clubs going to be compensated as a result of this?

info@fai.ie



** Remember, this is a thread about the actions, not the debate or the standard. that debate does not justify these comments. Please keep this on topic.

[pete]

What did he say?

[thejollyrodger]

he wants to watch his mouth or face a bad hiding at the next EL game he turns up at.

[Poor Student]

he wants to watch his mouth or face a bad hiding at the next EL game he turns up at.

You're heading for a ban, you know that, right?

[Roverstillidie]

he wants to watch his mouth or face a bad hiding at the next EL game he turns up at.

id pay money to see a pimply little streak like you start on devo!

[superfrank]

C'mon lads, calm down.

[Raheny Red]

he wants to watch his mouth or face a bad hiding at the next EL game he turns up at.

I think you should have your own sub-forum at this stage. Your posts are nothing more than comical :D

[Roverstillidie]

to be honest face, you might be overreacting here....

why are el clubs entitled to compensation from the fai because devlin offered an opinion?

[harry crumb]

Why not compare like with like.

compare us to league in the Baltics or of countrys of similar size, with similar demographics.

England is a massive country with basically only 1 popular sport.

[Gareth]

England is a massive country with basically only 1 popular sport.

Soccer,
Cricket,
Rugby,
and to a lessser extent Morris Dancing and Darts.

[harry crumb]

Ok rugby, but its mostly soccer.

[pete]

Soccer, Cricket, Rugby,

Cricket and rugby are minority sports.

Have you seen county cricket crowds?

[Superhoops]

Why not compare like with like.

compare us to league in the Baltics or of countrys of similar size, with similar demographics.

England is a massive country with basically only 1 popular sport.
Whether we like it or not there will always be a comparison with English football, after all that is where most of the players who leave Ireland go to and it is where most of the players in the EL who have played outside Ireland come form.

Perhaps Face would like to give us his opinion as to where the standard of EL football stands in comparison to England. It is certainly not Premiership or Championship. That only leaves League One, League Two or Conference.

If you look at the clubs that finished in the top 10 in League One, I could not see the current Drogheda, Derry, Cork or Shels teams matching any of them over a season.

If Devlin's assessment is wrong, I am sure Stephen Staunton will correct him, after all SS has first hand knowledge of the standard with his fairly recent involvement with Walsall who finished bottom of League One.

Similarly, someone like Roddy Collins should be able to give an objective assessment (rather than a rant) based on his previous connection with Carlisle who topped League Two this season and who just escaped relegation to the Conference during Collins time there.

So come Face, let's have the Cork opinion (which is usually inflated, particularly if it is about themselves!).

[A face]

Perhaps Face would like to give us his opinion

Perhaps he wouldn't .... but if i did it wouldn't matter because i am not employed by the Football Association of Ireland.

The comparison is a topic which could run into 10+ pages and i'm sure it would be great ..... but that is not the issue.

The issue (unless you are trying to detract from it) is that a paid employee of the FAI has been entrusted with a job that is heavily reliant on him behaving in a manner that would lend itself to the interests of the league, not to undermine it, not to bring Irish football into disrepute with a wild, unsubstantiated, unproven and ridiculous line of debate/comment.

He is obligated to behave in a decent manner. It is completely reckless and irresponsible of him to undermine the league, there is no and cannot be any defense for this. You cannot have an FAI official working against the eircom League clubs.

It is not over reacting lads ..... it is a black and white situation, pick a colour for all i care but it is the wrong one. He is out of order and clubs are out of pocket as a result of this.

Or is Pat Devlin void of any responsibility ??

[pete]

The eL Premier has standards ranging from Bottom Championship through to top of League Two.

Top sides could compete & survive in the Championship with larger squads. Have you seen some of the sh!te in that league?

[A face]

The eL Premier has standards ranging from Bottom Championship through to top of League Two.

Top sides could compete & survive in the Championship with larger squads. Have you seen some of the sh!te in that league?

I have heard Pat Devlin asking for a competitive ten team league improving in standard to be changed back to a twelve team league because he complained the standard was too high and first division teams couldn't compete with accelerated advances when they came up.

[Superhoops]

....The issue (unless you are trying to detract from it) is that a paid employee of the FAI has been entrusted with a job that is heavily reliant on him behaving in a manner that would lend itself to the interests of the league, not to undermine it, not to bring Irish football into disrepute with a wild, unsubstantiated, unproven and ridiculous line of debate/comment.

He is obligated to behave in a decent manner. It is completely reckless and irresponsible of him to undermine the league, there is no and cannot be any defense for this. You cannot have an FAI official working against the eircom League clubs....

Don't see how his views do any of this, especially undermining the EL and working against it? :confused: Explain? Football is all about opinions. Managers/players/fans are asked for them all the time.


....He is out of order and clubs are out of pocket as a result of this....

Don't understand this wild, unsubstantiated, unproven and ridiculous line of debate/comment :D An explanation might help us understand. :confused:

[A face]

Don't see how his views do any of this, especially undermining the EL and working against it? :confused: Explain? Football is all about opinions. Managers/players/fans are asked for them all the time.

I know you are going to lay down your life to defend Devlin at all costs, the man who just walked out on ye ... and i admire that but my point is still valid.

He is employed by the FAI .... and if you are an employee of the FAI, you are obligated to behave in its best interests. By drawing a comparison to our leagues first tier and another leagues fourth tier, a comparison which is not shared by all and which is at the very least menacing, he has over stepped the mark.

eircom League clubs have a thankless job of trying to gain sponsorship in their communities so sustain and fund the clubs to stay afloat. That is the nuts and bolts of it .... clubs scrap to get any assistance with resources they can. Ask anyone that works with their club to confirm that.

That job has been made harder by the reckless comments made by Devlin who should be promoting the accolades and attributes of the league. He should be trying to show the league in its best light. If he doesn't want to do this then he shouldn't have taken the job.


Don't understand this wild, unsubstantiated, unproven and ridiculous line of debate/comment :D An explanation might help us understand. :confused:

Read it again in its context, i am not wasting time with your childish bickering. I have given my opinion, i'm entitled to ... end of.

Dont reply to me if you wont at least acknowledge the wrong doing.

[Superhoops]

I know you are going to lay down your life to defend Devlin at all costs, the man who just walked out on ye ... and i admire that but my point is still valid....
Nothing to do with Devlin and his BW connections.


..He is employed by the FAI .... and if you are an employee of the FAI, you are obligated to behave in its best interests. By drawing a comparison to our leagues first tier and another leagues fourth tier, a comparison which is not shared by all and which is at the very least menacing, he has over stepped the mark........
He would be overstepping the mark if he was hyping up the league to be something it isn't. I would think his assessment of how things are currently in comparison is about right and many EL fans would agree. That is not to say it cannot get better.


..eircom League clubs have a thankless job of trying to gain sponsorship in their communities so sustain and fund the clubs to stay afloat. That is the nuts and bolts of it .... clubs scrap to get any assistance with resources they can. Ask anyone that works with their club to confirm that......
I would suggest that the type of money that is required in sponsorship or investment or any income to take the EL to much higher standards is not going to come from local communities but would have to come from major sponsorship and commercial/merchandise income for which television income is usually the catalyst. Television income for the EL sides is never going to be big bucks here while TV coverage of Premiership and Championship games continues to be available in Ireland and the UK.


..That job has been made harder by the reckless comments made by Devlin who should be promoting the accolades and attributes of the league. He should be trying to show the league in its best light. If he doesn't want to do this then he shouldn't have taken the job...
You obviously have a problem with Devlin and whatever he does you will always find fault with it.

If he was so far out of order as you seem to think he was and his comments were detrimental to the EL then I have no doubt that Staunton and especially John Delaney will deal with him.

In the meantime, once again, lets agree to disagree and say no more about it.

[Roo69]

Yet another thread about Pat Devlin by Cork City's very own A Face. Will you ever cop onto yourself. Your like a little fcuking child at this stage picking up on anything what so ever to do with him and his new role with the FAI.

[thejollyrodger]

here... i was completely joking about Devlin.. i condone all forms of violance and the most the man should ever get is a booed

[Raheny Red]

here... i was completely joking about Devlin.. i condone all forms of violance and the most the man should ever get is a booed

Well a smiley wouldn't go a miss but it is a bit hard to know what you are talking about at times.

[bigmac]

here... i was completely joking about Devlin.. i condone all forms of violance and the most the man should ever get is a booed

condone or condemn?

[Raheny Red]

condone or condemn?

:D I made the same mistake not so long ago and so did Bertie :o :eek:

[A face]

Nothing to do with Devlin and his BW connections.


He would be overstepping the mark if he was hyping up the league to be something it isn't. I would think his assessment of how things are currently in comparison is about right and many EL fans would agree. That is not to say it cannot get better.


I would suggest that the type of money that is required in sponsorship or investment or any income to take the EL to much higher standards is not going to come from local communities but would have to come from major sponsorship and commercial/merchandise income for which television income is usually the catalyst. Television income for the EL sides is never going to be big bucks here while TV coverage of Premiership and Championship games continues to be available in Ireland and the UK.


You obviously have a problem with Devlin and whatever he does you will always find fault with it.

If he was so far out of order as you seem to think he was and his comments were detrimental to the EL then I have no doubt that Staunton and especially John Delaney will deal with him.

In the meantime, once again, lets agree to disagree and say no more about it.

Blinkered .... am i am not getting into this right now.

[Superhoops]

Blinkered .... am i am not getting into this right now.
Yeah! doesnt surprise me! You just get your jollies going onto other threads to rant and slag off Devlin at every opportunity without justifying your argument. But why let facts get in the way of innuendo and spoil an good rant.:rolleyes: Asal uafasach :o

[A face]

But why let facts get in the way of innuendo and spoil an good rant.

It was printed in black and white in a national newspaper .... what exactly do you want like, a recording of him saying it ?? :eek: :rolleyes:

SH, it doesn't matter about the comparison, the fact remain the guy shouldn't have opened his mouth about something like that. Yes he probably has an opinion but he should keep it to himself because of the position that he has been given.

The Football Association of Ireland have allowed him to take up a position where he should strive to improve domestic football. His comment contradict that ..... its NOT my fault ..... i didn't speak to the paper at all ..... Devlin did.




Can i just get this clear ...... are you suggesting that anyone with an interest in domestic football should not criticise Devlin even if he is out of order ??

[Superhoops]

The Football Association of Ireland have allowed him to take up a position where he should strive to improve domestic football. His comment contradict that ..... its NOT my fault ..... i didn't speak to the paper at all ..... Devlin did.

Can i just get this clear ...... are you suggesting that anyone with an interest in domestic football should not criticise Devlin even if he is out of order ??

First of all, Devlin has not been allowed by the FAI to take up the position, they have appointed him to the position.

Next, if you can, forget this is anything to do with Pat Devlin.

Now imagine 'someone else' who is the B international team manager gives an opinion to the press saying exactly the same as Devlin was quoted as saying. (Because it is in black and white it must be true :rolleyes: )

The FAI, like most organisations will have a policy for their employees speaking to and going on record with the media. If the FAI Executive, with John Delaney as CEO, decide that the opinion given by this 'someone else' was inappopriate and did not represent the views of the FAI, they would come out and say so publicly to the media and probably privately to 'someone else' unless it was judged to be such a serious breach of trust or misrepresentation by 'someone else' in which case, this 'someone else' would probably be sacked.

Unless I have missed something since Saturday, I have heard no statement from the FAI disassociating themselves from the comments made 'in black and white' nor have I heard anything to suggest that their employee to whom the comments were attributed has been reprimanded or sacked from his job.

Nor have I heard any great clamour from fans, the media or other managers suggesting that the comments reported in the paper were out of order.

In fact, the only criticism I have heard about what was reported, has been from some demented a**hole from Cork, who has attempted to misrepresent the situation to further his personal vendetta against a man who has been appointed to a job by the FAI.

Finally, nobody is above criticism, but what cannot be jusitified are persistent tirades of abuse every time a man expresses a reasonable and honest opinion with which you do not agree and which you consider to be out of order.

If Pat Devlin was quoted as saying today is Monday, you would probably take the view that he is a liar and is out of order.

Enough now!

[monkey magic]

i actually think a face is, to a point right in this case, devlin, having taken up a job with the representative body of football in this country should not be in effect rubbishing our league in the national media.
as a man who made his bread in the league for so long and whos personal career has benefitted from his assocation with the league- new job being an example of that, its plain bad form to be knocking a product that already has more than its fair share of knockers.. and not five minutes after hes gotten out of it...

whether that is professional incompetence, i just dont know. one things for sure, you wont see tha fai batting an eyelid over it:(

[Superhoops]

....whether that is professional incompetence, i just dont know. one things for sure, you wont see tha fai batting an eyelid over it:(
Why do you think that is? Would be anything to do with the fact that they could not see anything wrong with Devlin's comments!

[MariborKev]

I have to agree with some of the later posts on this thread.

Certain posters seem to have an agenda, which could be construed as a vendetta, against Devlin.

Posting in every thread to email the FAI about this that and the other is childish. Enough of the FAI read this message board, without you having to worry about emailing them.;)

Personally I didn't have a major problem with his comments, yet certain posters seize on comment like Devlin had misrepresented a secret of Fatima.

What about other League managers who very publicly backed a campaign for Wimbledon to play in Dublin?

[A face]

Certain posters seem to have an agenda, which could be construed as a vendetta, against Devlin.

I hope you're not implying my there but if you are ..... i just want to clear up, i do not have a vendetta aganist the person, Pat Devlin himself. I have never attacked his personality, his character or have i insulted or ridiculed him. Be clear on that !!

I have however attacked the fact that he is an agent/advisor/whatever and an eL manager, i also attacked his appointment as B manager, and i am very dubious about his current setup at Bray. I have never made that a secret.

I think the guy is compromised, and aside from that, i dont think he is the best guy for the job and the fact that that is never argued by Bray fans or any other fan proves beyond doubt that they actually think the same but just wont admit it.

Its clearly a very dodgy situation and it doesnt matter how much time elapses or how Bray fans or other fans feel about it or whatever was written in whatever paper or who attacks my opinion and me while they are at it ...... the fact remains ...... wait for it ....... nothing changed ....... it is still a dodgy situation.

I was never happy with it, i was worse when he got the B job and i cant see me being happy with it anytime soon, but that should have nothing to do with this thread. It should be about him abusing his position as an FAI official.


Posting in every thread to email the FAI about this that and the other is childish. Enough of the FAI read this message board, without you having to worry about emailing them.;)

I seriously want to say something to insult your intelligence with you even suggesting that posting something on a forum is proper protocol for a complaint against, in this case an FAI official.

And on the email ...... the reason i post that is more often than not, when something big breaks within the league, a thread will start and it could get to 20 pages before we find out no one has done anything about it.

I really hate the fact that some people rant on something and actually do nothing to change it. I post email to encourage or highlight the fact they probably have done nothing about it. I cant believe you'd even have a problem with that.

And also, email leaves a digital record of the complaint.


Personally I didn't have a major problem with his comments, yet certain posters seize on comment like Devlin had misrepresented a secret of Fatima.

You exaggerate yeah .... the irony. Even still .... its that kind of attitude that i hate aswell, you might not have any pride in the league, (given your apathy I might not be a million miles of target there I’d say), but i do ...... why am i then wrong and you are right or your point has more validity? ...... it doesn't.

Alot of peope are conditioned and meek or show apathy and complacency and thats fine, but if i have a problem with something i'll raise the issue.

And to be honest, from what i can see ..... its Bray fans that are shouting the loudest against me ..... they are biased and blinkered and cant even get it together to argue their point, they are just trying to shout me down, imo they are admitting i am right, and i know that .... i am right.

And you will NOT see a Bray fan on here to argue their point, they will feebly attack my point and attack me aswell it try and crutch up their reaction, it actually compounds and reinforces my point.


What about other League managers who very publicly backed a campaign for Wimbledon to play in Dublin?

Given the history of irresponsible comments from lots of people in the league i take onboard some of your point.

But did you do anything about it at the time ??

Will we hear tumbleweed or an answer on that point?
With the FAI combing the club forums, handing out fines over the pettiest thing, do you not think there are some double standards when it comes to officials?

I have 4 channels or means in which to complain, i have exercised them long ago, and i will go one further if i dont get any joy from any of them, as someone said, they might not batt an eyelid .... but i tried.

[footballplease]

A Face - as a bray fan i agree wholly with you on this. And i know for a fact the majority of fans do too. It's the blinkered 'devo is god' and 'ah sure our club is a lovely family club' brigade that will argue and argue, albeit feebly!

It's why our club is such a shambles this year. I mean, we have good players and good people supporting the club but the guy is sucking the life out of the club at the moment. Don't assume apathy because we don't come on here shouting the odds, it's almost hopeless and most fans feel that way - frustrated! :mad:

[GroundFootball]

Guys, I think a lot of you have missed the point.
Forget your a supporter for a minute....

Imagine you're a business manager/owner of a large business, perhaps even a traditional GAA man or a Man Utd fan. But the recent coverage regarding the Setanta and the Europan runs has meant you are positive about Irish football and are considering sponsoring a league of Ireland club. Or possibly buying advertising.
You're half way through the deal and a manager in the public eye with 15 or more years as a manager in the league and recently appointed to the what is arguably the second highest managment position in the country and is to be the national managments advisor on the domestic league, suggests that average standards in the league are poor and are on a par with league 2. That is Englands 4th tier of football!!!
Will you take that into consideration when doing/not doing the deal?

Also on the point of it being ok because the FAI have done nothing about it and the press have not mentioned it.
If this were to have happened in Norway (most boring league in the world but comparable if you discount Rosenberg) the Norwegian FA would have a quiet word and Press would have gone apesh*t and he would have had to withdraw the remarks.

If he were Bray manager it would be quite bad anyway, but as a member of the Ireland setup it is unfortunate in the extreme that he made these comments.

By the way, whether it is accurate or not is absolutely irrelevant, it is not his place to make commentary on the league in his current position. Imagine if an England manager suggested that English premiership players were less gifted technically and were less professional than their foreign countrparts. It may be true but an England manager will never say it while in situe, at least not without some other major qualifier indicating that they have something the foreign players don't have. How often have you heard it?

Unfortunately, as I said, Pat didn't do that either...

It is not the place of members of the managment setup of a national association to comment on the standard of the domestic league. It is unhelpful in the extreme.

P.S. You will never hear Stan say anything like this while he has the job he's to savvy.

[sullanefc]

Imagine Sven saying that the spanish league was better than the premiership. He wouldn't do it because he has cop on. And he also knows he would get a bollicking if he did say that.

[bigmac]

By the way, whether it is accurate or not is absolutely irrelevant, it is not his place to make commentary on the league in his current position. Imagine if an England manager suggested that English premiership players were less gifted technically and were less professional than their foreign countrparts. It may be true but an England manager will never say it while in situe, at least not without some other major qualifier indicating that they have something the foreign players don't have. How often have you heard it?


Just on a point of information, it's not uncommon for an FA employee to talk about how the technical ability of English young players is far behind that of continental players. I can think of Howard Wilkinson and Trevor Brooking who have come out and said that the standard in England is lagging behind other countries.

The only difference is that usually it's accompanied by them saying something about how it could be improved, but my point is that just because you're employed by a federation doesn't mean you have to say that everything is great and wonderful within that organisation.

[pete]

Its hardly the first time a person who made his living & reputation with the eL is very quick to criticise it when he leaves.

Roddy Collins
Pat Dolan "advisor" shipping kids off to the UK when he spend career complaining about such actions.

[GroundFootball]

It may be true but an England manager will never say it while in situe, at least not without some other major qualifier indicating that they have something the foreign players don't have. How often have you heard it?


Just on a point of information, it's not uncommon for an FA employee to talk about how the technical ability of English young players is far behind that of continental players. I can think of Howard Wilkinson and Trevor Brooking who have come out and said that the standard in England is lagging behind other countries.

The only difference is that usually it's accompanied by them saying something about how it could be improved, but my point is that just because you're employed by a federation doesn't mean you have to say that everything is great and wonderful within that organisation.

Neither of these were the managers of mens national teams at the time or ever. And as I said, if they do make such statements they usually carry qualifiers as you rightly pointed out. (after I pointed it out already...):p

The question at the end above above was meant to be rhetorical.
As in,
"These continental players are gifted but they lack charachter/dont like it up 'em/aren't suited to the english game/don't like pressure"
or
"Some of the foreign players are better technically, but (insert platitude asserting that despite the facts English players are as good really)"

Some of this may be part of the "we're better just because we're English" attitude but even so, I still maintain that this wouldn't be acceptable in other countries (without a qualifier).

[bigmac]

Neither of these were the managers of mens national teams at the time or ever.


Neither is Devlin.


some other major qualifier indicating that they have something the foreign players don't have


Neither of the two mentioned said anything about English players having qualities lacking in foreign players. Would it have been better if Devlin had said currently the standard is at League Two but we're working to improve it? I think that those people who got really annoyed at it would have been equally annoyed at that as well.
I agree he shouldn't have said it, but I think some people have gone over the top a bit in chastising him.

[CuanaD]

Guys, I think a lot of you have missed the point.
Forget your a supporter for a minute....

Imagine you're a business manager/owner of a large business, perhaps even a traditional GAA man or a Man Utd fan. But the recent coverage regarding the Setanta and the Europan runs has meant you are positive about Irish football and are considering sponsoring a league of Ireland club. Or possibly buying advertising.
You're half way through the deal and a manager in the public eye with 15 or more years as a manager in the league and recently appointed to the what is arguably the second highest managment position in the country and is to be the national managments advisor on the domestic league, suggests that average standards in the league are poor and are on a par with league 2. That is Englands 4th tier of football!!!
Will you take that into consideration when doing/not doing the deal?

Also on the point of it being ok because the FAI have done nothing about it and the press have not mentioned it.
If this were to have happened in Norway (most boring league in the world but comparable if you discount Rosenberg) the Norwegian FA would have a quiet word and Press would have gone apesh*t and he would have had to withdraw the remarks.

If he were Bray manager it would be quite bad anyway, but as a member of the Ireland setup it is unfortunate in the extreme that he made these comments.

By the way, whether it is accurate or not is absolutely irrelevant, it is not his place to make commentary on the league in his current position. Imagine if an England manager suggested that English premiership players were less gifted technically and were less professional than their foreign countrparts. It may be true but an England manager will never say it while in situe, at least not without some other major qualifier indicating that they have something the foreign players don't have. How often have you heard it?

Unfortunately, as I said, Pat didn't do that either...

It is not the place of members of the managment setup of a national association to comment on the standard of the domestic league. It is unhelpful in the extreme.
That's it in a nutshell!

:ball:

[GroundFootball]

Neither is Devlin.



Neither of the two mentioned said anything about English players having qualities lacking in foreign players. Would it have been better if Devlin had said currently the standard is at League Two but we're working to improve it? I think that those people who got really annoyed at it would have been equally annoyed at that as well.
I agree he shouldn't have said it, but I think some people have gone over the top a bit in chastising him.


First of All Devlin is the Manager of the Irleand MEN's B team.
Which you would imagine will be players on the fringe of the Irish squad a reasonably substantial team I would have thought.
Which is both an international team (in that they will play against other countries)...
...and a men's team(in that it's not an underage or a womens team).

As for your other comment well the Devlin's statment is simply not accurate. It's not as simple as that as there are some teams who'd give good championship sides a run for their money and there are others who would be.... less good.
If you were to say that all Premiership teams were of the same standard it wouldn't be true. Similarly for any other league, but leagues in small countries will always have the biggest variation in standards. Look at practically every other small nation.

[MariborKev]

Thanks A Face,

That gave me a good chuckle whilst on a break from revising for my finals.

A number of the points you raise I'm not going to bother to answer, as I don't need to justify them to you.

The people on this board who know me, will I'm sure, have had a laugh at some of characteristics you attribute to me.

As regards Rico's comments on Wimbeldon, I wrote to Damien at the time. Too be fair to him, he also wrote back and explained his view. Whilst I was still opposed to his position, he took the time to reply and I respected him for that.

The Wimbeldon move also motivated me to join the NLU, which was the forerunner to the NLSA.

[GroundFootball]

On that point what is the standard of the Dutch League or the Norwegian League or the Belgian League?
The answer is

Ajax,PSV, Feyenoord - Consistantly Champions League/Uefa Cup

Willem II et al - Well you tell me...

But I doubt anyone involved with their FA would suggest that their league was of the standard of another's lower tiers, not in the national press anyway, even if it is (which it is).

I'm bored now!!!

[A face]

Would it have been better if Devlin had said currently the standard is at League Two but we're working to improve it?

Yes, it would have been better but that is not the issue, he shouldn't have said it in the first place, end of.


I agree he shouldn't have said it, but I think some people have gone over the top a bit in chastising him.

Where has he been chastised (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=chastised%20) exactly ??

[ColinR]

Where has he been chastised (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=chastised%20) exactly ??


"To criticize severely"

- eh he has been 'chastised' in this thread, and pretty much every other thread about him on foot.ie (either rightly or wrongly)

[A face]

"To criticize severely"

- eh he has been 'chastised' in this thread, and pretty much every other thread about him on foot.ie (either rightly or wrongly)

Colin ..... wrong ..... i have criticised his actions, i have criticised the fact he holds positions that are completely compromising, i have criticised the decision because the guy isn't suitability qualified or ideal for the job.

All points which i believe to be true, i have not chastised him or his character.

I'll ask this again ..... if he is wrong, are we not allowed highlight it? Why do we have to stay silent on this? I've not heard a decent answer to this ever ...... seriously, for all the threads that went into multiple pages i have not yet heard an answer to those questions?

Bray fans have even said "how dare you question him" and stuff similar yet they have never backed it up with a reason as to why we shouldn't ..... i am completely open minded on this one aswell, if someone has a decent reason as to why we should all toe the party line and not dare to question him, then i'm all ears.

[monkey magic]

Why do you think that is? Would be anything to do with the fact that they could not see anything wrong with Devlin's comments!

thats a plainly stupid comment, anyone whos been following domestic football on this island for more than five minutes will know what im talking about; tha fai's apathy to our league.

if thats the only arguement your gonna put up in his defence, then i think the point is proven..

theres an underlying issue here, its the "ah sure it ill be alright" attitude thats around our league. newsflash; the league isnt alright, and clubs are really struggling..
if youve ever been out fundraising for a club youl know what i mean, and stuff like this is a bit of a kick in the teeth to commercial managers who are out there trying to get sponsorship and exposure for the league.

mr devlin is in a position of power and as such has a voice in the media. people read papers and a loose comment like this can undo a lot of good work. thats all im saying on the issue.

[bigmac]

Colin ..... wrong ..... i have criticised his actions, i have criticised the fact he holds positions that are completely compromising, i have criticised the decision because the guy isn't suitability qualified or ideal for the job.



Eh, that's called chastising him. :rolleyes:

[A face]

Eh, that's called chastising him. :rolleyes:

Eh, that's called chastising his actions ..... difference !!! :rolleyes:

[joeSoap]

I've had dealings with Devlin on the business side of life and my opinion of him is quite low. There are certain adjectives and nouns I would like to use, but out of respect for this board, can't and won't. How the FAI can consider this man to be a suitable ambassador beggars belief. I say ambassador, because thats all he'll be. He won't be picking squads, teams or dictating tactics. This will all come from Stan, or at least I presume it will. He is a figurehead from the EL in an attempt to placate the EL's standing within the realms of the FAI.

That said, I believe his comparison of EL to League 2 quite fair actually, and generally correct. Bray, Waterford, Sligo and a few others wouldn't even hack it in the Conference ffs, while Cork, Shels, Derry and Drogs would survive in the Championship if funded better. Swings and roundabouts that probably average out at around League 2 standard imo...