The John Delaney Discussion thread

[GavinZac]

He is a man with no brain.

he is the straw man, the scarecrow!

[Fingal hoop]

**** organisation,**** manager,**** palyers & mostly **** fans

[eirebhoy]

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4614/398085hf2.jpg

[lofty9]

I think the Dunfermline fans wouldn't mind very much tbh.

On the contrary, they are impressed by him very much and he has instilled a grit that they haven't seen in years in a bunch of no hopers.

[Peadar]

Results under Staunton wont directly affect Delaney's position but a half empty Croke Park for the game against Slovakia will.

[Dodge]

Don't forget a sizeable amount of spnonsorships will also have bonuses for success etc. Still fair play to him for extending his own contract. He's handled the Shels thing so well, he deserves it

[Dodge]

Delaney should go for the Shelbourne debacle, for the Limerick debacle, for not doing anything with the el except tart it up (unsuccessfully), for shafting Kerr, for hiring Staunton, for at least 100 other things.

[Jerry The Saint]

Staunton's short reign has brought us the three worst Irish results in history - his two best results (described by TV3 as 'dizzying highs') 0-1 vs Germany, 1-1 vs Czech Republic are the EXACT type of results that Delaney cited as reason to fire Kerr.

Delaney hasn't just fecked up the senior football team, he has firmly cemented soccer as the 4th most popular spectator sport in the country. The IRFU and GAA have already boosted their profile by opening up Croke Park. More than ever before, this qualifying campaign needed a safe pair of hands - keeping Ireland in contention for qualification right up to the Cyprus game in Croke Park. Instead, his ego pushed out the most qualified manager who actually wanted the job in favour of a clueless bumpkin who wouldn't rock the FAI boat and would indulge the feckless millionaires in the squad

[Seamuslawless]

If Stan were to go, which I don't think will happen at the moment, especially with the timing of upcoming internationals and the availability of possible replacements, but if he were, surely then John Delaney's position as Chief Executive of the association is untenable?

There are a growing number of people calling for Delaney's head. What do people feel about this? .....and more importantly, if he were to go, who would be a realistic and desirable replacement?

I for one would love to see Mick Wallace in the position. I know he was linked with the post before but was he ever approached? He's a keen businessman aswell as a passionate supporter of Irish Football.... seems an ideal candidate to me. Would he touch it with a barge pole though?

[wws]

CEO of the FAI is a political position from within the ranks of the blazer brigade (ffs it was a position even created by the present incumbent!!!)

no outside talent will ever be asked to apply - and those that accept the minnow jobs generally get chewed up and spat back out- eg Roy Dooney etc etc

[Wolfie]

No lads, what we need is someone who is World Class...

The manager is First Class - in the sense that a child from first class would do a better job.

[neutrino]

whoever voted no in that poll needs to have a serious look at themselves.

[Peadar]

whoever voted no in that poll needs to have a serious look at themselves.


blobbyblob, Bring Back Mick, Carlin, d f x-, Donal81, gspain, harps1954, osarusan, superfrank, tawdy-morssey, Terry, viking

Need I say anymore!
gspain and Terry are the only ones that surprise me.

[onenilgameover]

coward

[eirebhoy]

Delaney's on Today FM sometime after the news, along with Bobby Robson. Should be interesting.

[co. down green]

Delaney is a fcuking clown

"The positives of last nights game is that we secured another three points and moved up to 3rd in EURO 2008 Group D table but i can understand the frustration of the fans. Stephen Staunton and his management team have a job to do through to the World Cup Qualifying campaign in 2010 and have got the full support of the association as they do so. We now have to focus on the two important home games against Wales and Slovakia next month and I hope that everyone will get behind Stephen and the squad for these matches."

What planet does he live on ?

[sonofstan]

Small point, but on drivetime last night JD blamed the banner on Dundalk fans, like it was a little local issue and not related to his overall vanity and incompetence - just to set the record straight, it originated in Phibsboro' and a man with a fair track record of getting rid of incompetent managers was involved..

The NBB in the corner of the banner should be a clue

[OneRedArmy]

Its a sad state of affairs that you can only exercise your right to free speech by displaying such banners outside Ireland.

A similar banner from was pulled down within 10 seconds of being put up by FAI heavies in Lansdowne at the San Marino home game, which was the latest in a long line of attempts to suppress and intimidate fans.

[monutdfc]

Small point, but on drivetime last night JD blamed the banner on Dundalk fans, like it was a little local issue and not related to his overall vanity and incompetence - just to set the record straight, it originated in Phibsboro' and a man with a fair track record of getting rid of incompetent managers was involved..

The NBB in the corner of the banner should be a clue
I hope you have e-mailed Des to let him know

[wws]

hats off to the bohs fans - that banner undid a few hundred thousand euro worth of PR damage limitation by The Laney and his henchmen

a bed sheet and a lick o' black paint is mightier than the PR guru


picked up by both broadsheets

Pats are the undisputed kings of irish football banners and even we doff our collective caps to such a direct hit on the forces of darkness

[LFC in Exile]

Kerr had to go. That is a red herring. Yes he was a far better manager than Stan but he had lost the dressingroom and we were poor at the end.

I think Delaney has done a good job in running the F.A.I. and apart from one appalling lack of judgement (Stan) will ocntinue to do so. We haven't had a better CEO. I trust the mistake will be rectified and a manager with a proven track record of success will be appointed.

Stan is a very very wealthy man through football and property. Surely he is smart enough to know that he is (and has been) so far out of his depth that it is embarrassing. Football is a funny game but it is not that funny and we will almost certainly lose tonight. He should then do the decent thing and resign. If he hangs around for his payoff then he should be sacked and he should be bloody well made to earn the payoff by the fans and media through abuse.

If Delaney really does think that Stan is capable of managing a football team then I voted the wrong way.


I agree with almost all of this (except about Kerr going - he was and is a fine manager). I think the Shels debacle and the loss of Dublin City is a symptom of the way the league has been badly run for too long. The new structure has potential but there will be problems putting in place. The developments in the eL IMO are the most positive ones in a long long time. Some clubs will not be able for it (as mine wasn't) but the league is stronger for taking these hard pills now. Stan should definitely go - Delaney is suffering IMO not from appointing him (which is a an FAI decision) but from denying that there is an ongoing problem. He was not behind the door in showing Kerr had lost his support - the same should be the case for Stan.

[as_i_say]

I’d like to refresh people’s memories on brian kerr. Kerr is without doubt a consummate pro, however his over the top methods regarding training (videos and player comparisons in particular did not go down well with the squad) and his ultra conservatism in refusing to blood new players resulted in vital matches being lost as well as public confidence.

I know that this was my main concern with kerr (giving aidan mcgeady 1 minute at the end of friendlies and playing first choice teams for friendlies) and I do feel that to get a full campaign is a fair crack at the whip. He made a fatal error at home to Israel which effectively cost us a play off spot.

San Marino was an appaling performance but our performances against Switzerland away 0-2 in a game we had to win, in my mind, was equally appaling, given that he sent a team out that HAD to win, to play a brand of conservative and holding football where we didn’t create a single decent chance in 90 minutes. It happened again against Israel and again against the swiss in landsdowne for the 0-0.

We had to win that game to get a qualification spot. Again the performance was abysmal. Some people have short memories. Kerr was terrific with the media and a gent, and his statistical knowledge cannot be questioned, however he too failed to get the most out of the players and I for one had seen enough but wished him well.

If he is such a great manager though why has he not found another job? Maybe he’s not looking?

[WeAreRovers]

Small point, but on drivetime last night JD blamed the banner on Dundalk fans, like it was a little local issue and not related to his overall vanity and incompetence - just to set the record straight, it originated in Phibsboro' and a man with a fair track record of getting rid of incompetent managers was involved..

The NBB in the corner of the banner should be a clue

Does that count as a display? ;)

Fair play, even if it took a crazed Bohs steward to do it. The olé olérs were too busy adjusting their Elvis wigs/jester hats/bishops mitre etc.

KOH

[Newryrep]

I’d like to refresh people’s memories on brian kerr. etc ................?

Spot on As I say, he lost me when he said we we unlucky when we conceded the last minute equaliser to Israel away. We were not. A draw was the minimum Israel deserved. We were awfull especially after taking the lead early on.

[gustavo]

Delaney is a fcuking clown

"The positives of last nights game is that we secured another three points and moved up to 3rd in EURO 2008 Group D table but i can understand the frustration of the fans. Stephen Staunton and his management team have a job to do through to the World Cup Qualifying campaign in 2010 and have got the full support of the association as they do so. We now have to focus on the two important home games against Wales and Slovakia next month and I hope that everyone will get behind Stephen and the squad for these matches."

What planet does he live on ?
Not very artistic but I done it on MS Paint
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7414/sky0fo7.jpg

[Noelys Guitar]

Not very artistic but I done it on MS Paint
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7414/sky0fo7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Good one!

[OneRedArmy]

The olé olérs were too busy adjusting their Elvis wigs/jester hats/bishops mitre etc.You left out the ubiquitous Leprechaun costumes.

The wearing of which, if I were in charge of the country, would lead to an automatic and permanent surrendering of the offenders passport and a life of penal servitude in an Irish gulag (such as Leitrim), all the while dressed in said offending garment.

[sonofstan]

a crazed Bohs steward to do it.

He'll like that..

on another point - and because i don't know clever HTML things like how to quote two separate posts - I emailed Des Cahill about Delaney's misinfo. as per monutdfc above

[Paddy Garcia]

Not very artistic but I done it on MS Paint
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7414/sky0fo7.jpg

Very good :D

[joe_barry80]

Send an email to delaney with all the quotes from this tread maybe then he will get the message

[CavanBohs]

Does that count as a display? ;)


Very much so.;) Best display by a set of eircom league fans this year.:D

[eirebhoy]

Who is above Delaney in the FAI?

At Celtic the Chief Exec is Peter Lawwell. The manager is Gordon Strachan. They're in daily contact and are probably good mates by now. There's no way Lawwell has a say in who's appointed. Delaney would be friends with Robson and Stan now. They probably chatted on the flight home. There's no way Delaney will sack Stan.

Surely a Chief Executive shouldn't have the power that Delaney does? Who has the power to sack him?

[NY Hoop]

You left out the ubiquitous Leprechaun costumes.

The wearing of which, if I were in charge of the country, would lead to an automatic and permanent surrendering of the offenders passport and a life of penal servitude in an Irish gulag (such as Leitrim), all the while dressed in said offending garment.

Correct. What the **** has dressing in a leprechaun suit got to do with supporting a team? They are the true muppets.

KOH

[Jerry The Saint]

I’d like to refresh people’s memories on brian kerr. Kerr is without doubt a consummate pro, however his over the top methods regarding training (videos and player comparisons in particular did not go down well with the squad)


Boo-hoo. Maybe if the players (and Stan) had been forced to sit down and watch San Marino vs. Germany, instead of heading out for a few scoops with Mick Byrne or jacking off in their hotel room, it might have given them a few ideas about how to play them.

Your other point about conservatism and not blooding players (especially players based here) is a valid one but you have to look at the bigger picture of Kerr's (lack of) job security. He had to work with a Chief Executive who clearly did not want him in the job and was looking for any excuse to undermine him. From Day One he had been marked by some as an inexperienced :rolleyes: coach who had only worked with kids and gombeen paddies in the Irish League of Domestic.

There were also commercial pressures on Kerr to put out his strongest available team in friendlies, particularly the number of high-profile ones we had during his time in charge. Abandoning this policy and putting a joke manager in charge at a time when we have a 75,000-seater stadium to fill only underlines the incompetence of Delaney's decision.

[Seamuslawless]

Not very artistic but I done it on MS Paint
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7414/sky0fo7.jpg

My attempt in Photoshop.....

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/2511/faicomicalalivu7.jpg

[as_i_say]

[QUOTE=Jerry The Saint;620648]

Your other point about conservatism and not blooding players (especially players based here) is a valid one but you have to look at the bigger picture of Kerr's (lack of) job security. He had to work with a Chief Executive who clearly did not want him in the job and was looking for any excuse to undermine him. From Day One he had been marked by some as an inexperienced :rolleyes: coach who had only worked with kids and gombeen paddies in the Irish League of Domestic.

QUOTE]

bringing back mick byrne was laughable alright but as regards kerr, he wasnt exactly experienced at the highest level now either was he. Theres nothing wrong with feeling very disappointed after Kerr’s campaign-a lot of people were of the opinion that he had been given enough time (a campaign and a half) and it clearly wasn’t working at the end of it.

The point is that the FAI should have brought someone decent in and not the hapless Staunton. If kerr had remained in charge we would have beaten san marino easily the other night but big deal-kerr would still have sent out teams to play negative football in ALL the away games except san marino in a group where we have to take risks away from home to have any hope of finishing second.

And lets not forget that had it not been for shay given we would have only drawn 1-1 in Cyprus that time in a game we did NOT deserve to win.

Not renewing kerr’s contract was the right thing to do-appointing stan was insanity.

[sonofstan]

the Irish League of Domestic.

:)

Like that

[geysir]

Who is above Delaney in the FAI?......

Surely a Chief Executive shouldn't have the power that Delaney does? Who has the power to sack him?
The FAI´s constitution is not on their website.
The 10 person board of the FAI elected to hire JD as CEO and decided to extend his contract by umpteen years. Presumably the 10 man board have the right to terminate JD's contract in compliance with the terms of the contract.

[Jerry The Saint]

Not renewing kerr’s contract was the right thing to do-appointing stan was insanity.

This is where the Delaney spin seems to have worked with a lot of people. Despite all the grand talk about world-class, Alex Ferguson, Martin O'Neill, Guus Hiddink, etc. it came down to Staunton as a better option (according to Delaney/FAI) than retaining Kerr.

I can see 3 trains of thought that would lead to this conclusion:


1. Delaney thought he could attract an internationally-renowned manager of the calibre named above to take the job at the money they were willing to pay.

2. Delaney actually believed at the time that Staunton was exactly that type of manager.

3. Delaney wanted rid of Kerr at all costs and would replace him with the worst manager in the world if necessary. :)



None of these scenarios reflect well on the man in charge. :eek:

The other realistic candidates to replace Kerr turned out to be the 3 guys on the TV3 studio panel the other night. Frankly, I'd be more confident giving the job to Trevor Welch (was going to say Oso but he has already proved himself a more successful coach than Stan ;) )

[as_i_say]

im not trying to defend delaney in any way-im simply making an opinion from a fan's (my) point of view. i was very unhappy with the way kerr was making our teams play in vital games and i'll repeat that those 3 performances against the swiss and cyprus were equally as bad considering what was at stake as what we have seen from staunton so far.

you are obviously of the opinion that kerr should have either been allowed to stay on (which i would disagree strongly with) or that having let him go, a decent manager should have been lined up way sooner-and of course the vast majority of fans would agree with that.

Kerr's negativity cost us games and he scraped very fortunate wins from games with albania and georgia and a dire 0-0 with albania away. so in that context you could argue that stan should be given at least one campaign but its his unbelievable ineptitude and word slurring with the media that induces such a cringe factor amongst fans.

I actually was more mad with the players on wednesday night until the fool "talked" to the media afterwards. the rest is history.

seriously though there wasnt much to cheer about from kerrs time in charge...a 0-0 against france in paris would definitely be the highlight

[Leinster Lim]

In todays edition of the soaraway red top Delaney is given carte blanche to spin his way out of present predicament, I wonder what price must be paid down the line in order to get this guff printed.

[Irish_Praha]

I posted this on the New Manager thread but has it every been indicated that at the time Delaney said he had a world-class manager lined up that he was actually talking about someone other than Staunton? Then a deal with this person never materalised after the said person realised that it would be a bad move. In the now infamous statement i think Delaney gave a specific time-frame, so to save face he rushed Staunton into the job? I mean he couldn't have seriously mentioned world-class in relation to Stan?:eek:

[TonyD]

This is where the Delaney spin seems to have worked with a lot of people. Despite all the grand talk about world-class, Alex Ferguson, Martin O'Neill, Guus Hiddink, etc. it came down to Staunton as a better option (according to Delaney/FAI) than retaining Kerr.

I can see 3 trains of thought that would lead to this conclusion:


1. Delaney thought he could attract an internationally-renowned manager of the calibre named above to take the job at the money they were willing to pay.

2. Delaney actually believed at the time that Staunton was exactly that type of manager.

3. Delaney wanted rid of Kerr at all costs and would replace him with the worst manager in the world if necessary. :)



No. 3 gets my vote. If you read Brendan Mentons book you will see that Delaney was trying to get at Kerr even back when he was the youth manager. The players turned against Kerr mid way through the last campaign as far as I can see, that's why it limped to the conclusion it did. His greatest sin seems to be that he tried to get them to prepare for games properly and he took cuddly uncle Mick Byrne away from them(what a difference it's made having him bac btw:p )Whatever peoples opinions on Kerr are the fact is that John Delaney thought Steve (Sorry, STEPHEN,) Staunton was a better man to manage the Irish football team. Any other takers for this choice ?

I hope Wales and Slovakia come to Croker and pish all over John Delaneys Ireland team. He's welcome to it.

[Poor Student]

I haven't read this thread fully so I apologise if I'm going over old ground but keeping in mind Delaney's super duper extraordinary long contract do we have any hope in the slightest of seeing the back of him? One hell of a golden handshake would be required to get rid of him. Could the man ever voluntarily relinquish his position? It's amazing that even with the Minister for Sport's semi-interference against Delaney's appointment has still resulted in him being made Dictator Perpetuus. He's Julius Caesar without the charm, leadership, skill, vision and success.:o

[Saint Tom]

This man is a cancer on Irish football. he has presided over the two biggest **** ups in irish football for years, the licensing fiasco and appointing Staunton. The man has no balls blaming the flags on Maxi against San Marino. Had he had to shell out several hundred euros to be there instead of on another FAI funded junket then maybe he might understand why people are frustrated by this farce. Games in this group have cost me in the region of €2000 already and I for one am not gonna stand by and let this bullsh!t continue. keep the banners coming at Croker

[LukeO]

In todays edition of the soaraway red top Delaney is given carte blanche to spin his way out of present predicament, I wonder what price must be paid down the line in order to get this guff printed.

ehh... In fairness, there was an open letter in the issue the previous day in which Delaney was slated, it wouldn't have been right not to allow him to respond. Delaney's pathetic bull****ting response only served to reinforce the points made in Neil's open letter.

For those of you who haven't read either:


Dear John,

On October 18, 2005, you explained why you and your board of management had decided to dispense with the services of Brian Kerr.

You cited the international team's fall in the rankings and seedings and the failure to qualify for the World Cup as the main reasons behind the non-renewal of his contract.

With Kerr at the helm, Ireland slipped from 14th to 21st and dropped from second to fourth seeds.

By the time Steve Staunton was appointed in January, Ireland had dropped a further five places through non-activity.

Since then, we have plummeted to 49th with those renowned world powers of Uzbekistan, Cuba and, er, Northern Ireland ahead of us in the list.

With just seven points from our first five games, there is virtually no chance that we will obtain a higher seeding for the 2010 World Cup campaign.

Qualification? Need I dignify that with an answer?

I will admit that there were not too many people - myself included - shouting from the rooftops 15 months ago that Kerr should be kept on.

But then I and others were foolish enough to believe you when you said you would appoint a "top-class manager" as his successor.

You have since tried to modify that quote and claim that you have a top-class management team in place.

Really? There was precious little evidence of that on Wednesday night. Or against Cyprus in October. Or Holland in August. Bobby Robson has a peripheral influence. If he is part of the management team, why was he sitting in the stand and not in contact with Staunton during the game?

Even more worrying was the fact that Robson was wheeled out on radio yesterday for more than an hour to cop the flak for you and Stan.

Shame on you. A man who has carried himself with dignity throughout his career did not deserve to be hung out to dry like he was.

Its crassness was appalling and the public were not slow in letting you know exacty what they thought of it.

That should not have come as a surprise to you but I suspect that the way in which fans turned on you in Serravalle on Wednesday came as a shock.

After all, you were not on the pitch making hard work of seeing off a Hillside XI. Nor were you the one attempting to direct proceedings from the dug-out.

Why should they turn on you?

It is because you misled people. You misled people into believing that you would land someone of the stature of Martin O'Neill.

At the time, you said: "We want somebody who can get the best out of the players we have, somebody who can make tactical adjustments at the highest level when things need to be changed during matches and somebody who is committed to managing the side."

Staunton is committed alright but, as for the other characteristics, I have yet to see them.

When Kerr was shown the door, you insisted that the players were good enough. You have since changed your tune and speak of a transitional period which had never been previously mentioned.

The team hasn't altered that much. Wayne Henderson, Stephen Ireland and Shane Long were the only players who started on Wednesday night to have been brought in by Staunton.

You have lent support to Staunton's much-vaunted but as yet unclear four-year plan. Kerr was given two years and nine months.

You can of course say that the decisions that were taken were not by you alone but the dogs on the street know that you were the driving force behind Kerr's departure and Staunton's arrival.

Since you became chief executive you have emerged as the dominant voice in Irish football.

But you must have been perturbed by how the supporters who paid good money to see their team take on the worst team in Europe decided that you were to blame for what was unfolding before their eyes.

And what will you do now John? Stan is your man, will you stand by him? It's a tough one, isn't it?

On the one hand, to get rid of him would be an admission of a bad call on your part but, on the other hand, can you afford to be identified with someone who has such low credibility?

There isn't much consolation for Stan in all of this, of course. He may have been relieved that most of the anger was directed at you rather than him.

But the underlying message is that 'we think you are clueless but it's not really your fault you because you should never have got the job in the first place'.

It was you, John, who appointed him and it is you who will decide his fate. If you were to follow the example of a club chairman, then you would already be making plans to bid adieu to Stan.

Whenever fans turn on a chairman, it usually means bad news for the manager because there is usually only one outcome. The manager is sacked to take the heat off the chairman.

And, if it comes down to a choice between you and him, I am pretty sure that you have no intention of walking away from that nice and juicy six-year contract of yours.

I suspect that you won't give Stan the bullet today, tomorrow or even next week. But how are you going to react if we lose to Wales at Croke Park in six weeks time which is beginning to look like a distinct possibility?

On Wednesday night, you had a small smattering of people calling on you to resign. Can you imagine what it would be like to have more than 70,000 doing the same?

You can talk about technical development plans and emerging talent programmes all you like.

They have been positive initiatives for which you and others deserve credit, especially as the grassroots development of the game had been neglected for so long.

But, while you might see the senior international side as only one aspect of the FAI's activity, it remains by far the most important one.

The team's fortunes can lift the nation's spirits or plunge them into despair. The glory days of Euro 88 and the World Cups in 1990, 1994 and 2002 seem like a very long time ago now.

You must accept your share of responsibility for that. At best, you went with a gut instinct with Stan and got it horribly wrong. At worst, your priority was to get rid of Kerr at any cost.

Whatever your reasoning, you made the wrong call. It's up to you sort it out before we become an even bigger laughing stock than we already are.

Yours sincerely

Neil O'Riordan

[LukeO]

& Delaney's Response:


The FAI's remit is to foster and develop the game - all sectors of the game from the 5 year old boys and girls having
a kick around to the elite players who play on the world stage. While everyone in the FAI is acutely aware of the
importance and profile of the senior international team, the development of the game as a whole is the reason we exist.
Our obligation is to continue to help develop the game for those 450,000 people who involve themselves in football throughout the country.



The huge reaction to our senior games reflects the scale of interest in football in Ireland and we understand
the disappointment felt by fans and the football community when expectations aren't met.



The positives from Wednesday's game are that we secured another three points and moved up to third place in the
table but I can understand the frustration of the fans. Stephen and the management team have a job to do and we now
have to focus on the two important home games to Wales and Slovakia next month.



Six points from those two games would put a very different perspective on our standing. And remember, we have
played just five competitive games since the new management team was appointed. Instant success and extraordinary
levels of expectation are now part of the media and public landscape, not just here but across the water also.



The senior team's success or failure is at the top of tree in terms of media attention but the changes undertaken during the
past two years in the Association and the initiatives we have taken to bring about positive change in our game are designed
to ensure the best possible future for everyone involved in football in the coming years including the fortunes of the senior team.



The senior team will be served really well by the new Emerging Talent Programme, launched three months ago which is
focusing on 11-16 year old children specifically for elite level football. That's the future supply of talent at the top end of
our game already well served by our non-senior teams from U15 up playing 160 internationals a year, as we blood young
players for the international stage. We have over 17,000 qualified coaches bringing the game to all parts of the country
at a high and consistent standard. We have some of the best schoolboy and junior leagues in Europe and along with the
plans for the new eircom League of Ireland, with a radical change in structure, EUR.5 million marketing budget and
EUR1 million prize funding, the domestic game is being developed better than ever.



This doesn't mean instant success or immediate improvements in our world standings or FIFA rankings. At the start of this
campaign we were seeded fourth in our group. While enthusiasm and hype followed our great successes internationally
over the past 20 years, the reality is that we have only qualified for one of the past six major championships and have
not been to a Euro Championship since 1988. Since 2005, we have put in place the plans to drive the best talent through
and give ourselves the best possible opportunity to improve our results and hopefully, our tournament potential.



And while banner headlines can help sell papers the truth also gets lost in the hype. Sir Bobby Robson wanted to fulfill
media work yesterday, wanted to support Stephen and wanted to reflect on the match, as he has done in previous match
weeks. Pieces written about me going missing should be judged against appearances on three prime media outlets
yesterday - The Last Word, RTÉ's Six-One News and Drivetime Sport.



Ironically, I spent yesterday afternoon enroute to an open forum on integration of non-Irish Nationals in our society - the
FAI's involvement as the only National Governing Sport to have a National Co-ordinator for Interculturalism doesn't quite
capture the headlines. Nor does our work in developing the game for the 3,000 participants in the disability sector or indeed
the work we do in investing millions of euro in community and social initiatives in disadvantaged areas in partnership with
the local authorities as we expand and grow the game for all sectors in our society.



The FAI is well used to taking criticism and acknowledges it and understands it when it is deserved. On the flip side then it
should also be recognized when positive initiatives, which will form the basis of future success of the game, are undertaken.
We know and appreciate that our fans want to see the senior team succeed - we all do. The Association wants all aspects of
our game to develop successfully and everything we do is focused on more success at every level of the game, including the
senior team.

[Billsthoughts]

for gods sake man just go!