Have fans been too harsh on the FAI?

[John83]

A lot of people vented frustration over how long the process has taken and with the whole headhunter system and frustration over Givens involvment and whatnot.

But the bottom line is that the FAI have appointed an excellent manager so regardless of the means the process was a success was it not?
Adding in Delaney's widely praised training programs he's put in place and exciting projects like the Celtic League in a few years time.
In retrospect they're guilty of a single mistake, sacking Kerr when Stan was their replacement choice.
I think they had to stick with him at the start and to their credit removed him when the time was right. And the man they Trappatoni was not the obvious choice or even an available candidate. Luring him into the job was all the FAI's doing.

We often call the establishment a joke, but they've installed a world class manager who's signalled his ambition to take us to the top of our group.
The appointment was not made by the process (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/fai-official-approached-trapattoni-1279643.html), ergo the process was a failure.

Also, one good move doesn't make up for so many bad ones.

[Ozymandias]

even a stopped clock gets the time right twice a day......they stumbled on this appointment...should be commended for making it though

[Serb]

You have to applaud the caliber of manager they have appointed this time around, but there's more to it that just one disastrously bad managerial appointment for me. Just a couple of things to consider:

The 3 Man panel: I have never heard of any other Football Association that didn't have the balls to appoint their own manager. Delaney is probably kicking himself now that he can't take credit for this one

Don Givens: A man capable of rubbing Jesus up the wrong way, and a dreadful underage manager to boot. He's undermining our underage system in my opinion, why is he still there?

[Newryrep]

exciting projects like the Celtic League

Doubt it would be exciting, and doubt it will happen at all especially with Trappatoni in charge

[blobbyblob]

Theyve been completely vindicated in taking their time. Stumbled upon or not, their patience has been rewarded and only those who were most vocal in their distain for the process were found to be wrong in their demand for haste.

When the business end of qualifying for the SA comes around very few fans will be too concerned that no manager was in place for Brazil or what Don Givens is doing with his day.

[Drumcondra 69er]

No we haven't. That is all.

[BaZmO*]

We often call the establishment a joke, but they've installed a world class manager who's signalled his ambition to take us to the top of our group.
Funny that you mention that.

Have a look at what Delaney is quoted as saying on the official Fifa website with regards to our chances of qualifying from our group. here (http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/standings/group=250479/quotes.html)



"We've got Cyprus for the third time in a row but from our perspective, although we are the third seed in the group, we'll be going for the play-offs


While I'm delighted with appointment I wouldn't start praising the FAI just yet.

[jbyrne]

The appointment was not made by the process (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/fai-official-approached-trapattoni-1279643.html), ergo the process was a failure.


the process was to end up with a top class manager which it suceeded in = success. no brainer really

[finnpark]

A lot of people vented frustration over how long the process has taken and with the whole headhunter system and frustration over Givens involvment and whatnot.

But the bottom line is that the FAI have appointed an excellent manager so regardless of the means the process was a success was it not?
Adding in Delaney's widely praised training programs he's put in place and exciting projects like the Celtic League in a few years time.
In retrospect they're guilty of a single mistake, sacking Kerr when Stan was their replacement choice.
I think they had to stick with him at the start and to their credit removed him when the time was right. And the man they Trappatoni was not the obvious choice or even an available candidate. Luring him into the job was all the FAI's doing.

We often call the establishment a joke, but they've installed a world class manager who's signalled his ambition to take us to the top of our group.

Well personally I don't go to Ireland matches so I cannot claim to be a fan. The true fans are those who go to almost every match including some away games. Have they been harsh, yes but the FAI board are on big money to make soccer a success in Ireland. I think that Delaney is teh best of a very poor bunch and has delivered well for club soccer in Ireland at least.

The FAI appear to be extremely unprofessional and promoting friends to positions is unforgivabel.

[BigmanCas]

A lot of people vented frustration over how long the process has taken and with the whole headhunter system and frustration over Givens involvment and whatnot.

But the bottom line is that the FAI have appointed an excellent manager so regardless of the means the process was a success was it not?
Adding in Delaney's widely praised training programs he's put in place and exciting projects like the Celtic League in a few years time.
In retrospect they're guilty of a single mistake, sacking Kerr when Stan was their replacement choice.
I think they had to stick with him at the start and to their credit removed him when the time was right. And the man they Trappatoni was not the obvious choice or even an available candidate. Luring him into the job was all the FAI's doing.

We often call the establishment a joke, but they've installed a world class manager who's signalled his ambition to take us to the top of our group.
Short answer - No!

[kingdom hoop]

Credit is due to intervening when the sham of a selection panel came up with no one better than El Tel.

But then that was a problem of Delaney's own cretining (new word serendipitously coined) so any praise or easing back on criticism is absolutely qualified.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Theyve been completely vindicated in taking their time. Stumbled upon or not, their patience has been rewarded and only those who were most vocal in their distain for the process were found to be wrong in their demand for haste.

When the business end of qualifying for the SA comes around very few fans will be too concerned that no manager was in place for Brazil or what Don Givens is doing with his day.

I agree with the substantive issues in your post BUT as Eoin Hand astutely pointed out while locking horns with Cathal Dervan last week ...this process hasn't taken an exhaustive amount of time when seen alongside previous gaps between managers.

[barney]

The FAI are doing a decent-good job but they are an easy scapegoat.

There was no rush to appoint a manager and the FAI should be commended for not being rushed into a knee jerk appointment to appease the fans and media. The big hoo-ha over the length of time to make the appointment was created by the media and people with no idea what makes successful teams. Before we even played the Brazil game people were having a go at the FAI for not appointing someone. Can someone tell me what the rush was? We were 9 months from a competitive game.

Had the FAI acted on the wishes of the public we would have had Steve Coppell. While a decent manager, what has he ever done? A lot less than Terry Venables for a start. Where is he now? In the Premiership relegation zone. Maybe we'd have gotten Hodgson. Not quite as good as Trap. Or the Roy Keane brigade think he'd have been our saviour. Not bloody likely.

Regardless of whether the process worked as foreseen, and I wouldn't believe everything in the Indo (likewise some people need to understand how these things evolve and work), the fact that it was put in place and that they took their time means we have gotten a man who none of us dreamed was even a possibility. The FAI have done very well here and learned from their mistakes.

In many other aspects of the game they are doing excellent work as well. Ok we've had decades of ineptitude but this present FAI cannot be judged by the mistakes of previous administrations. If they are learning from their own mistakes that is enough for me. In this instance they clearly have.

[blackholesun]

here here Barney ...

Firstly, I am deligted that we have ended up with Trap rather than that con Venables.

Secondly the media + the bookies have loven the fact it has taken a few months to get the new mgr in place as it has given them the chance to milk it every step of the way via their moaning and speculation and so called favourite betting musical chairs fiasco. The media are only interested in selling papers, along some of the hacks interested in blowing their own horns. The bookies are only interested in taking bets from sucker punters, nothing else.

At the end of the day who cares how the process was carried out? The process has recieved far too much coverage really, but this is a reflection the information overloaded / short attention span society we live in.

bhs

[BradyIsMyHero]

While we are still awaiting, with bated breath, an "announcement" by the FAI this evening, consider the following media statements which have come out this morning:

Giovanni Trapattoni today posted a positive statement of intent by vowing to lead the Republic of Ireland to the 2010 World Cup finals.

Trapattoni has taken up the role of Republic manager on a two-year contract, so ending the Football Association of Ireland's 112-day search for a successor to Steve Staunton who was sacked at the end of October. rapattoni is confident Ireland can not only end their barren run of failing to reach the last three major tournaments, but even top the group.

'Qualifying for the World Cup in 2010 will be hard, and playing against the Italian team will make me proud, but it should be possible for Ireland to come first.'

Despite the number of candidates mentioned and interviewed for the post by a three-man head-hunting panel, Trapattoni has confirmed he was not approached until earlier this month.

'This is the time in a year when football managers receive offers, and this is what has happened to me,' added Trapattoni.

'In the last two weeks I received offers from various clubs, and about 10 days ago representatives of the Football Association of Ireland approached me. I found their offer very interesting.

'I am very comfortable here in Salzburg. We won the Austrian title last year and we have a great chance to win the title again this year.

'Leaving the title as a farewell present to my Bulls is now my number one aim.

'But the opportunity to manage the Irish team will give me a lot more time to spend with my family.

'Yesterday my lawyers in Milan and representatives of the FAI came to an agreement and I accepted their offer.'

Trapattoni has insisted there is a role for Liam Brady in the new Irish set-up if he so desires and is comfortable with the former midfielder combining the post with his current youth-team manager duties at Arsenal.


'I know Liam from our mutual time at Juventus,' said Trapattoni.

'I called him and asked him for his thoughts on my commitment with the FAI, and when he said it was okay, I asked him for assistance if needed.

'I am positive that (Arsenal manager) Arsene Wenger, who is a friend of mine, will lend me Liam's services if I called him.'

So..ah...what will Delaney's announcement be ?

[barney]

While we are still awaiting, with bated breath, an "announcement" by the FAI this evening, consider the following media statements which have come out this morning:

Giovanni Trapattoni today posted a positive statement of intent by vowing to lead the Republic of Ireland to the 2010 World Cup finals.

Trapattoni has taken up the role of Republic manager on a two-year contract, so ending the Football Association of Ireland's 112-day search for a successor to Steve Staunton who was sacked at the end of October. rapattoni is confident Ireland can not only end their barren run of failing to reach the last three major tournaments, but even top the group.

'Qualifying for the World Cup in 2010 will be hard, and playing against the Italian team will make me proud, but it should be possible for Ireland to come first.'

Despite the number of candidates mentioned and interviewed for the post by a three-man head-hunting panel, Trapattoni has confirmed he was not approached until earlier this month.

'This is the time in a year when football managers receive offers, and this is what has happened to me,' added Trapattoni.

'In the last two weeks I received offers from various clubs, and about 10 days ago representatives of the Football Association of Ireland approached me. I found their offer very interesting.

'I am very comfortable here in Salzburg. We won the Austrian title last year and we have a great chance to win the title again this year.

'Leaving the title as a farewell present to my Bulls is now my number one aim.

'But the opportunity to manage the Irish team will give me a lot more time to spend with my family.

'Yesterday my lawyers in Milan and representatives of the FAI came to an agreement and I accepted their offer.'

Trapattoni has insisted there is a role for Liam Brady in the new Irish set-up if he so desires and is comfortable with the former midfielder combining the post with his current youth-team manager duties at Arsenal.


'I know Liam from our mutual time at Juventus,' said Trapattoni.

'I called him and asked him for his thoughts on my commitment with the FAI, and when he said it was okay, I asked him for assistance if needed.

'I am positive that (Arsenal manager) Arsene Wenger, who is a friend of mine, will lend me Liam's services if I called him.'

So..ah...what will Delaney's announcement be ?

Nit picking.

[Ozymandias]

While we are still awaiting, with bated breath, an "announcement" by the FAI this evening, consider the following media statements which have come out this morning:


So..ah...what will Delaney's announcement be ?

good post..his announcement will be..the process and length of time has proved to be the correct format as we have delivered a world class manager. We agreed not to rush the process in order to get the best and most viable candidate ..I believe we have done that. This is an exciting time for Irish Football along with the Increadsed revenue I am generating the future looks bright.

[barney]

good post..his announcement will be..the process and length of time has proved to be the correct format as we have delivered a world class manager. We agreed not to rush the process in order to get the best and most viable candidate ..I believe we have done that. This is an exciting time for Irish Football along with the Increadsed revenue I am generating the future looks bright.

Regardless of whether he says the above, is the important thing not that we have gotten a top class manager? To be fair, the above post is indicative of the sort of bile that anyone who works for the FAI has to endure before they even do anything wrong.

Relax and rejoice. Us and the FAI are on the same side after all.

[cavan_fan]

Criticisms of the process tend to be:

Why have a panel? It's not unusual to have a respected expert finding your manager. I remember the English FA getting Jimmy Armfield to choose Sven. Having 3 people is unusal but not astonishing.

Why have these 3 people? Admittedly they don;t set the world alight but then again we were unlikely to get Wenger to do it. If you exclude those working in the media (who didnt want to do it because it woudl compromise them) and those interested in the job the list is fairly small. In the end they werent going to be managing the team so I'm not sure it mattered.

The panel didnt pick Trapattoni. This seems valid though I don't think we have heard yet how it all came to pass. Someone obviously suggested Trap and contact was made via an agent. I woudlnt be surprised if he put his own name forward. But what should the FAI have done when his anme came up, say "We cant consider you because our panel havent identified you". A defintion of successful management is not letting the process get in the way of the goal.

It took too long. If the process had ended any time beofre a week ago, Venables would be the manager. I think early on the FAI decided they didnt want Venables and were lookgin for a more credible candidate. Even if they had identified Trapattoni in December, I think he would still not have started until May.

I don't like Delaney's hair. There is nor argument with this.

[jbyrne]

Regardless of whether he says the above, is the important thing not that we have gotten a top class manager? To be fair, the above post is indicative of the sort of bile that anyone who works for the FAI has to endure before they even do anything wrong.

Relax and rejoice. Us and the FAI are on the same side after all.

here here!

[eekers]

It worked well, I think Brady should pick the manager again next time too.

[barney]

Criticisms of the process tend to be:

Why have a panel? It's not unusual to have a respected expert finding your manager. I remember the English FA getting Jimmy Armfield to choose Sven. Having 3 people is unusal but not astonishing.

Why have these 3 people? Admittedly they don;t set the world alight but then again we were unlikely to get Wenger to do it. If you exclude those working in the media (who didnt want to do it because it woudl compromise them) and those interested in the job the list is fairly small. In the end they werent going to be managing the team so I'm not sure it mattered.

The panel didnt pick Trapattoni. This seems valid though I don't think we have heard yet how it all came to pass. Someone obviously suggested Trap and contact was made via an agent. I woudlnt be surprised if he put his own name forward. But what should the FAI have done when his anme came up, say "We cant consider you because our panel havent identified you". A defintion of successful management is not letting the process get in the way of the goal.

It took too long. If the process had ended any time beofre a week ago, Venables would be the manager. I think early on the FAI decided they didnt want Venables and were lookgin for a more credible candidate. Even if they had identified Trapattoni in December, I think he would still not have started until May.

I don't like Delaney's hair. There is nor argument with this.

Good post but why do you think that the process took too long? By that I mean, why is 3-4 months too long?

[Ozymandias]

Regardless of whether he says the above, is the important thing not that we have gotten a top class manager? To be fair, the above post is indicative of the sort of bile that anyone who works for the FAI has to endure before they even do anything wrong.

Relax and rejoice. Us and the FAI are on the same side after all.

I obviosly missed something here...can you point out the bile to me in my previous post...thanks

[barney]

I obviosly missed something here...can you point out the bile to me in my previous post...thanks

More than the words used, it was the sentiment behind it.

[oconghc2]

the fai are still a joke of the highest order!! denis o brien paying for manager! don howe not even at the press conference because his son is home from the states! jesus wept!

[beautifulrock]

the fai are still a joke of the highest order!! denis o brien paying for manager! don howe not even at the press conference because his son is home from the states! jesus wept!

so what, get a grip:confused:

[barney]

the fai are still a joke of the highest order!! denis o brien paying for manager! don howe not even at the press conference because his son is home from the states! jesus wept!

Yeah it's totally ruined the appointment on me that Don Howe wasn't at the press conference. And accepting a donation? F**k me, how stupid are the FAI. They should have told O'Brien where to go and taken some of the money they have put into the eircom League or grassroots football to fund the manager. Idiots the lot of them.

[oconghc2]

i thnk it shows a slackness on howe's part - im sure he did ok out of his few weeks work - you wouldnt see it in any other professional organisation. that is all.

[beautifulrock]

i thnk it shows a slackness on howe's part - im sure he did ok out of his few weeks work - you wouldnt see it in any other professional organisation. that is all.

Fair point but sometimes if a tight deadline has to be met such as this then not all management are free to attend.

[Armando]

What I gathered from the press conference was that Givens used his contacts in Switzerland to get in touch with Trapattoni - so credit where credit is due, the panel did their job.

...the first mention of Brady was when Trapattoni himself contacted Brady to sound him out.

[Ozymandias]

More than the words used, it was the sentiment behind it.

sentiment..in three sentences..you should be on stage...just in case you don't get it from the words..that is sarcasm

[barney]

sentiment..in three sentences..you should be on stage...just in case you don't get it from the words..that is sarcasm

Very clever. You had a go at a guy for something that he didn't even do. In my book, that's small minded and a fine example of what holds us back. That you managed to do it in three sentences says quite a bit about you.

In can you don't get it, that isn't sarcasm.

[bohsRap]

the fai are still a joke of the highest order!! denis o brien paying for manager! don howe not even at the press conference because his son is home from the states! jesus wept!

What's wrong with that?

[Ozymandias]

Very clever. You had a go at a guy for something that he didn't even do. In my book, that's small minded and a fine example of what holds us back. That you managed to do it in three sentences says quite a bit about you.



Is the wrong answer again..try again...cause i sense in the sentiment of your post your are getting redder.....oh and personal for some reason



In can you don't get it, that isn't sarcasm.
try and have an individual thought as well and not mimic or copy others as much enjoy you tea..night night

[NeilMcD]

I think many people jumped the gun and slagged a process that they did not even know about or how it was workin but they were relying on info from journalists who we all saw today are bang out of order esp T'O'D.

Havin watched the conference and listend and watched what Houghton and Givens said, well I have far more time for these guys and respect in what they have done in this incidence. I still dont rate Givens as an U21 manager but that is another days work.

Des Cahill and T'O'D showed themselves up at the Press Conference to be nothing but bitter little fools who are only interested in concentratin on the negative rather than actually askin footballing questions.


If I was there there would have been a load of questions I would have asked about the footballing chat they had with Trap for 2 hours etc, rather than concetrating on the nonesense of Denis O Brien.

[barney]

Is the wrong answer again..try again...cause i sense in the sentiment of your post your are getting redder.....oh and personal for some reason



try and have an individual thought as well and not mimic or copy others as much enjoy you tea..night night

Didn't realise this was a quiz.

Not red at all my friend. You are either deliberately missing my point or we are on different wavelengths. Incidentally, I wasn't copying you, my post said the exact opposite of yours...

[Drumcondra 69er]

i thnk it shows a slackness on howe's part - im sure he did ok out of his few weeks work - you wouldnt see it in any other professional organisation. that is all.

Might be down to the fact that he wanted Venables for the job apparantly?

[NeilMcD]

T'O'D is a petty little man who would rather see the bad things in life rather than seeing the good. Whatever people may think about Denis O Brien. The fact that he is putting the money into Irish football which effectively is what he is doing, he is putting the money into Irish Grassroots football as that is what will happen to the money we would have spent on Trappatoni.

Also if we do well because of this the money will come back tenfold.

[pineapple stu]

Why have a panel? It's not unusual to have a respected expert finding your manager. I remember the English FA getting Jimmy Armfield to choose Sven. Having 3 people is unusal but not astonishing.
What experts did we have finding a manager?

I see no-one's echoed Roy Keane's comments that we've just gone four months without paying a senior manager, thereby saving about E300k.

[Ireland4ever]

What experts did we have finding a manager?

I see no-one's echoed Roy Keane's comments that we've just gone four months without paying a senior manager, thereby saving about E300k.

By Roy Keane, you do mean Mr. Rent-a-quote?:D:D

[cavan_fan]

What experts did we have finding a manager?

I see no-one's echoed Roy Keane's comments that we've just gone four months without paying a senior manager, thereby saving about E300k.

Who would you have had doing it?

[oconghc2]

What's wrong with that?

dont see anything wrong with it. My point is that if someone like obrien hadnt bailed out the fai, we would be stuck with venables, and we wouldnt b sat here glossing over the incompetencies of the organisation.

i am all for donations of this type. as someone has already said - it leaves more in the coffers for grass roots. However, it took o brien to approach the fai! I believe the fai should be actively seeking this type of fund raising and not bumbling along until something like this falls into their lap!

I am delighted with the appointent and i think some credit is due, but it still does not change my view on the fai!

[pineapple stu]

Who would you have had doing it?
I don't see how that's relevant, to be honest. You suggested that we had a panel of experts picking the manager, and I challenged that assertion.

[cavan_fan]

I don't see how that's relevant, to be honest. You suggested that we had a panel of experts picking the manager, and I challenged that assertion.

All 3 of them understand football, have good contacts and were available. They are just the right sort of people to do this job. If nothing else the outcome shows this.

[pineapple stu]

Can they judge a manager?

You're seriously suggesting they were experts because they were available?

Don Givens was a very good footballer, but seems to understand next to nothing about management, so your point that the understand football is irrelevant.

[NeilMcD]

Also Delaney has said that even if O Brien did not put the money up they still would have got Trappatoni and would have matched his wages. So in effect what O Brien has done is give money to the grassroots of Football in Ireland that otherwise would have been spent on Trappatoni's wages.

[Ireland4ever]

Also Delaney has said that even if O Brien did not put the money up they still would have got Trappatoni and would have matched his wages. So in effect what O Brien has done is give money to the grassroots of Football in Ireland that otherwise would have been spent on Trappatoni's wages.

Excellent point.

[pineapple stu]

Also Delaney has said that even if O Brien did not put the money up they still would have got Trappatoni and would have matched his wages.
Heard that alright, but he also said that O'Brien's money allowed them to substantially raise the bar in the search for the new manager. Those two statements are mutually exclusive.

[NeilMcD]

No they are not, because what he is saying is that at the time it raised the bar for who Ireland could look for etc and when they were sounding out potential manager. However he said that if the board came back to him with the name Trappatoni he would have made sure the money was available. I think what that means is, that if Paul Jewell or Billy Davies did not like our wages, well then tough **** but if Trappatoni did not like our wages of half a million or something like that, well then we can negotiate. I think what he was saying is that sometimes for a really exceptional candidate you go the whole hog.

[sullanefc]

Yeah it's totally ruined the appointment on me that Don Howe wasn't at the press conference. And accepting a donation? F**k me, how stupid are the FAI. They should have told O'Brien where to go and taken some of the money they have put into the eircom League or grassroots football to fund the manager. Idiots the lot of them.

Are you for real?? This isn't the English FA with bags of money we are talking about its the FAI. If someone is offering a donation then why turn it down?

As for taking money out of the grass roots and eL to pay Trappatoni just proves to me what knowledge and regard you have for the development of Irish football. :rolleyes: