Tackling the FAI's Fran Rooney
From this weeks Phoenix. From a scan, so pardon any errors.
Quote:
TACKLING THE FAI's FRAN ROONEY
THE tensions within the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) look set to break into the open at a meeting of the board to be held later this week. It has certainly been a hectic few weeks for chief executive, Fran Rooney, with the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) taking a close look at how the organisation spends taxpayers' money and Irish Sports Council chief executive, John Treacy, confirming that the FAI could have lost a cool €1/2 million in funding. Add in some disgruntled executives in 80 Merrion Square and it looks set to be a rather trying meeting for Rooney.
John Treacy was clearly embarrassed in front of the PAC on October 5 when he was grilled over the €2 million funding allocated to the FAI this year, €300,000 of which was specifically earmarked to help fund the filling of four new senior posts in the soccer organisation, as recommended by the Genesis Report. He had previously told the Committee that Brian Kerr, Packie Bonnar and Pat Costello now filled the posts of directors of performance, footballing operations and communications, respectively (see The Phoenix 27/8/04). Unfortunately, this wasn't quite the case and the FAI duly distanced itself from these remarks, leaving Treacy with egg all over his face.
In the follow-up PAC hearing two weeks ago, Treacy was specifically asked about the supposed appointments of Kerr, Bonnar and Costello and in reply he stated: "That information probably would been in my head". This was certainly an odd admission for the Fran Rooney chief executive of the Irish Sports Council and a damaging one, given that the PAC takes such inaccuracies very seriously. This is, of course, also bad news for Fran Rooney et al in the FAI who rely on the Sports Council for a significant wedge of annual funding. Making the Council's chief executive look stupid is hardly a clever move and Treacy told the PAC that he is disappointed with the proposals put forward by the FAI in relation to the filling of the posts and he is hanging on to €l/2 million of the €2 million due to the FAI for this year.
The threats from the Sports Council have upped the tensions in 80 Merrion Square with even the partnership of Rooney and treasurer, John Delaney, feeling the strain, while senior executives have criticised the chief executive's autocratic management style. Certainly, Rooney has a history of doing things his way but last week his modus operandi was raised directly with the board and FAI president, Milo Corcorau, who will chair this week's meeting. It is not clear what issues will be on the agenda but Rooney has done himself few favours with his recent, offensive gay joke about the Northern Irish soccer team or indeed his gaffe about "playing football like a woman".
On top of this, Heineken has now made a direct approach to the FAI, seeking €40,000 compensation from the FAI for the salary paid to Milo Corcoran since he took leave of absence from the drinks company to be the FAI's first full-time president. It will be recalled (see The Phoenix 7/5/04) that this appointment appeared to breach the FAI's articles of association but the FAI denied that it was paying Corcoran. At the time, Goldhawk was told that no FAI funds were being used to pay the president "either directly or indirectly".
Not surprisingly then, there is some confusion on the FAI board regarding the Heineken claim, although Goldhawk hears that the company has sent numerous letters about the issue but failed to receive a response. Given that the Evening Herald revealed six months ago that former Eircom League boss, Brendan Dillon, had raised questions about the
Corcoran deal, it is difficult to understand how there is still so much confusion in the air.
Yet more problems relate to deteriorating relations between the FAI and the IRFU over the €300 million Lansdowne Road redevelopment plan and the big question now is whether the various problems will lead to a heave against the fiery Rooney. Without the support of Delaney, the former Baltimore boss will have lost an important ally and he has no natural base among the footballing constituents of the FAI, having come in from outside the organisation.
