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Off topic, but this is nothing new from UKIP. Farage is on record as saying that any Irish living in the UK wouldn't be subjected to forced repatrioting, as they considered Ireland to be part of the UK anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
I'm glad he thinks that. But God bless him a cursory glance at the law indicates as much. Irish Citizens in Britain aren't "alien" and have the same rights automatically as British citizens do. Except a vote in a "constitutional" referendum. Which is as a result of that imposition being placed on British citizens here for referenda and Presidential elections. It has been ever thus since 1949 and Costello's trip to Canada.
But you knew that. As foreign as Jonesboro and Ravensdale are to each in comparison to the undoubted similarity of Fermanagh (and Antrim, Derry, Down, Tyrone Armagh) to Finchley.
How it was recognised that behaviour in public has consequences for such figures and some see the need to fall on their own sword.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Except you made up that 'ditty' today...and unsure of the relevance of the rest to JD. Talk about laboured points...Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
Though I suppose the North too have as many 'Eng.' & 'Scots' players too these days...
Ah, God bless their patronisng attitude to their former illegal Empire. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Gross Hypocrisy by them of course, when it comes to skin colour...
I think geysir was being a slight bit sarcastic. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
What would you say it is? It's a text-book deflection; the appeal for pity.Quote:
Originally Posted by kennedmc
His old ex-IFA buddy, Jim Boyce, has been having a go too: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-30775744.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Boyce
In fairness Boyce has a point. Some people may look upon Joe McDonnell and the Hunger Strikers as Freedom Fighters others will say they are terrorist. It's a bit like the 'No Surrender' song at the Scotland v England game. England fans claim it's a defiant song about standing up terrorism while many say it's anti-Irish and is to cause offence towards the Irish. As the CEO of the FAI one of his jobs is to build links with other associations and groups. For being 'one of the boys' he has tarished the FAI image (no laugh!). We live in a politically correct society now days so anything like this will cause offence. Delaney should have known this. It's ok for a group of lads to sing a Republican song in public (even if I don't agree with them) but for a CEO who loves the limelight......
As CEO of the FAI part of the unwritten job description is to portray the organisation and the sport in a good light. He repeatedly fails to do this. There is a degree of diplomacy required too, maintaining relations with organisations such as the IFA, the SFA, the FA etc. It is absolutely ridiculous to say that the sing song was a private affair. He is an instantly recognisable public figure, even more so after he hired a publicist to get him noticed in the social sections of the papers.
He was singing in a pub adjacent to the stadium, full of Irish football fans after an Irish international game. There is no way on earth he can expect this situation to be considered not public.
Dignity, decorum and judgment were all absent from his behaviour. His efforts to deflect attention using his partner smacks of desperation.
I see both Boyce and Regan have criticised his actions. Even if they are being over sensitive (debatable) his actions have given them something to complain about and something to tarnish the image of Irish football with.
I personally have no issue with rebel songs (I actually don't really know any myself apart from The Fields or On The One Road - are they even rebel songs?) and he shouldn't have to apologise for his political views, but singing that song in public displayed very bad judgment. On top of the other issues, many of his own customers and members would not share his Republican politics and his actions suggest to me that in some way he thinks that being an Irish football fan goes hand in hand with an empathy towards the rebel song scene. It doesn't.
I figured but one can never tell with Geysir:)Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Pretty much correct. Irish citizens in the UK are not treated as foreign. They are granted settled status also known as 'indefinite leave to remain' upon setting foot in the country.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
As far as I'm aware, British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are entitled to vote in all British election including referenda. They don't have the same restrictions that we place on non-Irish citizens in our referenda.
It might be helpful to distinguish songs by period before everyone gets too carried away (over on OWC the righteous indignation is now calling for a bestial punishment involving James McClean and the curried yogurt of a ritually slaughtered goat).Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Pre-Independence paramilitarism (up to say 1926): acceptable, even obligatory as proof of your proud Republican credentials
Post-independence: slightly more risque, acceptable on a lads' night out or on wor Jack's team coach, but not in mixed or polite company. Like f*rting at Mass, really
NI Troubles since 1969: defo infra-dig under any circumstances
Similar could apply to American C & W as mentioned by Geysir. Civil War and Vietnam tunes in the first two categories, anything mentioning bombing Iraq or Afghan in the third.
I'm glad I have no access to it for once. It'd probably turn me pro-Delaney!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
FAI President's statement: http://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/stat...f-of-fai-board
Comprehensive.
Holy sh!t. That's a pretty terrible statement by anyone's standards. Jesus wept.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
Contract extension until 2020 so even if gets a push the FAI wont be able to afford to get rid bout 2mil if he was sacked tomorrow! Who awards 6 yr contracts except to ones self, he is some boyo...
Why the mention of the cyber bullying? I'd ,one to know how extensive it was anyway.
I would guess that JD is personally costing the FAI a fortune. I know so many people who have given up on attending Irish football because of how they think the FAI is running the game. He is a walking PR disaster for the association.
Well said Stutts! When I looked at YBIG last week, someone mentioned that Philip Browne from the IRFU is on about 200K. He is the type of chief we need, low profile, effective and good with the media. I would say Delaney's expense account details would start a riot if it ever became public. He is what we don't need, someone whose public profile takes away from the organisation and is seen to be Putin like. Imagine if he and Roy could make babies!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Think you might be over-thinking this one. I'd make one broad distinction, between the period when the British state was habitually murdering Irish people and the period after. So Joe McDonnell is fair game, Pearse McAuley not so much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
Lads, there's a current affairs forum if you want to discuss the affiliation of various Irish folk songs, let's keep the discussion on Delaney here, ok?
I think it's relevant to whether Delaney was stoking up sectarian tensions or not, but I agree it shouldn't be up for debate that it was sectarian. On the other hand, a man with a diplomatic role like his should be able to realise that some people will interpret it deviously and a more intelligent man would have the cop on not to embarrass the organisation like that.
Wasn't it just a few posters in a John Delaney thread on YBIG? I'm not sure what its nature was exactly, but the whole thread was promptly deleted and a number of posters decided to make a donation to a charity of Emma English's choosing as a means of apology, as far as I know. The Irish Mirror (I think) was reporting there was abuse directed towards her on Twitter and Facebook, but I'm not even sure that was the case. Unpalatable stuff from a few pseudonymous unsavouries, certainly, but it's so obviously being slyly exploited by Delaney as a means to distract from genuine criticism. It's completely irrelevant to the clumsy sing-song matter and other concerns arising or outstanding regarding Delaney's fitness to run and represent the FAI in a professional and discerning manner, so it's frustrating to see it being used to help sweep genuine questions and potential ammunition for change under the carpet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
The statement licks arse and insults the intelligence of anyone who cares about Irish football. The board might like to think they can publicly "close matters" when they want and John Delaney might even try to gag people with legal threats, but nobody's being fooled (or silenced). This is the information/communication age. People are free to continue talking and will do so.
The Telegraph went with the following (ridiculous) headline earlier: 'Attempted cover-up of John Delaney sectarian scandal by Football Association of Ireland would make Nixon proud'Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
That first sentence is excruciating - it's not even grammatically correct. Not to mention the clumsy attempt to link the bullying and the singing, and the lack of an actual apology - "if he offended anyone."Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
Clueless.
The CEO of the Spanish FA and the Italian FA get €150,000 each. That's €250,000 extra a year Delaney gets! Why? It's not as if the FAI is a great success story and we have the money to throw around. Imagine how much difference €250,000 a year would make to Irish football at grass roots level?!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Quote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
It makes poor old John Boy the victim!
Heard it on Newstalk this morning. Chris Donoghue started the report with...
"OOOOHHHHH JOHN DELANEY.... HE USED TO BE IN TROUBLE BUT HE'S ALRIGHT NOW"
:D
Ha, indeed. It refers in opening to two clearly distinct and independent matters, and then refers to the closing of "the matter" in its ending, as if both of the previously-mentioned separate issues combine to constitute a single matter. They don't. It would seem to suggest a rather desperate attempt to contrive a mention of the online abuse into the staggeringly-brief statement by any means, even if it is a logically irrelevant red herring that causes grammatical awkwardness. Truly contemptible.Quote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
To be honest, if it was anyone else other than Delaney, I don't think I'd be as indignant, but what the hell. There was a certain satisfaction to be taken from seeing a snake on the ropes, but I think he's managed to dodge the bullet (again), so it looks like he'll have the last laugh. As another poster opined, it'll take a concerted boycott to oust him, but that's not something I can envisage happening any time soon. The Scotland tickets fiasco stirred massive discontent within loyal regulars, but if that wasn't enough to provoke a general boycott for even the US friendly game, I'm not sure what would do it. I'm not saying I have some expectation of loyal fans to initiate a boycott either. It's easy for me to talk as I'm not a regular traveler. It's completely their choice and I totally understand why they'd be reluctant to engage in something like that as it would deprive the players of support (and themselves of something they love), but, unfortunately, I think it's really the only thing that could bring Delaney down given the FAI's reliance on the national team for income.
Was thinking last night, it's unlikely that last week was the first time Delaney has sung that song, or any other rebel tune for that matter, and probably equally as unlikely that it's the first time he's been recorded doing so.
Is the recent bad will towards him, with the Scotland tickets fiasco and the heavy handed approach from stewards at the USA game, the reason this recording in particular was made public? Like Richard Keys and Andy Grey before him, will more recordings surface in the coming days?
That's got to be some of the most patronising claptrap ever;We're not American tourists...Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
Except we can't all go on there, so a bit of a pointless assertion...Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
I dunno, I think there is a general truth in GR's post. Some "rebel" songs are more politically charged than others. Songs referencing The Troubles era are likely to be more sensitive than the good old romantic idealistic days of the Irish independence movement. As a rule of thumb I think it's acurate enough although obviously passing judgment on a song's potential to offend can't be rule driven. The Town I Loved So Well is a Troubles era song and as far as I know (I don't really know the words) it couldn't really offend anybody. Danny?
Tets, sorry, but isn't debate on the political-ness and possible offensiveness of certain songs relevant to appraisal of JD's behaviour?
I've no problem which forum you choose to allocate various discussions to, but this is hair-splitting and a bit silly. My point was all about Delaney: if the present sh*t-storm was just about obvious incompetence, drunkenness, ludicrous press statements and inability to sell tickets fairly or nobble the media, he'd have resigned or been forced out years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
No, I was just drawing a straightforward distinction to simplify things, as I said. It's all subjective, of course. For me, McDonnell and any gobsh*te lauding him are fair game from a different point of view: they intimidated me out of home and primary school while habitually murdering Irish people.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Yeah, but we all knew that decades ago. It's hardly news or even worth saying...
Especially when it's done to claim the moral high ground.
As for JD it wouldn't matter if he'd sung 'The Fields' or 'Go On Home', the man's a fool not for his singing (which was rank) but his general behaviour, especially given what's common knowledge.
But he's right. Songs like 'God Save Ireland' or 'A Nation Once Again' wouldn't and shouldn't be class a Republican ballads as they came from a different era and circumstances. A song like 'The Town I Loved So Well' is a Troubles era song but it's not Republican it's about someone talking about the impact the Troubles have on their town. Joe McDonnell is seen as a terrorist to some people. So people do feel songs like that are bad taste as they support a man involved in a terrorist organisation who killed four people innocent people.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
To get back on track, regardless of his sing song, any other CEO of a football association would have been sacked long before now if they had Delaney's record. Not given a massive six year contract. I posted a list of problems that most Irish football fans have will John the Baptist on a Sunderland forum and people were laughing that a man like that is charge of anything nevermind the CEO of FAI!
The way he has acted this week is the most sickening!
Just for the record, here's a graph of our FIFA ranking since recording began in 1993 (thanks Coca-Cola®!).
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...ps47b3c2e0.png
The point at which Delaney became chief executive of the FAI is marked with the red dot; December of 2004. At the time, the national team was ranked 12th, its highest ever position outside of the very early years prior to mid-1995. From October of 2001, we hadn't dropped outside of the top twenty, but that all changed in 2005 and, by November of that year, we had plummeted to 49th. We have since fallen as low as 70th and currently sit in 61st. We peaked again at 18th in April of 2012, but, more than anything, it looks like it was a short-lived deviation from a general decline.
The national team is the FAI's cash-cow and Delaney likes to put it to the forefront. It's supposed to be his success story given the disproportionate level of attention he devotes to it. It's anything but. If the decline had been as a result of taking a hit you might expect from a diversion of funds towards investment in a sustainable model of development (that might also have involved improving the general footballing structure within Ireland), you could forgive him, but he's instead been throwing money at high-profile managers (and assistants) in the hope they'll be able to paper over the cracks and glaring deficiencies of his reign.
I would agree with you, definitely. He's said he has often sung the song himself and stated he's from a republican background where the rebel sing-song is tradition. There's nothing even remotely wrong with that, but I reckon the media sense he's there for the taking. He's down and ripe for a kicking, so it's a case of latching on to anything that can cause further damage. (I won't complain.) If he didn't have baggage already, I doubt there'd even have been an issue made of the sing-song, because it's really not that big of a deal in isolation. The outrage towards the particular song is amusing in itself. I mean, he's been video-recorded in plenty of potentially-embarrassing situations or where he's making an idiot of himself before, but little was made of those recordings; people just laughed at his foolishness then. Now, though, the knives are out.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
I wonder what he'll be singing in the next video... :eek:
It'll be all part of a 'rebranding' exercise, so "Ireland's Call" probably, now that really is offensive!
You're right. Each song should be judged on its own merits (or lack thereof). 'The Town I Loved So Well' is a pretty neutral Troubles-era ballad; definitely not a rebel song or anything of the sort. Not even the serially offended could find fault with it. It laments both "the armoured cars and the bombed-out bars". It was written by Phil Coulter (son of a Catholic RUC officer) and has even been recorded by the telegenic and universally-safe Irish Tenors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
That's a Phil Coulter one too, of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
I just pictured Johnny Giles as an X Factor judge.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible