"The whole thing has become a farce. What's gone on is a scandal, and an even bigger scandal is the fact that we've heard nothing from the people in charge," Keely told the Herald.
"Today at the season launch we will be told that we are not allowed to speak out of turn or criticise the league or the FAI. It's all about control and massaging the appearance of it, but it's not about facing the facts.
"There's this idea in the FAI that everything is positive, everything's rosy in the garden and I can't understand that. Everybody in the game knows it's a joke but they won't face up to that, and they won't silence me for saying that. If they want to fine me €5,000, then they can go ahead.
"They say that I am always knocking the league but I don't see it like that -- I love this league, but I know that some club will go bankrupt this year. That's a racing certainty.
"The FAI can fine me €5,000 if they want, I will challenge them all the way. I am not knocking the league, I am stating facts, and if they want to fine someone for stating facts, then let them," added Keely.
http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/ke...g-1656061.html
A transient, horrible, fantastic dream,
Wherein is nothing yet all things do seem:
From which we're wakened by a friendly nudge
Of our bedfellow Death, and cry: "O fudge!"
Ambrose Bierce
I've objected to this FAI censorship Keely refers to before. I don't think it helps any, and it's enormously frustrating for people in the game. More effective in surpressing bad press would be something like not repeating the fun of half the league going broke midseason this year.
Last edited by John83; 27/02/2009 at 6:15 PM. Reason: clarification
You can't spell failure without FAI
I wish to god that Keely would just go away for about ten years so we dont have to be dealing with the guy.
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
He's dead right to say what he did. About time people started standing up for whats right instead of sitting in the wings and pretending everything is rosy like John83 for example, this typifies the kind of attitude that always gets us into messes(Oh no its another bad story about the league, will you guys grow up, things can't get any worse and a bit of bad news/publicity here and there is welcome because for sure its the only kind we get, maybe some day when all this bad publicity in the league reaches boiling point someone in a position to do something will stand up and just do it). So in my view Keely is dead right. And all this crap about bad publicity is rubbish enough of it and it may help us out of this mess.
I'd agree with this. While Keely does have a point, at the same time the Fran Gavin and the LoI are doing what they can to promote the league and PR comes into this.Originally Posted by John83
You've misinterpreted my post. In your defense, I didn't make it totally clear what I was objecting to. I meant the FAI's policy of censorship, not Keely's comments. I've now edited that post.
You can't spell failure without FAI
More of same:
http://vimeo.com/3389057
A transient, horrible, fantastic dream,
Wherein is nothing yet all things do seem:
From which we're wakened by a friendly nudge
Of our bedfellow Death, and cry: "O fudge!"
Ambrose Bierce
And we at Shels used to be accused of burying our heads in the sand.
What goes around, comes around.
A transient, horrible, fantastic dream,
Wherein is nothing yet all things do seem:
From which we're wakened by a friendly nudge
Of our bedfellow Death, and cry: "O fudge!"
Ambrose Bierce
What planet are you on?
How do you get there?
Any chance of that travel company going there go on strike any time soon?
So you are saying the only way we'll solve the problems of the league is to generate all the bad news to the point that it makes 'the person with the keys to the magical safe that contains the solutions to every clubs problems' to act and open said safe?
Have i got that right yeah? thats about the list of it from what i can see? Is that what you were trying to say so yeah?
Question: Why hasn't the guy turned the key up until now though?
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
Kelly does have a point and if only positive news comes out not going to help as people not naive enough to think everything rosy in the garden.
Like Fran Gavin comments about the first division recently and lack of FD on tv and saying they should get into the Premier Division to be on tv oh yeah that great PR
And Miles To Go Before We Sleep
Keely has been banging on about it for a couple of years to be fair.
I understand the point you have made in terms of positive spin but one "Drogheda United"(apologies to Drogs fans) has a negative press impact which 10,000 smiley photoshoots of CPOs or soundbites.
I am totally in agreement with Keeley and while he mightn't be my cup of tea, I respect the fact that he'll say what he thinks.
Witness the lack of questions on the Padraig Smith thread. There are a load of questions to be asked on that but I am sure that people aren't holding their breath in terms of an insight? It was a struggle from me to even bother submitting ones, as I know there is little point.
I was naive enough to believe that Licensing might sort it out five years ago. The process has been a complete fudge ever since then and it has completely lost any credibility.
Anyone who cares about the League, and isn't just myoptically interested in their club, has to be concerned with the future of the League. Like Keely I'd place a bet that we'll have another financial crisis(or two) this year.
Anyone who speaks out of turn(and I know from bitter experience) will feel the full force, whilst we get the "it will be sorted this year".
We all thought we would have a "correction" this year, with the downturn, but from the look of it there appears to have been a little bit of musical chairs, without any real change.
Keeley is 100 percent right....if we had men of his stature making decisions it would be a much better League and the brushing under the carpet would be stopped....indeed the dirty rotten carpet would be thrown in the bin!!.......would be interesting to see the amount of big clubs scarper as far as they could when that happens!!
The thing is though when the clubs ran the league it was pants
Clubs are being dragged kicking and screaming, having to adhere to licensing and some are finding it hard to swallow but what did they expect.
I'll be honest, Keely and his whinging will never do anything to improve this league. His whinging is worthless and not worth the time of day. It serves no purpose bar allowing him to rattle on and enjoy his own pontificating
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
Keely's right. If a manager made Fran Gavin's comment about the First Division - regardless of whether or not it was justified - he'd be fined. But even constructive criticism isn't allowed. That's the inconsistency that's annoying. Your post sounds like you don't like the guy, therefore he's wrong.
You cannot honestly say this after the licensing mess we've just had.
Drogheda (not to take the thread off topic) have been blatantly given assistance of a kind the FAI said they couldn't give any club, 2 clubs have gone into examinership and had no significant punishment. Who has been dragged kicking and screaming anywhere?
Keely is dead right to say this -
"The whole thing has become a farce. What's gone on is a scandal, and an even bigger scandal is the fact that we've heard nothing from the people in charge"
I never liked him since his first spell at Shels, nah i'm only messing
Keely's right. If a manager made Fran Gavin's comment about the First Division - regardless of whether or not it was justified - he'd be fined. But even constructive criticism isn't allowed. That's the inconsistency that's annoying. Your post sounds like you don't like the guy, therefore he's wrong.
Seriously, i dont have an issue with him per say but you have to admit that he does pipe up all the time with negativity, and its never changing. If he even changed tack every once and a while and pick out positive stuff then his opinion would carry more weight for me.
Have to say when the ref nearly stopped a game over jersey colours there a while back (last season i think) Keelys attitude was classic, really showed the stupidity of it all.
Edit: Sorry, on your point above, yeah the inconsistency aint gonna help ever. But some people in this league only ever have something bad to say. They may have a point, a very valid one but its not balanced to constantly start giving out. I should know, i give out an awful lot
Last edited by A face; 27/02/2009 at 7:36 PM.
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
Let's wait until he gives out about something he shouldn't be so. He's spot on here.
Its a given that everyone knows there is a lot wrong in the league. We are more than aware of that. Ask anyone on the street and they will tell you that the league is a basket case.
Can someone give me a decent reason why the FAI should allow constant negative whinging?
What are the benefits and advantages to it?
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
Its gonna take time ..... I know that is a short and snappy answer, even a rebuttal you might say but its true. If we are getting closer to it then its a good thing.
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
have to agree with this. The FAI cannot be vilified for not sorting out every issue off the bat. As long as things are improving (i think they are, in general terms) and the FAI learn from their mistakes (we'll see) then the benefit of the doubt should be granted to them that they will get things right sooner rather than later.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
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