And Dundalks response:::
http://www.dundalkfc.com/news/100713_Statement.asp
The Football Association of Ireland responds to Ian Foster’s inaccurate comments about the FAI
The FAI today (Tuesday, July 13th) confirmed that it will refer Ian Foster’s claims in today’s newspapers to the DCU (Disciplinary Control Unit).
Like all clubs involved in European competition, the FAI has assisted Dundalk on several issues this year, including assistance to get Ian Foster on a UEFA Pro License course and helping to ensure that Oriel Park met the UEFA licensing requirements. The FAI is also helping the club to register Steven Lennon from Glasgow Rangers and he will be available for the Europa League tie on Thursday.
1) In relation to Dundalk’s game on Sunday against Shamrock Rovers, the FAI only received the contract today (Tuesday), without which it would be impossible to get an international transfer certificate from the Scottish FA.
2) The club and the FAI have been working very closely together in order to complete the registration process promptly and ahead of time so that the player can be available for selection at Thursday’s Europa League game. In order to do this the FAI have been in close contact with club officials Paul Johnson, Maeve McQuillan and Colm Crossan since Friday and over the weekend and we were thanked in writing for the assistance provided over the weekend by the club yesterday morning.
3) The FAI has already informed the club that there will be no issue with the player being available for selection for the club’s Europa League game on Thursday.
4) The reason why the FAI accompanies certain clubs to European competition is to ensure that all UEFA rules are met and to avoid monetary sanctions. The FAI will also be assisting Sporting Fingal, who have never played in Europe, and Shamrock Rovers, who like Dundalk FC have not been in European competition for some time. This is at a cost to the Association and is to advise and support the clubs.
Speaking today, Fran Gavin, Director of the Airtricity League, said:
“Ian Foster has already been reprimanded by his own club this season for making silly remarks without being fully acquainted with the facts. Today’s comments will now be referred to the Disciplinary Control Unit. As a club manager in his second season, he should be aware of what is required at a club operating at Dundalk’s level. He has mobile numbers for me and my colleagues and has contacted us on numerous occasions in the past, out of hours and we have always been happy to assist. The pressures of club management can not excuse such repeated, inaccurate and irresponsible claims.”
And Dundalks response:::
http://www.dundalkfc.com/news/100713_Statement.asp
Some of what Foster said in that interview was fair enough imo.
Very OTT response from the FAI.
"Distancing" themselves.
In other words leaving Foster out to dry. They should be happy with the job he has done so far and back him up instead of sh1ting themselves so much.
Well done Foster dead right
BetweenTheStripes.net - Home of Between the Stripes LOI podcast.
What paper was Foster's comments in? Any Link?
He seems to complain alot
Here on a technicality.
They were during his post match interview on MNS. Not sure what paper picked them up.
I am very concerned that the club are not properly supporting the manager.
The FAI and the club should appreciate the immense pressure on Fosterof trying to sustain a title challenge and a Europa campaign on a miniscle budget.
Many of Fosters comments were fair, albeit focussed on the negatives rather then the positives of the FAI.
Looks like we'll be looking for a fourth manager in four years.
Dundalk CEO Gerry Matthews was also quite vocal in his condemnation of Foster's comments.
Speaking to The Dundalk Democrat, he said: "I am furious with Ian and the comments he has made. The club are facing a hefty fine because of it and it brings Dundalk Football Club into disrepute. It's certainly not productive and it's an open invitation for the FAI to take action.
"This is the second time he has made comments this season regarding the FAI. Steps were taken the last time to ensure he wouldn't come out with anything like this again so the club board is very disappointed with what he has said."
Matthews went on to say that the FAI and, in particular, John Delaney, had been very supportive of Dundalk both this season and in the past. The CEO also dismissed Foster's claims that their registration process was in the "dark ages".
"John Delaney and the FAI have gone out of their way to help us and they pulled out the stops to ensure we got everything in order to participate in Europe. They worked extremely hard with us in that regard and were very accommodating.
"Michael Hayes is one of the FAI officials who travelled to Bulgaria with the team. He was heavily involved in getting the Michael McGowan transfer pushed through but Ian has come out and criticised the FAI's methods for registering players. There is procedure to be followed, he should know that.
"The board will sit down and have a serious chat with Ian when he comes back. I don't think it would be right speaking to him about this two days before a big European game. He will be asked to retract his comments. The club distance themselves from what he has said and we certainly don't condone it in any way
http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/dundal...ith.6417423.jp
Last edited by White Horse; 13/07/2010 at 9:09 PM.
I presume its this:
Dundalk manager Ian Foster has branded his team's recent schedule as "crazy" and admitted he fears for their chances in the first leg of their Europa League clash with Levski Sofia in Bulgaria on Thursday.
The Lillywhites were on the end of a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, but the manager refused to blame his players after a gruelling series of games.
And the Liverpool native was critical of the FAI, claiming that the association has hindered rather than helped Dundalk's chances of European progression.
"We keep getting told about coefficients," he said. "And you see these FAI blazers travelling with us and getting on the bandwagon but you don't see them helping us.
"Somebody tell me how we are supposed to go from a European tie on Thursday to the league leaders on Sunday, having played a local derby on the Monday and having travelled to Luxembourg the week before.
"It's crazy. You wouldn't do it to a racehorse, never mind a human.
"I'm sure Rovers were rubbing their hands when they saw us coming. I genuinely don't know how to get players to perform at a level that is acceptable when they can't run about.
"We are playing one of the most illustrious teams in Europe on Thursday and my players are absolutely shattered. We've played more games than anyone else in the league, so help us, give us a dig out."
Foster was also frustrated after securing the signing of former Rangers striker Stephen Leonard, only for the FAI's registration procedures to prevent him from taking any part against Rovers. And the manager is unsure as to whether Leonard will be available on Thursday, as his application makes its way through the bureaucratic channels at national and European level.
"We signed a player on Friday but he couldn't play because we've got to send it registered post," he said. "Why can't you fax it or email it? We're in the dark ages, honest to God.
"We don't know (if Leonard will be available for the Levski tie) because no one in the FAI will return our calls. But they're travelling with us on Tuesday, which is nice of them."
I’m not pedantic...I’m merely overly concerned with minute details.
a bit moany but standard fare for most managers. Nutsy's said worse in the past and not been reprimanded. Bit of an overreaction from the FAI and nothing more than an attempt at damage limitation from Matthews which is understandable.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Lots of games is the price of success. Many other clubs would be only too happy to pay it.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Spot on Mr A
The same thing more or less happened us last season (and others Im sure)
We arrived back from Albania on the Friday night/Saturday morning then got whipped by Cork on the Sunday. So what. We didnt have a big enough squad, our problem.
Id gladly be in Bulgaria at the moment
It is clear to everyone the schedules a joke. The FAI did go a bit overboard in their response but Foster seems to be the kind of manager that often goes out on a limb without knowing the full facts.
San Marino are going to be a handful as the group goes on." - Steve Staunton reacts to performance against San Marino.
All Foster seems to do is complain. Bit of a broken record at this stage.
The European participants always have a game on the Sunday after they get back as far as I can remember I know we did after our European.. er..adventures..
His comments seem to be empty whining. I have no problem with the FAI issuing a press release calling him on bull****. Particularly after the Declan O’Brien mess Drogheda got themselves into in Europe a few years back, I'm quite happy to see the FAI actually have someone on hand who knows what the hell they're doing. And as Mr A says, you qualify for lots of competitions, you have lots of games. Tough ****.
You can't spell failure without FAI
Theres plenty of managers and clubs in this country that would be only delighted to be involved in these amount of games, especially at the level Dundalk are playing at.
Just get on with it, and if he cant stand the heat ...
Manager: Fergal, have you your boots with ya?
Fergal: Ya, I have them here.
Manager: Ah good stuff, well give them to this man so, he forgot his!
I note the FAI did not reply to the schedule issue which appears to be the main part of Foster's complaints. Foster has a valid point re the schedule but he could easily have complained about the schedule without at all mentioning the FAI. I take it that Foster was interviewed after getting trashed 4-0? Not the best of times. The rest of his moans, informed or not, should be kept out of the public domain.
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