Rooney on Liveline

[shane123]

http://www.a2zsoccer.com/news/conten...m?file=1570096

Anyone hear Rooney on Liveline today?

[thejollyrodger]

here is the article : -

Rooney pleads his case
Thu 28 Oct 2004
FAI chief executive Fran Rooney told Joe Duffy's Liveline show on RTE Radio One that he wants to be allowed remain in charge of soccer in this country.

Rooney made a plea to the FAI board and council on the national airwaves as his position within the association hangs by a thread.

"There has been a lot of positives since I have come into the position," said Rooney. "We have lobbied hard to the government about the stadium, put better support structures in place for the Irish team. We also have the technical development plan as well as improved sponsorship deals with the likes of Setanta, RTE and Carlsberg.

"We have over 300,000 people involved in the game in this country every weekend and the grassroots are behind me.

"The Genesis report has been about implementing change and that's what I am doing. It's not an issue about me walking away from the job. I want to sit down with the board and discuss everything."

Rooney received a number of calls on the show leaping to his defence including Republic of Ireland soccer legend Paul McGrath.

"I just can't understand why Fran is been hounded out," said McGrath. "Fran's credentials are incredible. He is someone who wants to do the job and do it properly.

"Fran is a decent human being who is trying to get on with his job but for some strange reason he isn't being allowed to do that. He has been involved in the game from grassroots level and all I have heard from people on the ground is that Fran is doing a good job."

Drogheda United chairman Vincent Hoey was also fulsome in his praise of Rooney and said it would be a big blow to the association if he was relieved of his duties.

"He is a godsend to the FAI. I wish he will continue on in his post. He has been up to United Park on a number of occasions and I can't say enough about the man."

Roo -Ney Roo -Ney Roo -Ney Roo -Ney Roo -Ney

[deadman]

he said he was a fighter at the weekend ... and i underestimated him ... a brilliant bit of PR for himself today on the wireless. even my mother now wants to know why they're trying to get rid of him

[skbio_toronto]

Even living legends like Paul McGrath are backing Fran Rooney. The more I think about this issue the stronger I believe that its essential that Rooney is kept on.

Feck the begrudgers (not many on this board) who use his considerable take home pay as an excuse to sack him. Like it or lump it, 250K p.a. for a CEO is pretty much par for the course in today's business world.

If Rooney is given the sack now, Corcoran and his chums might as well be sticking up his middle finger to all genuine Irish football supporters, as far as I'm concerned.

SKBIO-TOR

[1MickCollins]

I think Rooney is the kind of guy the organization needs. Having said that you really can't compare the FAI with a business even though that is what it needs to be run as. They typically have a turnover of about 12M, and last year they lost about 500,000. To have a CEO at 250K in a scenario where generating extra revenue is very difficult and they are looking at breaking even at best every year unless they qualify for a WC finals. A new stadium which may increase turnover by 2M a year. It is not enough to implement Genesis you have to work outside the box and generate extra revenue other any decent administrator could do the job at half the salary.

But in fairness to the rest of the FAI they invested heavily in youth development in the 90's and that has had a big impact on the senior team today. They lose money on every single international at under age level. The FAI only makes money on home senior internationals.

[skbio_toronto]

I think Rooney is the kind of guy the organization needs. Having said that you really can't compare the FAI with a business even though that is what it needs to be run as. They typically have a turnover of about 12M, and last year they lost about 500,000. To have a CEO at 250K in a scenario where generating extra revenue is very difficult and they are looking at breaking even at best every year unless they qualify for a WC finals. A new stadium which may increase turnover by 2M a year. It is not enough to implement Genesis you have to work outside the box and generate extra revenue other any decent administrator could do the job at half the salary.

But in fairness to the rest of the FAI they invested heavily in youth development in the 90's and that has had a big impact on the senior team today. They lose money on every single international at under age level. The FAI only makes money on home senior internationals.

Are the FAI necessarily going to get someone who can do (seemingly) as good a job as Rooney is doing for half the salary? I'd have my own doubts on that score.

Your perfectly correct to say that the FAI should'nt be lumped in as merely being a business. Most people on this board (irrespective of their careers) myself included would consider the FAI as the facilitator to what we hold near and dear to ourselves. The Irish football team.

For my money, Rooney (from the football side of things) has already earned a significant proportion of his salary, by negotiating a favourable schedule of WC '06 fixtures in line with Brian Kerr's preference. As we all remember, the French FA were taken aback, in particular, at how hard ase he was in getting the most favorable list of games for us.

As regards an operating loss of 500K. For a non profit organisation, which will (hopefully) have a revamped stadium with improved tenure conditions in the future, I believe that is a reasonably acceptable current situation.

What really scares me, is if the likes of Corcoran & Delaney get their way and appoint a blazer clad yes man.

Does'nt bear thinking about, does it!?!

SKBIO-TOR