FAI troubles

**osarusan** · 28/11/2019, 11:29 AM

Thought it might be good to have one thread to follow this.

The latest in this saga is that Shane Ross and Sport Ireland have referred the FAI's accounts to the Gardai.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2019...599-fai-audit/

In a statement, Minister Ross's department said: "The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, has received the Final Report of the Independent Audit of the FAI, conducted by KOSI Corporation Ltd, on behalf of Sport Ireland.

"The Minister said that Sport Ireland has today referred the report to An Garda Síochána.

Dan McDonnell in the Indo saying that publishing the accounts is the only way to regain any kind of trust.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/col...-38733008.html

Just a few days ago, the Irish Times reported that the FAI's debt was set to break €50 million.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rac...week-1.4092282

**Stuttgart88** · 28/11/2019, 12:22 PM

I presume the Gardai (over and above the corporate governance enforcement body) being involved suggests there's criminal activity suspected. Could be getting hairy for JD. If expenses are at the heart of the issue it'd be a metter for Revenue too, as expenses reduce the tax payable.

**dynamo kerry** · 30/11/2019, 12:35 PM

This could also be pretty benign. We don't know the process or trigger so probably best not to speculate on it too much.
Everyone agrees the governance was sub optimal and I for one am thrilled Delaney is gone but it's a but early to suggest anything criminal went on.

**osarusan** · 30/11/2019, 11:59 PM

Delaney's 50th birthday party cost FAI 69K, of which he repaid 50K, and the rest was put down as a footballing expense, as some UEFA wigs were involved.

http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/u...t-3-scaled.jpg

**geysir** · 01/12/2019, 2:08 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

Delaney's 50th birthday party cost FAI 69K, of which he repaid 50K, and the rest was put down as a footballing expense, as some UEFA wigs were involved.

http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/u...t-3-scaled.jpg

50k?? that's a sizable hunk of money considering his after tax income and roller lifestyle.

**osarusan** · 02/12/2019, 11:11 AM

John Foley, who was expected to join the FAI as interim CEO, taking over from Noel Mooney, has chosen to decline, and given some pointed comments for his decision.

"Ultimately, it was not clear that the support for my appointment across key stakeholders was at the level required for me to succeed on delivering on the huge challenges to be faced by the Association in the coming months.

"Therefore I have decided not to take up the role of Interim CEO. I wish the staff, board, volunteers and players at all levels every best wish for the future."

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019...-interim-role/

**elatedscum** · 02/12/2019, 7:12 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I presume the Gardai (over and above the corporate governance enforcement body) being involved suggests there's criminal activity suspected. Could be getting hairy for JD. If expenses are at the heart of the issue it'd be a metter for Revenue too, as expenses reduce the tax payable.

If I were guessing, I'd say they forwarded it onto the guards to avoid it being published. It's a pretty water-tight excuse and even if there's nothing whatsoever incriminating involved, they can just kick it down the line for a year and if it comes up say the gardai decided not to forward anything to the DPP. Everything I've seen from the minister and sport ireland indicates they're competing with the FAI in campaigns of propaganda.

The whole thing is a ****show of unparalleled proportions. it's like Iraq. the moment Delaney and the FAI lost authority, you had a dozen different factions sensing weakness and all vying for relative power. The behaviour of the DDSL and the LSL in particular left a really sour note. There are genuine problems with participation levels within the country and a lot of people within the FAI were doing good work to try and address that and instead of improving the situation it's all reverted to the way it was before.

Meanwhile, the funding being withdrawn is making a terrible situation so much worse. Things are probably gonna get a lot worse before they get better...

**Stuttgart88** · 03/12/2019, 7:41 AM

Originally Posted by osarusan

John Foley, who was expected to join the FAI as interim CEO, taking over from Noel Mooney, has chosen to decline, and given some pointed comments for his decision.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019...-interim-role/

"Key stakeholders" = Shane Ross

**nigel-harps1954** · 03/12/2019, 11:51 AM

I think it's fair to say, given all his faults, of which there are many, Shane Ross is playing a blinder with the FAI in attempting to rid them of the old guard.

**pineapple stu** · 03/12/2019, 11:58 AM

FAI being urged to sell their stake in the Aviva to help cashflow.

It's a logical, if large, step - though will they get what they paid into it? How will it affect future cash flows, both in terms of paying extra rent and losing out on commercial matchday income?

**pineapple stu** · 03/12/2019, 1:13 PM

"I want to see regime change, and that means [...] not going back to the FAI for people like Noel Mooney, people who in the past have had identification with the FAI. That's not acceptable anymore."

Shane Ross crosses the Rubicon. Again, I guess.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019...eanout-at-fai/

**elatedscum** · 03/12/2019, 2:17 PM

From a governmental perspective, isn’t there something inherently sexist about this:

“We're looking at ways of (restoring funding) for the women's national team, we're looking at ways of doing it for the sports clubs," he said.

And inherently wrong about this, that parents and volunteers with children in medium or large clubs should be punished, purely based on size:

"It's so important that the small sports clubs, the people who (bring) out young girls and boys on a daily basis for training, for health... that they're funded.

"I think you can expect (to see) something very soon to channel money to them, not through the FAI but through another way, to ringfence it in a way that it's safe that they get it."

**Mr_Parker** · 03/12/2019, 3:12 PM

@GerKeville: Paul Cooke appointed interim executive lead at FAI.
More on @IndoSport from @jfallondub shortly

**elatedscum** · 03/12/2019, 4:34 PM

"It means not going back to the FAI for people like Noel Mooney, people who in the past have had identification with the FAI. That's not acceptable anymore. We've got to see a complete clean out."

The problem is probably anyone who is remotely qualified to do the job, and who understands Irish football to the extend necessary to succeed, probably will have some association to the FAI at some point.

Furthermore, I've never met Noel Mooney but to say that someone should immediately be ruled out of the job, because they worked for the organisation 5 or 10 years ago, is just stupid. I think in any large organisation, be they functional or dysfunctional, you'll have really good people doing their job well and people doing a sub-par job. On the face of it, his experience with UEFA would give him unique insights and make him a decent candidate. Maybe sport ireland are hoping to appoint someone who was previously head of Cricket Ireland or Irish Hockey or whatever

**osarusan** · 04/12/2019, 8:16 AM

I suppose anybody who will meet the standards of Sport Ireland is somebody the FAI won't be happy with and vice versa.

I wonder is there any chance of bringing the current head of some other FA.

**Stuttgart88** · 04/12/2019, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

"It means not going back to the FAI for people like Noel Mooney, people who in the past have had identification with the FAI. That's not acceptable anymore. We've got to see a complete clean out."

The problem is probably anyone who is remotely qualified to do the job, and who understands Irish football to the extend necessary to succeed, probably will have some association to the FAI at some point.

Furthermore, I've never met Noel Mooney but to say that someone should immediately be ruled out of the job, because they worked for the organisation 5 or 10 years ago, is just stupid. I think in any large organisation, be they functional or dysfunctional, you'll have really good people doing their job well and people doing a sub-par job. On the face of it, his experience with UEFA would give him unique insights and make him a decent candidate. Maybe sport ireland are hoping to appoint someone who was previously head of Cricket Ireland or Irish Hockey or whatever

I think there needs to be a clear-out and anybody closely associated with the failed FAI can’t be considered for an executive or Board role in any reformed organisation. But Foley’s connection was quite distant from the inner workings of the FAI and if he was successful in running Athletics (I’ve no opinion here) of course he should be considered as a FAI CEO candidate.

@osarusan Personally I’m not convinced a candidate from another FA is necessary. In my opinion the key here is experience of a mission-oriented not-for-profit or quasi-public institution. I think sports experience would be valuable, but not necessarily football.