You could argue that funding the FAI to the tune of 18 million may loose them more votes than they may gain. The FAI need to die even Conway saying yesterday in an almost incredulous manner that apparently he is considered part of the old Guard and thats why he had to resign. The best thing the FAI can do now is voluntary liquidate itself in a planned manner parallel to a new body being set up which could then by mutual consent take over the governance, promotion and administration of football in the country.
Ha, yeah, Conway should get a GoFundMe started.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
If the Dublin County Manager can spend 22 million of taxpayers money building a white water rafting center for his own hobby i don't buy the Govt cant fund football in Ireland
But the money the FAI is looking for wouldn't be to fund football, it would be to keep the association with its head just above water. Whatever about that whitewater rafting facility, the money being spent on it isn't a bailout of a failing (failed?) entity.
I'd see Ireland crash out of UEFA and FIFA before I'd agree to any taxpayer money being used to prop up the catastrophe that Delaney, Conway and co created.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
The politicians keep talking about the FAI as if the old board and CEO are still there.
There is a new board and soon a new CEO.
Do we keep flagellating them for the sins of the people that came before them or do we accept where we are now and move towards funding football properly in this country (lets say to the same extent as greyhound racing maybe ??).
I do agree however that the admin and coaching elements of the FAI are grossly overstaffed.
Most of the coaches paid for by the FAI are simply doing the same jobs as the coaches at the junior clubs and in many cases less well.
The FAI with a proper CEO who wasn't interested in building an empire but on developing the game needs a far smaller staff.
A condition of taxpayer money going in would be to have a fit for purpose organisation.
The FA in England have 825 staff per 2018 accounts of which 97 are stadium and event management and 250 are running a hotel. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ly-average-uk/
Given the FAI dont have a hotel and only own 42.5% of the aviva a fair comparison would be 500 staff in the UK doing the job compared to 200 here.
A country with ten times the population and probably a 100 times the money.
I appreciate there is a sepearte premier league body and overall comparisons are complicated but do we really think that 200 people in the FAI is a reasonable number compared to 500 ish in the FA in England.
Sometimes bald stats are true ...like the one about John Delaney being the best paid CEO in Europe was defended by many on the bais of what a great job he was doing.
Last edited by sbgawa; 02/01/2020 at 9:39 AM.
This is a good point I think. Though in fairness, I think Ross' stance has changed lately; he's been more receptive to the FAI. Conway still has to **** off of course, and that schoolboys stooge only recently left. I think the government will be more receptive again once Conway is gone.
But if Paul Cooke is asking for E18m to bail the FAI out, it should be listened to and not treated as just another audacious FAI request. Not his fault the FAI are where they are.
Any State bailout of the FAI should come with major strings attached. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to redesign Irish football (at all levels) to make it better fit for purpose. It should be seized firmly by the government, who should be busy doing their homework about what changes are needed in the game. Then present the FAI with a list of everything that needs to change if they want the money to stay alive. Change or die.
The problem is who is to tell them what to do and what is the right thing to do anyway, people will have different views.
I think the next CEO appointment is massive, it needs to be someone from a commercial background not some civil service flunky or board member from the Leinster association or some crap like that.
Put a proper CEO in and tell him to sort it out , preferably from outside the country altogether.
Yeah, I agree with that. Shane Ross isn't the one to tell the FAI how to run itself. He was quite happy with Delaney until the **** unavoidably hit the fan. He's smoking out the entire former board, and that's good enough for me I think.
There's also the question as to how much the government can interfere before FIFA step in and suspend the FAI. I don't think that's something we can afford really.
Yep the government cant appoint the CEO but id say UEFA are ****ed off enough at having to help out that they would allow a certain amount of "suggestions"
Would it be too much for the Government to say that the board must elect someone with no previous official position in Irish football, i.e from the wider business community?
It'll be interesting to see how many former officials get hired back in as consultants once the furore dies down.
Really? Maybe I'm just being overly cynical then. I certainly hope so.
Good a place as any for this I think. Would be good to have a President with a LoI background I feel. Could be tough for Heraghty to get the backing of non LoI reps though must have been backed for the interim board. His background sounds more suitable currently, any thoughts (Sligo fans)?
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020...ai-presidency/
Nice guy for sure but was a shock to a lot of people when he was made Chairman but reading his past work history he obviously has something about him
He presented at the LOI gathering at Abbotstown and was very impressive. Would like to see him as president.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Bookmarks