Earth Calling Gerry McDermott

**WeAreRovers** · 12/12/2006, 12:11 PM

Gerry, fair play on the fantastic PR job you did on yesterday's announcement. You managed to make sure that nobody bought the FAI line. RT�, Newstalk and all the papers have described yesterday's events as a farce and are painting it as another black day for irish football.

When a fool like John Gill can monopolise the national media and you can't even persuade a a genuine fan like Tony O'Donoghue of the merits of the new system you should take a long hard look at the totally rubbish job you're doing. Either that or a) get some PR lessons off Giller or b) blame it all in the "cancer of hooliganism".

KOH

**Schumi** · 12/12/2006, 12:17 PM

At least he was of some use for once.

**wws** · 12/12/2006, 12:18 PM

somebody mouthing off makes colorfull copy a la gill

what do u expect mcdermott to do
"Right the results are out, we've decided the teams and Dundalk....let me tell ya Tony I'm angry....I'm angry....John Gill can go feck off back to Scotland.....what he done was despicable.....I'm sorry Tony....I've been angry for a long time now"

**NY Hoop** · 12/12/2006, 12:19 PM

Or bad language

The FAI will never admit their mistakes. Anyone who questions them is "bringing the game into disrepute".

Great thing is McDermott reads this site

KOH

**JW.** · 12/12/2006, 12:22 PM

Gill's arguments are absolute tosh, but idiots on barstools will sympathise with them - save for anything he said about the non-existent merits of the playoff.

**WeAreRovers** · 12/12/2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by wws

somebody mouthing off makes colorfull copy a la gill

Obviously but neither Tony O'Donoghue or Eoin McDevitt told Gill that his club had signed up for this, leaving the viewers and listeners thinking that Gill had a point.

McDermott should have briefed all the media that headcases like Gill were going to go off on one and here's the relevant facts. He didn't do that.

Also on Newstalk last night Gill and WUFC's secretary were allowed unfettered access to national airwaves. Where was the bould Gerry then? Tucking into his dinner while congratulating himself on a job well done?

Aside for the obvious problems this league has - ironically yesterday's events were meant to be a start on improving them - PR is a massive battlefield. One where the FAi have failed miserably down the years. As an ex-hack McDermott should know this but apparently not.

Between himself and floppy-haired boss they managed an impressive own goal yesterday. Here's to bright new dawn.

KOH

**Poor Student** · 12/12/2006, 12:30 PM

I know I've been against this process from day 1, but the FAI never even bothered to justify why this process had to take place. The "old league was dissolved and you're applying for a totally new one" is superficial sophistic nonsense. That's as far as anyone went towards explaining why this was necessary. No wonder it's being attacked. The FAI's PR machine is total crap.

**thomas** · 12/12/2006, 2:30 PM

The point was to make it look like they were taking control.
Mission accomplished?

**Schumi** · 12/12/2006, 4:18 PM

Originally Posted by thomas

The point was to make it look like they were taking control.
Mission accomplished?

Given the chaos and backbiting, it certainly looks like the FAI have taken control.

**pete** · 12/12/2006, 5:01 PM

I agree the FAI have handled this very badly.

FAI PR man should have been saturating the airways explaining the prcoess & how it was decided etc...

The media low a scrap so will run with unless they corrected.

**Dodge** · 12/12/2006, 5:23 PM

You're assuming they want people to know how the process worked pete...

**paudie** · 12/12/2006, 5:30 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

The "old league was dissolved and you're applying for a totally new one" is superficial sophistic nonsense.

Surely the fact that Dundalk and Waterford for this process is relevant (leaving aside the rights and wrongs of the process) and should have really pushed by the FAI in any PR work done on the new league make up.