Why are the FAI incompetent? Examples?

Dots1982

Does anyone want to provide examples of mismanagement by the FAI under John Delaney? Not really about over the top salaries but actual bad mistakes and what they should have done?

SEPT 23 1989

The manky looking jerseys for a start

sabat

Asking for an extra place at the World Cup

theteal

LOI

Oat23

Good example here posted the other week.

Pighead wrote: »

DeanAustin they most certainly did go into debt through bad business decisions.

I'm not sure if you're aware of the Vantage Ticket Scheme fiasco but if not here's a quick breakdown.
FAI needed to stump up €70 odd million for their contribution towards the AVIVA.
John Delaney smoking a cigar with his feet up at his executives table says 'Not a problem. We can pay that no bother. I could write a cheque tomorrow if needed.'

John's confidence was borne from a cunning plan where the FAI would sell about 10,000 'Vantage Club' tickets on a ten year deal. The good news was the FAI would only need to sell 6000 of these tickets to break even and make the €70m odd required.
The bad news was the FAI priced the tickets ridiculously high with tickets at the half way line priced at an eye watering €32000.

Meanwhile ticketing agents ISG offered to buy all the tickets for a guaranteed €75m and were willing to take their chances on any loss/profit thereafter.

Big John tells ISG to do one and decides that the FAI will sell tickets themselves and keep all the juicy profits for themselves.

Just over 3000 tickets were sold which meant the FAI were a cool €40m short of the money they needed to pay off their share of the AVIVA.

That forced the FAI to undertake huge high interest loans which in turn led to more debt and a whole host of redundancies and cost cutting measures. Debt is due to be finally payed off in 2020. Hopefully lessons have been leaned.

duffman13

The gross mismanagement of the LOI in particular the licensing system and all the flaws which are evident within that.

The complete lack of coaching education system at grass roots level. If anyone wants to be a coach or get to a good level of coaching the FAI make a profit on all course instead of subsidising them or at least providing them at cost price.

The poor layout of the grass roots sector, the SFAI, DDSL and one or two others dictate grass roots football and the FAI have been slow to disrupt the status quo.

Grass roots development plan seems to have been a 1 point solution of an odd development officer in each area. There is no consistent approach to improving facilities in conjunction with the local authorities or any community based clubs.

Abbotstown is the FAI headquarters but still no centre of excellence fully formed. The new system of LOI underage leagues has promise but The way it's been implemented will likely leave to a reduction in participation from 15 onwards IMO.

I mean I could go on and on here, refereeing is shambolically run in this country. There are dinosaurs in charge of almost every aspect of football in Ireland and the FAI themselves are the prime example of this.

For me the FAI under Delaney was summed up when Monaghan United went to wall while he was on the piss in Poland.

Sure, it wasn't his fault, he's entitled to go on the tear etc. But employees in the sport here not knowing if they'd be paid at the end of the week while he whooped it up as the national side was getting crushed...just wrong.

Dots1982

Had heard about the vantage club thing which turned into a bit of a fiasco but didn’t know the full details.

Duffman- that’s an excellent post. If you have more to say on the FAI please go on.

I do see him as one part Alan Partridge, one part Swiss Tony. I don’t however know for certain if he is bad at his job and would Irish football be better without him.

artanevilla

They saddled themselves with massive debt to go 50/50 with the IRFU to redevelop Landsdowne Road, and when all that debt is up and the lease expires they will own exactly 0% of the stadium. The IRFU will own every single seat....

Dots1982

artanevilla wrote: »

They saddled themselves with massive debt to go 50/50 with the IRFU to redevelop Landsdowne Road, and when all that debt is up and the lease expires they will own exactly 0% of the stadium. The IRFU will own every single seat....

When does the lease expire? Didn’t know that actually. I assume they have always being tenants even in the old Lansdowne. Is it completely the FAIs fault? They simply haven’t the money and aren’t funded enough to build their own stadium?

duffman13

Dots1982 wrote: »

Had heard about the vantage club thing which turned into a bit of a fiasco but didn’t know the full details.

Duffman- that’s an excellent post. If you have more to say on the FAI please go on.

I do see him as one part Alan Partridge, one part Swiss Tony. I don’t however know for certain if he is bad at his job and would Irish football be better without him.

I'll tell you this, I met Delaney back around 2006 or 2007, I was a young coach, just stopped playing and he spoke to a few of us coaches about all the plans he had and wanted ideas and people to develop grass roots! I really liked the man and thought he had this grand vision for the association.

I gave him credit while Lansdowne was being redeveloped, ah sure there is no money but when I look at what's changed in the 11 or so years since I first heard him speak on grass roots football, I now realise the man is a fraud.

No interest in anything other than his position. Personally I coached for a number of years up until 2015 when I knocked it on the head due to total frustration. I took up refereeing to try stay involved and now see first hand how shambolic the FAI is on a whole other level.

Is he good at his job? The question you need to ask is what do you define as his role? Then people can give opinions on whether or not he is succesful.

duffman13

Dots1982 wrote: »

When does the lease expire? Didn’t know that actually. I assume they have always being tenants even in the old Lansdowne. Is it completely the FAIs fault? They simply haven’t the money and aren’t funded enough to build their own stadium?

There is about 50 years left on the lease, at which point the IRFU will own the land and stadium (it'll need redevelopment at that point)

To be honest, a country of our size has ample stadiums and joint venture with the IRFU is probably the best way to go tbh. There is money but not a couple of hundred million to build a new stadium and there is probably not a location in Dublin to do it IMO

Dots1982

duffman13 wrote: »

Dots1982 wrote: »

Had heard about the vantage club thing which turned into a bit of a fiasco but didn’t know the full details.

Duffman- that’s an excellent post. If you have more to say on the FAI please go on.

I do see him as one part Alan Partridge, one part Swiss Tony. I don’t however know for certain if he is bad at his job and would Irish football be better without him.

I'll tell you this, I met Delaney back around 2006 or 2007, I was a young coach, just stopped playing and he spoke to a few of us coaches about all the plans he had and wanted ideas and people to develop grass roots! I really liked the man and thought he had this grand vision for the association.

I gave him credit while Lansdowne was being redeveloped, ah sure there is no money but when I look at what's changed in the 11 or so years since I first heard him speak on grass roots football, I now realise the man is a fraud.

No interest in anything other than his position. Personally I coached for a number of years up until 2015 when I knocked it on the head due to total frustration. I took up refereeing to try stay involved and now see first hand how shambolic the FAI is on a whole other level.

Is he good at his job? The question you need to ask is what do you define as his role? Then people can give opinions on whether or not he is succesful.

Would Irish football be better off without him do you think? Or would the same problems exist? Is the problem just sestemic within the FAI.

You should consider blogging if you have the time on your time in the Irish football system or your views of it now. Be interested to read it.

duffman13

Dots1982 wrote: »

Would Irish football be better off without him do you think? Or would the same problems exist? Is the problem just sestemic within the FAI.

You should consider blogging if you have the time on your time in the Irish football system or your views of it now. Be interested to read it.

To be honest I think he needs to go. The problem is he has systematically eliminated anyone who has even looked at him sideways. The FAI needs a root and branch overhaul. In 2016 they spent nearly 12 million on salary costs, from memory they've 180 staff of which 50 odd are development officers. They earn roughly 40k per year. He's screwed them over in recent times.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/fai-chief-accused-of-reneging-on-promise-to-restore-pay-1.3287634

As far as I'm aware there is no performance standard or metric to measure performance of these development officers. Quiet a few of those still play LOI so I would wonder how dedicated they are to developing players and coaches in their catchment area.

There are a large cohort of executives on serious money aswell. Delaneys salary, one man's salary makes up 4% of salary spend. Between him and the rest of the directors and yes man, it would cost a small fortune to get them out.

Would it be for the good of the game? IMO Yes .

Distribution of salary needs to change and IMO a centre of excellence should be priority number one. Both for coaches and players, a creative process for these players to go abroad or play in the LOI also needs to be put in place. There is ways to improve but we aren't even looking at them tbh.

NIMAN

I work with some people who are involved in underage coaching. In both jurisdictions on the island.

A couple of guys have had dealings with both associations, and cannot say enough good things about the IFA and it's structures. However, most are damning about the FAI.

They fully understand why the north get so pissed off when they develop youngsters so well, only for them to walk away to Ireland.

Dots1982

duffman13 wrote: »

Dots1982 wrote: »

Would Irish football be better off without him do you think? Or would the same problems exist? Is the problem just sestemic within the FAI.

You should consider blogging if you have the time on your time in the Irish football system or your views of it now. Be interested to read it.

To be honest I think he needs to go. The problem is he has systematically eliminated anyone who has even looked at him sideways. The FAI needs a root and branch overhaul. In 2016 they spent nearly 12 million on salary costs, from memory they've 180 staff of which 50 odd are development officers. They earn roughly 40k per year. He's screwed them over in recent times.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/fai-chief-accused-of-reneging-on-promise-to-restore-pay-1.3287634

As far as I'm aware there is no performance standard or metric to measure performance of these development officers. Quiet a few of those still play LOI so I would wonder how dedicated they are to developing players and coaches in their catchment area.

There are a large cohort of executives on serious money aswell. Delaneys salary, one man's salary makes up 4% of salary spend. Between him and the rest of the directors and yes man, it would cost a small fortune to get them out.

Would it be for the good of the game? IMO Yes .

Distribution of salary needs to change and IMO a centre of excellence should be priority number one. Both for coaches and players, a creative process for these players to go abroad or play in the LOI also needs to be put in place. There is ways to improve but we aren't even looking at them tbh.

This is gold, thanks for taking the time. I was expecting stupid posts in reply like Delaney has to go coz he appoints managers like Martin O’Neill.

50 development officers. Jesus that’s surely the problem right there. Dublin GAA alone has 90.

Also should they not be full time? don’t like the sound of them having it as a side job while being LOI players is their main income earner...

s3rtvdbwfj81ch

Sending a very obviously sick and frail Bobby Robson on to Liveline after the Cyprus debacle.

duffman13

Dots1982 wrote: »

This is gold, thanks for taking the time. I was expecting stupid posts in reply like Delaney has to go coz he appoints managers like Martin O’Neill.

50 development officers. Jesus that’s surely the problem right there. Dublin GAA alone has 90.

Also should they not be full time? don’t like the sound of them having it as a side job while being LOI players is their main income earner...

I think there's 55 nationally, I can't say for sure. I'm not up to speed with who's in the roles anymore but a few years ago 4 or 5 them in Dublin were playing LOI. They are supposed to be full time but I've struggled in both a
Large successful club and a small local club to get a development officer out to offer coaching sessions. I know they have started to operate courses like kick start but they still charge for this as far as I'm aware. Maybe things have got better in the last couple of years?

I have gone as far as UEFA B license, if I wanted to do they A licence (I did) it was 2500ish euro. I did some coaching in Australia with a German guy who did the UEFA A licence for 600 quid in Germany. It's bizarre that we want to make money on developing coaches.

Oat23

NIMAN wrote: »

I work with some people who are involved in underage coaching. In both jurisdictions on the island.

A couple of guys have had dealings with both associations, and cannot say enough good things about the IFA and it's structures. However, most are damning about the FAI.

They fully understand why the north get so pissed off when they develop youngsters so well, only for them to walk away to Ireland.

Off the top of my head I know 4 ex Sligo Rovers players who did their badges with the IFA and not the FAI. None of them are from NI.


As well as cost I'm sure the incompetence of the FAI, which they would be well aware of having played in the LOI, played a part in their decision to travel up there for their coaching education.

secman

Worse than incompetence is CORRUPT. You have the same core people there since 2005 constantly voting for one another to keep themselves at the helm, and all the jollies & trips to away games , tournaments, etc
Imagine being paid stupid money to watch footy, and not having to worry about state of football in Ireland, and no sign of any if them stepping aside, turkeys don't vote for Christmas.
I used to attend LOI matches for years, used to go to all the international games, well before it ever became popular... a few years after Leech Delaney got himself to the helm I voted with my feet and stopped going to all matches. I now am bacj to watching my 6 year old grandson playing Acadamy footy every Sat.
Delaney inherited his place in FAI through his old man Joe Delaney.... Google him... Apple didn't fall far from the tree. SICKENING situation

NIMAN

I took my young kid to his first ever Ireland game in the friendly v Holland a couple of years back.

Awful game.

Anyway, we stayed the night in a hotel close to the Aviva. My brother was down with us, and he stayed on in the bar til late.

Next morning at breakfast, a few older couples walked past our table and got chatting to my brother. It appears they had met in the bar the night before. As it turned out, they all had great craic the previous night.

When the couples moved on to their tables for breakfast, they joined some other couples who had already been eating. They all seemed to be acquainted.

I asked my brother who they were. I was told they were FAI officials (can't remember their exact job title) from various parts of the country and their wives.

Now, perhaps they paid for everything themselves and if so then this post has no meaning, but if I was a betting man I'd say all these folk were staying, eating and drinking all on the FAI tab.

duffman13

NIMAN wrote: »

I took my young kid to his first ever Ireland game in the friendly v Holland a couple of years back.

Awful game.

Anyway, we stayed the night in a hotel close to the Aviva. My brother was down with us, and he stayed on in the bar til late.

Next morning at breakfast, a few older couples walked past our table and got chatting to my brother. It appears they had met in the bar the night before. As it turned out, they all had great craic the previous night.

When the couples moved on to their tables for breakfast, they joined some other couples who had already been eating. They all seemed to be acquainted.

I asked my brother who they were. I was told they were FAI officials (can't remember their exact job title) from various parts of the country and their wives.

Now, perhaps they paid for everything themselves and if so then this post has no meaning, but if I was a betting man I'd say all these folk were staying, eating and drinking all on the FAI tab.

Their cost of sales tab is suitably high in the annual accounts but I'm sure the FAI have a robust corporate governance policy in place

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

artanevilla wrote: »

They saddled themselves with massive debt to go 50/50 with the IRFU to redevelop Landsdowne Road, and when all that debt is up and the lease expires they will own exactly 0% of the stadium. The IRFU will own every single seat....

Absolute madness. It's like paying for a mortgage and then paying rent to live in the house on top of it. It's paying on the double.

Why do it?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

They need to make their finances transparent and open.




"I'm off to meet the Queen in the morning"

Ken Tucky

Delaney is a liar..promise after promise.

Many clubs will bear witness to his charity that never arrives

Mars Bar

duffman13 wrote: »

I think there's 55 nationally, I can't say for sure. I'm not up to speed with who's in the roles anymore but a few years ago 4 or 5 them in Dublin were playing LOI. They are supposed to be full time but I've struggled in both a
Large successful club and a small local club to get a development officer out to offer coaching sessions. I know they have started to operate courses like kick start but they still charge for this as far as I'm aware. Maybe things have got better in the last couple of years?

I have gone as far as UEFA B license, if I wanted to do they A licence (I did) it was 2500ish euro. I did some coaching in Australia with a German guy who did the UEFA A licence for 600 quid in Germany. It's bizarre that we want to make money on developing coaches.

I know its still expensive but the quality of the courses now are excellent compared to what they were. I did the old youth cert and I've seen the new c licence. They are worlds apart. A huge improvement. The delivery of coaching courses from the fai is not a criticism I'd have.

Zebra3

Delaney is like an old FF minister smoothing his way about people and telling them an old yarn to keep them happy as opposed to actually being good at his job.

Everything positive that happens or is meant to happen is to his credit.

Anything bad is someone else’s fault. LoI issues blame Fran Gavin (another jobsworth), international manager problem blame the selection committee (I actually recall him passing the buck to “Ray [Houghton] and the lads” before.

He has overseen the decline of football in this country while enriching himself in the process.

And yet there are idiots out there who think he’s great. :rolleyes:

Richard Hillman

NIMAN wrote: »

I took my young kid to his first ever Ireland game in the friendly v Holland a couple of years back.

Awful game.

Anyway, we stayed the night in a hotel close to the Aviva. My brother was down with us, and he stayed on in the bar til late.

Next morning at breakfast, a few older couples walked past our table and got chatting to my brother. It appears they had met in the bar the night before. As it turned out, they all had great craic the previous night.

When the couples moved on to their tables for breakfast, they joined some other couples who had already been eating. They all seemed to be acquainted.

I asked my brother who they were. I was told they were FAI officials (can't remember their exact job title) from various parts of the country and their wives.

Now, perhaps they paid for everything themselves and if so then this post has no meaning, but if I was a betting man I'd say all these folk were staying, eating and drinking all on the FAI tab.

Speaking of the FAI Tab.

There was a Dinner/Testimonial night for an old Ireland player called Dave Langan. A bunch of fans had heard he had fallen on hard times and arranged the usual Dinner, Bar and Speeches gig with Delaney and the FAI.

It seemed like the Delaney and the FAI came good on this one until a few months later Langan realized that the Free Bar was coming out of the money being raised for him.

Fans that attended were disgusted that they were not told about the source of the Free Bar. The FAI folk drank long into the night, pissing away Langan's retirement money.

malinheader

Read an article on his salary.cant mind off the top of my head but was shocked and disgusted at the time.and will we ever know the truth about what he accepted after the Thierry Henry injustice. The man's another me me me minister.

Dots1982

Richard Hillman wrote: »

NIMAN wrote: »

I took my young kid to his first ever Ireland game in the friendly v Holland a couple of years back.

Awful game.

Anyway, we stayed the night in a hotel close to the Aviva. My brother was down with us, and he stayed on in the bar til late.

Next morning at breakfast, a few older couples walked past our table and got chatting to my brother. It appears they had met in the bar the night before. As it turned out, they all had great craic the previous night.

When the couples moved on to their tables for breakfast, they joined some other couples who had already been eating. They all seemed to be acquainted.

I asked my brother who they were. I was told they were FAI officials (can't remember their exact job title) from various parts of the country and their wives.

Now, perhaps they paid for everything themselves and if so then this post has no meaning, but if I was a betting man I'd say all these folk were staying, eating and drinking all on the FAI tab.

Speaking of the FAI Tab.

There was a Dinner/Testimonial night for an old Ireland player called Dave Langan. A bunch of fans had heard he had fallen on hard times and arranged the usual Dinner, Bar and Speeches gig with Delaney and the FAI.

It seemed like the Delaney and the FAI came good on this one until a few months later Langan realized that the Free Bar was coming out of the money being raised for him.

Fans that attended were disgusted that they were not told about the source of the Free Bar. The FAI folk drank long into the night, pissing away Langan's retirement money.

Christ..

Dots1982

The FAI have 52 development officers in the country just to clear up that grey area- https://www.fai.ie/sites/default/files/atoms/files/FAI Contacts.pdf

As stated yesterday Dublin GAA has 90 I believe.