Billy Walsh quits ** SEE MOD WARNING #643 BEFORE POSTING

Joeseph Balls · 27-08-2015 7:38am #1

http://m.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/boxing-bombshell-as-walsh-quits-for-us-31481440.html

Not good unfortunately

frostyjacks · 27-08-2015 7:44am

Can't say I blame him. IABA sound like terrible employers.

Darkest Horse · 27-08-2015 8:15am

As a boxing outsider and someone who prefers to listen to both sides of the story, this is a tragedy in sporting terms, regardless of the circumstances. How this man was allowed to be lost is beyond me. In my opinion, his achievements put him in a position to rightly name his price and the approaches from other international organisations should have motivated the powers that be to do anything to keep him here. This would be easier to swallow if it weren't right in the middle of an Olympic cycle and by not matching the offer of the Americans, we now stand to lose exponentially more in the long run. This is a joke.

walshb · 27-08-2015 9:06am

Not the best news, but someone will replace him. The cycle goes on.

Joeseph Balls · 27-08-2015 9:29am

walshb wrote: »

Not the best news, but someone will replace him. The cycle goes on.

Any predictions Walsh?

walshb · 27-08-2015 9:39am

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

Any predictions Walsh?

Pete Taylor? Or the Hungarian guy, or maybe he's some other nationality. Can't recall his name. I am sure there's a good team in place where one or more replacements can step up and carry on the excellent work/leadership of the HPT.

Joeseph Balls · 27-08-2015 11:08am

walshb wrote: »

Pete Taylor? Or the Hungarian guy, or maybe he's some other nationality. Can't recall his name. I am sure there's a good team in place where one or more replacements can step up and carry on the excellent work/leadership of the HPT.

Zaur Antia? Cypriot

walshb · 27-08-2015 11:20am

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

Zaur Antia? Cypriot

That's him. I had Thor in my mind and didn't want to post it in case it was wrong.

J0E_90 · 27-08-2015 12:06pm

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

Zaur Antia? Cypriot

Zaur is Georgian. And I'd say there's a decent chance that Walsh will bring him with him to the U.S.

New head coach could be Eddie Bolger or John Conlan

walshb · 27-08-2015 12:07pm

J0E_90 wrote: »

Zaur is Georgian. And I'd say there's a decent chance that Walsh will bring him with him to the U.S.

New head coach could be Eddie Bolger or John Conlan

You're right, Georgian. I knew Cypriot didn't sound right.

ionadnapokot · 27-08-2015 1:22pm

walshb wrote: »

Not the best news, but someone will replace him. The cycle goes on.

Yea. But there is no reason that it has to happen now. Its a massive loss. less than a year out from the Olympics?? Madness.
IABA board should be ashamed of themselves. Dont they get government funding? Can they be brought to a public accounts hearing or something to explain this?

walshb · 27-08-2015 1:35pm

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Yea. But there is no reason that it has to happen now. Its a massive loss. less than a year out from the Olympics?? Madness.
IABA board should be ashamed of themselves. Dont they get government funding? Can they be brought to a public accounts hearing or something to explain this?

Unless you are privy to all the details etc I don't think slating a whole organization is the thing to do. That organization is made up of people.

ionadnapokot · 27-08-2015 3:10pm

I didnt slate the whole organisation. Just the board. For this:
The Irish Sports Council believed that a package had been agreed with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association last weekend to keep Walsh at home and that that package would be brought for ratification to Tuesday night's IABA board meeting.
This did not happen, however, after the association indicated via email on Tuesday that they had changed their stance on virtually every detail of the package.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/structural-changes-rather-than-financial-motives-behind-billy-walshs-decision-to-quit-for-us-31481440.html

walshb · 27-08-2015 3:33pm

ionadnapokot wrote: »

I didnt slate the whole organisation. Just the board. For this:
The Irish Sports Council believed that a package had been agreed with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association last weekend to keep Walsh at home and that that package would be brought for ratification to Tuesday night's IABA board meeting.
This did not happen, however, after the association indicated via email on Tuesday that they had changed their stance on virtually every detail of the package.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/structural-changes-rather-than-financial-motives-behind-billy-walshs-decision-to-quit-for-us-31481440.html

Ok then, the board. It's made up of people. It's the heartbeat of the organization.

ionadnapokot · 27-08-2015 3:38pm

walshb wrote: »

Ok then, the board. It's made up of people. It's the heartbeat of the organization.

Do you think that a comprehensive and fair appraisal of the package took place?
Do you think its fair what they did to Walsh?

walshb · 27-08-2015 3:43pm

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Do you think that a comprehensive and fair appraisal of the package took place?
Do you think its fair what they did to Walsh?

I am not privy to the details or all the goings on over the past while. Was Walsh part of the problem, or the actual problem? That not a possibility?

ionadnapokot · 27-08-2015 3:56pm

walshb wrote: »

I am not privy to the details or all the goings on over the past while. Was Walsh part of the problem, or the actual problem? That not a possibility?

They agreed (With the Irish Sports Council no less) to the proposed package for Walsh and then reneged on their agreement and sought a redraft just before the deadline.
And you suggest Walsh might be the problem? The man has been the backbone to Irish boxing success.
It's not acceptable they way they conducted their business. They should be held accountable.
Walsh should be lauded. Thanked for all his efforts and wished every success into the future.

walshb · 27-08-2015 4:14pm

ionadnapokot wrote: »

They agreed (With the Irish Sports Council no less) to the proposed package for Walsh and then reneged on their agreement and sought a redraft just before the deadline.
And you suggest Walsh might be the problem? The man has been the backbone to Irish boxing success.
It's not acceptable they way they conducted their business. They should be held accountable.
Walsh should be lauded. Thanked for all his efforts and wished every success into the future.

Again, the report or article is far from conclusive. Far from it. I'd like to hear both sides. One thing that stuck out was Walsh wanting to be able to select teams, and not have the committee select teams. That is something that maybe he was in the wrong on. Maybe he got too big for his boots. The success went to his head, and he thought that he was bigger than the organization? Wouldn't be the first time this has happened, and he's only human.

Slating one side, and sort of refusing to believe that there may well be two sides, and may well be a lack of compromise and manners and morals on both sides is wrong.

I don't know exactly all the ins and outs of this, but I am not ready to believe that one side, Walsh is all right and moral and correct, and the other side, the IABA, is all wrong and bent and immoral.

As to the IABA allegedly changing its mind or going back on "provisional" agreements. Big deal. Are they not allowed rethink and row back and change their minds?

I am not saying that Walsh is right or wrong or that the IABA are right or wrong, but you seem a little too clear cut for me based off a very ordinary and detail-less article.

BTW, Walsh should be lauded and congratulated and praised for whatever he did right. Who said otherwise?

ionadnapokot · 27-08-2015 4:18pm

walshb wrote: »

Again, the report or article is far from conclusive. Far from it. I'd like to hear both sides. One thing that stuck out was Walsh wanting to be able to select teams, and not have the committee select teams. That is something that maybe he was in the wrong on. Maybe he got too big for his boots. The success went to his head, and he thought that he was bigger than the organization? Wouldn't be the first time this has happened, and he's only human.

Slating one side, and sort of refusing to believe that there may well be two sides, and may well be a lack of compromise and manners and morals on both sides is wrong.

I don't know exactly all the ins and outs of this, but I am not ready to believe that one side, Walsh is all right and moral and correct, and the other sid, the IABA, is all wrong and bent and immoral.

As to the IABA allegedly changing its mind or going back on "provisional" agreements. Big deal. Are they not allowed rethink and row back and change their minds?

There are ways to negotiate professionally and treat people with respect. Via email just before an agreed deadline is not the way.

walshb · 27-08-2015 4:20pm

ionadnapokot wrote: »

There are ways to negotiate professionally and treat people with respect. Via email just before an agreed deadline is not the way.

How so? Email is a very ordinary and normal way to conduct business today. Not in all circumstances, but again, get back to me when you have more than the independent article you linked. How do you know that email communication was not the agreed/accepted method of communication between ISC and IABA?

average_runner · 27-08-2015 4:22pm

walshb wrote: »

Again, the report or article is far from conclusive. Far from it. I'd like to hear both sides. One thing that stuck out was Walsh wanting to be able to select teams, and not have the committee select teams. That is something that maybe he was in the wrong on. Maybe he got too big for his boots. The success went to his head, and he thought that he was bigger than the organization? Wouldn't be the first time this has happened, and he's only human.

Slating one side, and sort of refusing to believe that there may well be two sides, and may well be a lack of compromise and manners and morals on both sides is wrong.

I don't know exactly all the ins and outs of this, but I am not ready to believe that one side, Walsh is all right and moral and correct, and the other sid, the IABA, is all wrong and bent and immoral.

As to the IABA allegedly changing its mind or going back on "provisional" agreements. Big deal. Are they not allowed rethink and row back and change their minds?

I am not saying that Walsh is right or wrong or that the IABA are right or wrong, but you seem a little too clear cut for me based off a very ordinary and detail-less article.

BTW, Walsh should be lauded and congratulated and praised for whatever he did right. Who said otherwise?

Its a good move for Walsh, higher salary, pension and health insurance.
I know the guy, he is a sound person and was a great milkman when i was young.

Best of luck Billy, you deserve this big chance. Wouldn't be surprise if his side kick goes with him

walshb · 27-08-2015 4:24pm

average_runner wrote: »

Its a good move for Walsh, higher salary, pension and health insurance.
I know the guy, he is a sound person and was a great milkman when i was young.

Best of luck Billy, you deserve this big chance. Wouldn't be surprise if his side kick goes with him

I wish him all the best. To me, looking from the outside, he gave a hell of lot of his time and effort to the country. He comes across as one of the good guys.

average_runner · 27-08-2015 4:26pm

walshb wrote: »

I wish him all the best. To me, looking from the outside, he gave a hell of lot of his time and effort to the country. He comes across as one of the good guys.

He is one of the good guys. Not a bad footballer either!!

ionadnapokot · 27-08-2015 4:27pm

walshb wrote: »

How so? Email is a very ordinary and normal way to conduct business today. Not in all circumstances, but again, get back to me when you have more than the independent article you linked. How do you know that email communication was not the agreed/accepted method of communication between ISC and IABA?

I wont be getting back to you with more links etc
It is fairly cut and dried that email at deadline day with a redraft and renegement on previous agreement is not an open and transparent way to conduct productive negotiations.

walshb · 27-08-2015 4:28pm

ionadnapokot wrote: »

I wont be getting back to you with more links etc
It is fairly cut and dried that email at deadline day with a redraft and renegement on previous agreement is not an open and transparent way to conduct productive negotiations.

Okey doke, it seems your link is cut and dry. Case closed.

walshb · 27-08-2015 4:28pm

average_runner wrote: »

He is one of the good guys. Not a bad footballer either!!

That would be the exceptional balance that boxers possess...:)

Strongbow10 · 27-08-2015 7:31pm

average_runner wrote: »

He is one of the good guys. Not a bad footballer either!!

Hurler I think you mean.

Why a committee choses teams is beyond me anyway. Surely the guys dealing with them every day should be the ones who decide.

Its like the FAI overruling Martin O'Neill and picking his squad.

Billy Walsh has earned that respect in fairness. I have a feeling though that this will all be rescued at the 11th hour and theres a bit of brinksmanship going on.

vicwatson · 27-08-2015 10:28pm

He won't be let go. It'll be sorted

slow · 28-08-2015 11:36am

If the boxing team delivers medals in Rio without Billy, it'll be smoothed over. If it doesn't, expect HUGE funding cuts in the Tokyo cycle.

walshb · 28-08-2015 12:18pm

slow wrote: »

If the boxing team delivers medals in Rio without Billy, it'll be smoothed over. If it doesn't, expect HUGE funding cuts in the Tokyo cycle.

That is kind of the "silly" thing. The margins and subjectivity and competitiveness in boxing competitions at the Worlds and Olympics could see us winning a heap of medals or no medals. Either result is not at all proof of anything. Some people would go from "OTT" praise for a medal here and there to slating the lads should they fail to deliver medals. I am hoping that boxing fans can appreciate the subjectivity and difficulty that faces our lads.

Should we qualify 4-5 boxers for Rio and all are beaten in the 1st rd, do we then look to blame something, or someone? That's the knee jerk response I am predicting. If Walsh isn't there will people claim in a matter of fact way that the lack of "success" is down to him being absent? When in reality that cannot be ever really known, because at the very top level in boxing competition there are too many variables.

Should the boxers come out and give reasons/excuses that allude to Walsh's absence being responsible for their lack of success (his absence from HPT, and/or absence from their corner) then this something we can look at.

slow · 28-08-2015 1:18pm

Boxing fans don't determine funding. The Irish Sports Council does. Boxing has been seen as something of a special case as there's always the temptation for the top guys to turn pro for short term gain. Billy Walsh is seen by many as one who kept our best boxers in the amateur ranks for Ireland's gain.

I am sad to see him go. Whoever fills his shoes will have a tough job. And I wouldn't like to be the person going into the ISC to negotiate the wages or contract duration for Walsh's successor...

slow · 31-08-2015 2:37pm

This afternoon's meeting will be interesting. Is the 'decision' about to be reversed?

walshb · 31-08-2015 2:53pm

slow wrote: »

This afternoon's meeting will be interesting. Is the 'decision' about to be reversed?

Well, if both sides can communicate and compromise then surely they can come to some agreement? Maybe the damage is irreparable......

slow · 02-09-2015 10:20am

August 31st 2015

The IABA have released the following statement today:

STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO THE POSITION OF BILLY WALSH, HEAD COACH OF IABA HIGH PERFORMANCE UNIT

This is an employer/employee matter. Billy Walsh is currently on annual leave and has not tendered his resignation to the IABA. This is an issue of the utmost urgency for the IABA and is being dealt with accordingly.

The IABA will release a full and thorough statement once these discussions have concluded.

barney4001 · 03-09-2015 9:17pm

how many IABA officials travel with the boxers to the various games??

slow · 04-09-2015 9:51am

For the Olympics, accreditations are very limited. Billy Walsh, Zaur Antia, Pete Taylor and Gerry Hussey were the boxing officials in London I think. For major championships, more are permitted.

barney4001 · 06-09-2015 11:02am

those are the only men needed then no one can replace them

Pighead · 19-10-2015 12:22pm

Seems that this is official now. It's just been announced that Billy Walsh has resigned. Just breaking on twitter now.

Walsh resigns as Head Coach of the Irish High Performance Unit and senior team

It is with deep regret that I am announcing my resignation, as of today’s date, October 19th 2015, as the Head Coach of the Irish High Performance Unit and senior team. This morning I forwarded my resignation to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) Chief Executive Officer Fergal Carruth.

Over the last five decades I have been immersed in the sport of boxing from boy to man and for club and country. I am hugely grateful for the opportunities that my sport has given me both as a boxer and coach.

Since February of this year I have been engaged in a process with the IABA to secure my future as Head Coach with the High Performance Unit and senior team. A protracted process that went on for eight months included numerous high level meetings that resulted in various proposals. In August a fair proposal was developed under the auspices of the Irish Sports Council (ISC) that was acceptable and fair but then not subsequently ratified by IABA.

I was hopeful in recent weeks that a final proposal arising out of an approach in late September by the IABA would lead to a successful conclusion but unfortunately it didn’t.

Regrettably the IABA have not made it possible for me to continue on in the role as Head Coach of the High Performance Unit and senior team.

In starting out on this journey back in 2003 our ambition was centered on building a sustainable system for Irish Boxing and I think we have achieved that. This has been achieved with the work of many excellent people including our outstanding club coaches who produce the pipeline of talent for us in high performance to work with.

Our high performance coaching team contains some of the finest and hardworking coaches in the world, both those from international shores and homegrown. These coaches are part of the legacy of all the hard work it took to build this system.

Zaur Antia, Jim Moore, Eddie Bolger, Pete Taylor, John Conlan, Billy McClean and Dmytri are well positioned to take my work and the work of the high performance programme forward and lead this senior team into Rio to compete for medals. I have the utmost faith and belief in them having worked alongside them for many years. I am certain our boxers will go to Rio in fantastic shape, ready to compete with the world’s best as the high performance structures are in place to ensure this.

To Emira who provides all our administration and logistics support and gets the team all over the world with little fuss thank you.

We are moving in to our 14th year together as a team and I can say that while there were many difficult and challenging times, I have never done anything in my professional life more rewarding.

The boxers I have worked with (too many to mention for fear of leaving some out) have inspired and challenged me in equal measure and I salute their efforts, their courage and their amazing performances down through these last 14 years. I wish to thank them for their trust and support and for allowing me to continue in their corner for every fight they fought on the international stage. I wish them all every success in their endeavors to qualify and secure Olympic Medals at Rio and nobody will be more delighted to see Irish boxers succeed in Rio than me.

To our outstanding sports science and medicine team of physiotherapists, nutritionist, psychologist, strength conditioner, performance analyst and doctor who for all these years operated and performed below the radar so that we could do what we did above it, thank you. This was always a team effort.

I wish to express my gratitude to the Irish Sports Council for all their support and commitment to the IABA High Performance Programme over the course of the last 14 years and most recently in trying to broker an agreement on this matter. The Sports Council have supported Irish boxing and worked tirelessly to find a solution.

I am very conscious that the negotiations have dragged on for quite some time, but the time has come, with the Rio Olympics in sight and with no solution possible, to provide certainty to all concerned.

Finally I would like to thank my wife Christine and my family for all their support and patience during this time.

While leaving the Irish Team has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, my sights are now firmly set on my future role with USA Boxing. It is a huge honor for me as a coach to receive the opportunity work with such an iconic sporting nation that is the USA. I am greatly looking forward to the opportunities ahead in bringing my expertise and experience to the USA Women’s Team as they prepare for success in Rio and beyond.

walshb · 19-10-2015 12:45pm

A great man for Irish sport.

He will be replaced, and we will carry on.

Intersting listening to Kenneth Egan recently. I think it was on RTE radio. From listening to it he seemd to place more emphasis on Zaur. He praised Billy, but it came across as being just for the sake of it. Zaur for him was the man.

byronbay2 · 19-10-2015 1:03pm

walshb wrote: »

A great man for Irish sport.

He will be replaced, and we will carry on.

Intersting listening to Kenneth Egan recently. I think it was on RTE radio. From listening to it he seemd to place more emphasis on Zaur. He praised Billy, but it came across as being just for the sake of it. Zaur for him was the man.

I think it's possible that Billy and Kenneth are not very close friends!

"The boxers I have worked with (too many to mention for fear of leaving some out) have inspired and challenged me in equal measure"

I wonder which group Kenneth fell into?

slow · 19-10-2015 1:17pm

A huge pity to see Billy go. If it was the same interview that I heard, Kenneth said that Billy had been sucked into having to do the role of High Performance Director in addition to Head Coach.

Billy got out while on top. Not many can do that.

I hope that the IABA can afford to privately fund his replacement. This is a huge snub to the Irish Sports Council who control the purse strings. With Rio so close, they'll cover over the cracks. But this snub won't be forgotten in a hurry.

efb · 19-10-2015 1:32pm

The IABA have serious questions to answer.

How did they let this slip? But knowing the politics there, I'm not surprised

efb · 19-10-2015 1:42pm

Well if the Sports Council had agreed and were funding it- they have a lot of questions to answer

walshb · 19-10-2015 1:47pm

efb wrote: »

The IABA have serious questions to answer.

How did they let this slip? But knowing the politics there, I'm not surprised

Yes, and before the OTT sensationalism (and anti IABA crap) maybe it's best we let them speak. There's two sides here.

efb · 19-10-2015 1:51pm

Describing my post as crap

efb · 19-10-2015 1:53pm

Classy.

I just feel their are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Like most major organisations like Team GB until post Atlanta.

walshb · 19-10-2015 1:53pm

efb wrote: »

Describing my post as crap

Who did that?

I didn't mean you specifically. Surely you can see that?

walshb · 19-10-2015 1:54pm

efb wrote: »

Classy.

I just feel their are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Like most major organisations like Team GB until post Atlanta.

BTW, do you know the ins and outs? Or are you basing this off Billy's statement alone?

efb · 19-10-2015 1:56pm

I am basing it on my experiences of working with the politics of the IABA.

efb · 19-10-2015 1:57pm

When you quote me and then say it it's not so clear. Quoting means you are referring to that post

efb · 19-10-2015 1:58pm

And don't call me Shirley

Billy Walsh quits ** SEE MOD WARNING #643 BEFORE POSTING

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