FAI moves to head off rebels before they reach the pass
“Cash will
flow into the FAI’s coffers”
SHORN of ensign, the naked flagpoles rattled and hummed outside the Abbotstown enclosures at a humid high noon yesterday.
Where was the tricolour at half-mast for John Hume, who did so much for football on the island, and Derry City in particular, I wondered?
Inside, interim CEO Gary Owens and interim deputy CEO Niall Quinn held court for a series of interviews which stretched out for three hours.
Talk about extra-time and penalties.
Owens did most of the talking, at a rapid-fire pace, kicking off with an address which outlined their body of work since his appointment in January.
He kept his game face on for the marathon session, apart from a wry smile when asked about his €102,000 salary, of which a chunk has been deferred to reflect the FAI’s financial strife.
Owens pointed out he was on considerably less than the €180,000 offered to John Foley as interim CEO, and also the €202,000 advertised for the next full-time CEO, a post which may well be his.
He also dismissed his involvement with Quinn’s Visionary Group, which also included Roy Barrett, the FAI chairman, blithely describing it as ‘a one phone call.’
This may have been a swipe at those in the grassroots who suspect that Barrett, Owens and Quinn are a kind of Old Boys Club who have taken over the FAI.
For his part, Quinn’s body language and tone suggested he may soon head for them thar hills. The former international confirmed his contract was up but that he would stay around until the EGM on August 31.
‘None of us might be here after that if things don’t work out. I’m happy to do that,’ he said.
And afterwards? ‘I have other interests as well which I’ve put on hold. I can’t answer further than that.’
Quinn has given long hours on call for the FAI, probably immersing himself in too many projects and committees for his own good.
He was adamant the briefing was not a pre-emptive strike ahead of tomorrow’s emergency summit of the FAI Council, whose membership have been stirred into rebellion.
Yet, it couldn’t have been anything else, choreographed to follow Barrett’s missive of the night before about doom and gloom should the elected FAI rank and file reject the reforms agreed in January.
It all appeared stage managed and perhaps it’s no coincidence the FAI are engaging with a public relations firm, Q4PR.
At the crux of the distrust between the hierarchy and volunteers is the small print in the Memorandum of Understanding, signed off in deep mid-winter when the association was on the verge of being wound up after years of mis-management.
The rescue deal enabled the FAI to negotiate loans of
€52.5million, half of which is being used to keep the show on the road with little or no income elsewhere due to Covid-19.
But more money is needed and Owens revealed around €37m will be released through Sport Ireland and the Government’s relief fund once the reforms are passed into FAI law.
If the reforms are shot down, he observed that the government were unlikely to continue propping up Irish football.
Amid the grim prophecies, Owens needed to deliver a message of reconciliation, and he did. On the double.
First, he outlined a pardon for those long-service Council members in the firing line of the MoU clause which states all 10year veterans must pack their gear bags.
Instead an electoral committee of three legal eagles, as per FIFA and UEFA’s best practice, will now decide who is ‘fit and proper’ to serve, according to Owens.
Whether that will soften the cough of those on the Red Cow ramparts tomorrow, some of whom are hell-bent on storming the ‘Barrett Bastille’, remains to be seen.
But Owens tip-toed further along the branches of the olive tree by revealing an easy-peasy way around the thorny ‘six versus six’ directors’ dilemma.
He calmly explained this was ‘a misunderstanding’ and that the ‘casting vote’ of the chairman (Barrett) is not a requirement of the MoU for any of the key stakeholders, the Government, Sport Ireland, Bank of Ireland, UEFA and FIFA.
Owens pointed out that any dissenters can attend an AGM and ‘can actually change it back to having the president (Gerry McAnaney) having the casting vote if they want to do that. That is under their control.’
Hey presto, why hadn’t anyone thought of this before?
Whether Owens and Quinn went far enough will emerge soon enough.
There is still anger among the grassroots at the new mathematics on the board which sees the football side cough up two directorships.
But having the final say in the event of a tie is a plus, as it keeps the ball in the court of elected football folk. And avoiding a cull of almost 30 Council members is another offer of placation.
At a late hour, the FAI hierarchy appears to have moved to head off the rebels before they reach the pass.
If tomorrow’s meeting avoids bloodshed and rancour, Owens and Quinn will have earned their modest corn.
Peace will break out, muchneeded cash will flow into the FAI’s coffers and flags will flutter again over Abbotstown.