THANKS FOR NOTHING

Kelleher claims FAI duo have delivered ‘zero’ for clubs

GARRETT KELLEHER has accused FAI chiefs Gary Owens and Niall Quinn of delivering “zero” to Airtricity League clubs in Irish football’s struggle to restart after the lockdown.

The St Pat’s chairman clashed with FAI interim chief executive Owens at a meeting last Friday, when the clubs were expecting a financial package that would allow them to return to competitive action.

Instead, they were told that they could receive between €100,000 and €160,000 only if the four clubs in Europe make a contribution from their UEFA prize money.

Dundalk are reportedly willing to shoulder the majority of that burden but late night talks on Sunday between the FAI and the four clubs failed to find a resolution.

Yesterday’s planned meeting between the FAI and the

Premier League clubs was pushed back until tomorrow, although First Division clubs said they had a “very positive meeting” with Owens and Quinn.

Kelleher had clearly had enough and fired off an email critical of Owens and Quinn, the interim deputy CEO, to FAI board members Paul Cooke, Dick Shakespeare and Martin Heraghty and asking them to intervene. “I am of the firm view that, albeit their intentions may be well meaning and they may have spent a considerable amount of time and effort over the last six months, Gary and Niall have failed and failed badly,” wrote Kelleher.

“The domestic game is at a critical juncture where any more wrong or naive moves made by the executives could do even longer lasting damage.

“They have lost the confidence of St Patrick’s Athletic, I can’t speak for anyone else.” Kelleher claimed that Owens and Quinn had raised hopes of funding from a number of different sources but said: “As we all know as of this afternoon, zero has been delivered.”

Earlier, Derry City publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the association’s financial package to restart the league.

In a statement, the club insisted the package didn’t take into account the Foylesiders’ efforts to keep staff on full pay during the shutdown.

“The Derry City Board are not yet convinced that the proposed distribution is equitable,” read the statement.

And Sligo Rovers’ treasurer David Rowe also insisted the club cannot play out the season under the FAI’S proposals.

Meanwhile, PFAI chairman Stephen Mcguinness has warned “irreparable damage to the brand” will be done to the League of Ireland if it does not return this season.