Courell is in running for FAI’s top job as Hill clears out his desk

The FAI will give interim CEO David Courell a chance to prove himself and earn a contract as the long-term successor to Jonathan Hill.

While it’s understood that Hill signed a seven-year contract when appointed as FAI CEO in 2020, his time in Abbotstown is now over as his exit was confirmed yesterday.

An FAI statement said Hill “will leave the Association on April 30”, but it’s believed he has already cleared out his desk and will not formally work for the FAI for the rest of this month.

Mayo native Courell, who was brought to the FAI from the English FA in 2022 and had been working as chief operations officer (COO), was immediately named as interim CEO and will complete the contractual formalities ahead of the appointment of a new manager for the senior international men’s team this week.

“With extensive experience in international sports administration and having spent the last two years as chief operating officer, David has a deep understanding of the workings of the Association and is well positioned to lead the FAI while we undertake a process to appoint a permanent CEO,” FAI chair Tony Keohane said.

“Along with the rest of the Board, I am confident he will continue to keep Irish football moving forward during this interim period.”

It’s believed that the board will review the recruitment process that led to the hiring of Hill in 2020, but they will also assess Courell’s performance as interim CEO before making a permanent appointment to the position, which, under Hill, had a salary of €258,000.

Hill had been under pressure since it emerged he had been paid in lieu of holidays not taken, a breach of FAI HR policy although the money was later repaid.