JOHN WITH THE WIND
Hendrick’s the Rock star in Gibraltar gale but even he can’t save FAI chief amid cash storm
MICK MCCARTHY hated every minute of his first game back – but not half as much as John Delaney.
Embattled Delaney was made squirm throughout the tense 1-0 win in blustery Gibraltar as sections of the travelling support unfurled a banner and called for his head.
After the game, the FAI revealed crisis-hit Delaney was no longer its chief executive – but rather it’s first ever executive Vice-president. Delaney is no longer an FAI board member, but the reshuffle did not suppress fan anger in Gibraltar last night as swathes of the Green Army blasted the move. But Mccarthy claimed the mutiny in the terraces over his position played no part in Ireland’s struggles on a tough night against the minnows. “No, the bloke that kept
telling me I’d be sacked in the morning and that I was a w **** r, he was particularly annoying but apart from that not really. I didn’t realise he knew me that well to be honest. But no, not at all. Not in the slightest.”
Chief Operating Officer Rea Walshe has been elevated to interim CEO while a recruitment process begins to appoint Delaney’s full-time successor.
Delaney’s exit from the CEO role he held since 2005 comes a week after it emerged he paid €100,000 to the FAI in the form of a bridging loan in 2017.
Speculation started to mount early yesterday that change was on the way. But before the game, FAI president Donal Conway refused to answer questions on whether Delaney (inset) had his full support.
Jeff Hendrick bailed the Boys in Green out with the only goal of a dire match played on a dodgy artificial pitch in ferocious gales.
Mccarthy (above) said: “It was a horrible game. I did not enjoy one single minute of it. Gibraltar had nothing to lose and everything to gain – it was a horrible evening.
“It was blowing a gale, the surface was difficult but there are no excuses, we didn’t play well but the only way to build momentum is winning games.”
And while Mccarthy accepts that Ireland must improve to stay in the hunt for Euro 2020, he would take another ugly win over Georgia in Dublin on Tuesday.
Mccarthy continued: “We’ve only got eight games in the campaign, so I’d take the same again.
“This was set-up for an upset tonight; playing on plastic, blowing a gale and against a good team that done alright. It was set up.
“I said to my staff that you turn up, you win, you get three points and then you can whinge all you want. But I’m not inclined to do that. I know we can play better. We’ll probably play better and lose a game.”
Mccarthy hopes Gibraltar make life difficult for Switzerland and Denmark when they visit the Rock.
He added: “I hope they play like that against everyone. It’s up to them to come here and win just like we did.
“Let’s give that team that played against us credit, because they were particularly stubborn. But momentum is only gained by winning.”
Mccarthy confirmed Matt Doherty’s substitution was not injury enforced.