Barrett finds himself in eye of the storm
AS STORM ELIN hammered the St Helen’s Hotel in well-heeled south Dublin yesterday, Roy Barrett stood in the eye of the hurricane. Stood, and stumbled.
It was a difficult afternoon for the former chairman of the FAI board who defended his decision to act outside the FAI board of directors and approve controversial payments in lieu of holidays to underfire CEO Jonathan Hill.
‘I don’t apologise. I believe I had the authority to make the decision. I defend it,’ said Barrett, who incurred the wrath of delegates at the delayed AGM by saying the ‘number one issue’ in football is the ‘factions’ who were ‘holding back the game’.
‘The biggest problem is politics within football,’ warned Barrett.
David Moran of the LFA was unimpressed at Barrett’s attack. ‘He’s said enough. He’s giving us a lecture,’ said Moran.
Barrett had stood at a lectern for 45 minutes, justifying his actions which led to Sport Ireland stalling FAI funding and thrusted Hill into the spotlight.
That Barrett appeared was a plus, as explanations were needed after the FAI were plunged into controversy over the Hill payment revelations. But the former chair didn’t impress delegates as he defended his decision to act as a lone ranger, in breach of his terms of reference as FAI chair, as pointed out by delegate Brendan Dillon. When approached – and it wasn’t clear by whom – in spring about the matter of payments to Hill for holidays not taken, Barrett acted independently.
‘I didn’t seek board approval. I didn’t think I needed to. It was a decision made for all the right reasons,’ he said.
Barrett felt Hill deserved the payments as a reward for his work as CEO through ‘Covid and for personal circumstances’ and that the payment would act as a ‘motivation’.
‘I approved it (the request). It was reasonable and in the best interests of the FAI,’ he said.
Asked by Moran if he felt he had over-stepped the mark by not consulting either the board or Remuneration Committee, Barret said, ‘No. I don’t accept that.’
When the payment issues were flagged in the KOSI audit to Barrett in the summer, Barrett admitted he decided to keep board in the dark as he was wary of leaks.
Barrett highlighted the media for the way the story broke last month, overlooking perhaps that Sport Ireland issued a detailed statement on the matter.
Dillon said Barrett’s behaviour was ‘alarming’. ‘The board can’t make decisions if they don’t know what’s happening,’ he said. He added that Barrett had ‘no authority to make a decision on Hill’s payment.’
The FAI had ‘recognised failings’ according to Catherine Guy, chair of the Renumeration Committee, and have put new ‘processes’ in place. This suggests that Barrett’s solo run won’t arise again.
Michael O’Regan of the Munster Football Association was unimpressed with Barrett’s actions. ‘It will take a long time to mend the bridges you have broken,’ he said.
He also asked did Hill feel his position was untenable? Hill did not reply but later acknowledged that his actions could have been interpreted as being greedy.
In a report to the delegates, Hill began by ‘apologising unreservedly’ for the controversy that followed his actions.
He accepted that the flare-up had ‘evoked memories of the recent past.’
Later, in a press conference, Hill was vague about who knew what and when, but he stressed that the ‘it didn’t occur to me to go to the board’.
The outcome of the ratification of board directors indicated a mistrust from delegates towards the independent directors.
In contrast to Guy (64 votes for, 50 against) and Liz Joyce (69-44), the football directors were endorsed by far greater margins, Tom Browne (102-9), Moran (101-11), Nixon Morton (99-12). Browne and Morton are both new directors.
Gerry McAnaney stepped down after four years as president. ‘I believe the FAI is in a better place today than 2020,’ he said.
Paul Cooke, one of the few delegates to query the former FAI regime, was elected as president.
A chartered accountant, Cooke has had a long association with Waterford FC, and with Larkview FC in Dublin.
Tony Keohane was elected as the new chair of the board, to follow Barrett. ‘An honour,’ he said.
Inside 30 seconds, the Cork-born businessman had drawn two laughs from the room. In contrast, Barrett didn’t manage a gag as chair in almost four years.
Keohane had watched Barrett defend his actions over the Hill payments. His comments smacked of a new approach.
‘I’m a team player. My style is one of listening. It’s not the power of the chair but the power of the board that is important,’ he said.
Keohane saluted the change to the FAI constitution which will see six female members on the new 14strong board.
‘I think it’s great that it’s happened, it’s absolutely the right thing to do. It would have been better if it had been done earlier.’
I didn’t seek board approval. It was a decision made for all the right reasons
It’s not the power of the chair but that of the board that’s important