John Fallon: FAI has to practice, not preach

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

It took less than 24 hours from the FAI preaching about transparency for the shutters to come down.

Three times within the association’s strategy document unveiled on Monday did the vow of transparency feature.

One definition when it comes to corporate governance reads: “Simply the extent to which a company’s actions, financial statements, strategy, and other issues are visible to outside observers.”

Although the parent body has laid out realms of strategic buzzwords in their blueprint, it’s the little details they struggle on. They may be minor in comparison to a vision setting out objectives over the best part of four years but given the FAI’s history and its reliance on the public purse, interest inevitably gets piqued.

The two latest topics for the stonewalling to apply are the costs attached to bidding for co-hosting Euro 2028 and the finances around chief executive Jonathan Hill’s package.

In the first instance, instead of outlining the amount necessary to join the four other federations — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — on the bid ticket, they are determined to keep schtum.

To declare an opinion here, this writer appreciates the benefits, both from financial and football perspectives, of staging fixtures in such a global showpiece but not to the detriment of equally worthy elements of the game. This was the general thrust of the negative narrative in reaction to the bid’s publication on Monday, concerns raised about misplaced priorities when other aspects such as facilities and youth development are in such decay. If, as Hill emphasised yesterday, there needn’t be a distinction of importance, then the logical measure would have been to lay out the figures for public consumption. The cost-benefit analysis results which chairman Roy Barrett cited are all good and well, just as long as the costs are, erm, transparent.

“The number is modest but I’m not going to tell you the number because that sits with the board,” Hill replied when requested to furnish the amount the FAI, or the Irish government, must bear as their share of the bid being submitted by March 23.

“We had a core team of three people who worked on both the successful Euro 2020 co-hosting bid, World Cup feasibility bid and they will continue. There are wider costs in relation to all five of the federations for marketing, communications etc and we’ll have a percentage of that, reflecting the number of games that we host in the end.

“It is not a significant amount in the context of all of the budgetary requests that we made of the board in relation to 2022.”

Barrett, formerly MD of Goodbody Stockbrokers, chimed with the tactic of dodging figures. Indeed, anyone expecting the new FAI to divulge the cost even in the future will be disappointed.

“I’m not sure we will be telling the public every item of expenditure within the organisation,” he asserted.

“The outlay associated with this bid are not material in the scheme of things. Without quantifying it, the amount won’t have a bearing on our ability to implement any aspect of our strategic plan.”

Right. If the figure is “modest”, then why don’t the FAI just put it out there? It would eliminate fears of the overheads sucking blood from the beating heart of Irish football, one that’s been for the last two years on life-support.

And, believe it or not, perhaps the loyal Irish football supporter will understand the palpable enthusiasm evident from Hill and Barrett about the prospect.

Regardless, given the FAI’s reliance on state aid and the multi government agency involvement, the costs will probably be revealed through political channels, either via parliamentary questions or Freedom of Information. Waiting while the sheen is removed from a noble project in the meantime makes no sense.

Neither does telling curious reporters to keep out of Hill’s business. Granted, this is supposed to be a new FAI but it’s less than three years ago since a High Court judge gave a determination on the chief executive’s remuneration.

In the watershed case of John Delaney’s failed attempt to injunct the Sunday Times from publishing details of an €100,000 loan, Mr Justice Anthony Barr had this to say. “I am satisfied that the finances of the FAI and any payment and repayment to its chief executive are matters of significant public interest.”

Eight turbulent months later and Leinster House were able to call the shots in return for a financial bailout. One edict centred on restricting Delaney’s successor to a salary equivalent of a civil service secretary general, currently €213,859.

Now we learn Hill was assigned €30,000 of a relocation allowance and the association is footing the costs of flights and hotels for his regular commutes to London as he’s chosen against moving permanently 15 months on from his appointment.

Not that the FAI were willing to confirm the sums.

“I am not going to comment on any aspect of Jonathan’s package as I don’t think it is appropriate to do so,” was Barrett’s stock retort when clarity was sought on the allowance and expenses.

“As a board, and Jonathan as well, wherever we’ve gone through, there’s no more excuses.

“We’ve tried to reform the organisation as much as we can so that it’s investable and people can trust it. I think we’ve got to that point and we need to stop looking into the past and making excuses for it.

“I don’t want to be sitting here in a year’s time (saying) ‘well actually we have a trust issue because of what happened two years ago’. That now stops.”

For a company hellbent on leaving behind its dubious past, the obfuscation on finances is unnecessary and raises the risk of them being hauled before an Oireachtas committee.

The taxpayer, whose money bailed the FAI out and has kept them afloat, deserves better.

Schoolboys to consider their options as U14 row escalates

Making the FAI’s “We Are One” slogan a reality will get an early test on Saturday when the schoolboy football national council convenes in Ennis.

The catchy, aspirational manta formed the backdrop to the association’s video production of Monday’s strategic plan launch, at least aspiring to unify the various factions across the game.

Two of the largest strands — the schoolboys and League of Ireland — are on a collision course over access to the best Under-14 talent in the country.

An attempt on November 29 by the FAI board to deliver a compromise by delaying the national league from March to July in order to avoid schoolboy teams being decimated has backfired.

Examples are rife across the country, most recently Cork’s league leaders Castleview, of sides crumbling when losing their best players to national league teams midway through the season.

A decision by most national league clubs to form their own fixture list until the official games begin in July has inflamed the situation but so too has the unwillingness of the FAI to decline new registrations for their national league.

Long-serving Schoolboys FAI (SFAI) secretary Martin O’Hanlon last week quit over the saga, citing the “FAI’s failure to uphold its board’s decision” while the three other officers are facing pressure to follow him from a rump within the executive, spearheaded by the two Dublin leagues. Unity will be in short supply this weekend.

Caldwell has a part to play for Man Utd

When Savannah McCarthy franked her comeback for the Ireland women’s team last September by starring in the win over Australia, it looked ominous for Diane Caldwell.

Ireland international Diane Caldwell joins Manchester United Women. Pic via @ManUtdWomen

The veteran defender had just turned 33 when dislodged from the central-defensive berth she’d made her own for 16 years and it seemed a long way back to feature in the World Cup qualification campaign. Never did she consider not making the trek from North Carolina, aware minutes on the pitch were unlikely, but perseverance paid off as she was restored for the qualifier against Georgia.

The Balbriggan native has enjoyed an upturn on the club front too, achieving her childhood dream by joining Manchester United in a recent deadline day move.

United’s first Irish female player in the professional era, she seamlessly slotted in for her debut against WSL leaders Arsenal on Saturday, delivering a towering performance in the 1-1 draw.

Compatriot Katie McCabe saw red in that fixture for two bookings but her Gunners side remain top, two points ahead of Chelsea with a game more played, while United are a further three adrift.

Caldwell will on Friday be named in the Ireland squad for next week’s friendlies at the Pinatar Cup in Spain, adding to her 85 caps, before returning for the Manchester derby on Sunday week. That’s some turnaround for one of Ireland’s stalwarts.

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