Delaney hails ‘landmark’ Lansdowne

FAI chief executive John Delaney will report “very strong progress in the development of the game” when he addresses the association’s AGM in Kerry today, citing the rebuilding of Lansdowne Road as “a landmark decision” in how football is to be funded and developed in Ireland.

The AGM will also hear the association, with €15 million in cash in the bank, is on course to fulfil its commitment of €60m to the project.

The FAI boss also draws attention to the development of the national academy and sports campus at Abbotstown, which is set to provide a new home for the association when it leaves Merrion Square in October of this year. And he will update the AGM on the planned expansion of the Technical Development Plan and the merger with the League of Ireland.

However, on what he describes as “one disappointing note”, Delaney will refer to the “continuing delay to the completion of the stadium at Tallaght which over the years has been financially supported by Shamrock Rovers, the FAI and the Department Of Sport but which is now the subject of a legal process by Thomas Davis GAA club. The FAI has supported Shamrock Rovers in offsetting their legal fees associated with the case.”

Delaney once again pays tribute to the GAA’s Nickey Brennan and Liam Mulvihill for their help in staging two soccer internationals at Croke Park but the chief executive has a swipe at what he calls the “extraordinary amounts of criticism” and “over the top commentary” which he charges was directed at “everyone associated with the national team” following the performances in Cyprus and San Marino.

The financial review of the year reveals that turnover for the FAI was up by just under €1m with income increases offset by the impact of hosting one less senior home international game up to December 2006.

With a substantial increase in staffing and administrative costs, the association ended the year with a €77,608 surplus, down from just over €2m in 2005.