Delaney: Debt-free by 2020 ‘within FAI’s compass’

The ability of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane to complete their mission to deliver World Cup qualification next year could have a bearing on whether the FAI will be rid of its debts by 2020, according to John Delaney.

Discussing the organisation’s finances in Kilkenny yesterday, the association’s chief executive revealed the FAI still owes half of the €70m mortgage they were burdened with by the Lansdowne Road redevelopment costs. Instead of meeting their €74m portion of the rebuild in 2010 through revenue expected from a fanciful premium ticket scheme, the FAI were forced into borrowing heavily.

That debt pile, particularly the €22m lost between 2010-2015 on interest and costs, triggered a litany of cutbacks that Irish football is still struggling to recover from. Staff redundancies and pay-cuts were imposed, coupled with a 70% cull on prize-money for a League of Ireland sector in dire need of investment. As was highlighted so starkly last month by the women’s squad, a nominal per diem of €30 given to players outside of the senior men’s squad on international duty was removed amid the austerity.