Ireland fans threaten boycott

The Football Association of Ireland could face a fans’ revolt in the wake of the resignation of chief executive Fran Rooney, it emerged tonight.

Supporters threatened to boycott Irish international matches and urged the red-carding of the FAI board after claiming Mr Rooney was forced out.

Alan Hunter, general secretary of the Irish Football Supporters’ Association, called for the appointment of a sports commissioner to probe the FAI as Mr Rooney’s departure became the latest controversy to rock the organisation.

He claimed the move could hamper the implementation of the Genesis Report, which was commissioned in the wake of the Saipan debacle in 2002 when captain Roy Keane walked out on the World Cup following rows over the squad’s preparation.

“I’m calling on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to assign a sports commissioner to fully investigate FAI activities since the launch of The Genesis Report,” he said.

“The powerful administrators of the FAI think they can now waffle along ‘willy nilly’ because there’s no CEO to implement the crucial recommendations of the Genesis Report of two years ago.

“But they will bow to grassroots fans’ demands to implement the Genesis Report in the face of a boycott of an upcoming international fixture or worse.”

Mr Rooney was chosen from 70 applicants to spearhead the FAI’s drive to implement the Genesis report in May 2003.

His business background as former Baltimore Technologies chief and his involvement with the Irish Ladies’ Team in the 1980s made him a popular choice at the time.

However, his relationship with the FAI board soured due to rows over his management style, culminating in a council meeting last Friday where only three of the 60 members voted in his favour.

President Milo Corcoran thanked Mr Rooney for his contribution during his 18 months in charge of the organisation and wished him well in the future in an FAI statement confirming the resignation.

Mr Rooney thanked his supporters and expressed his continuing commitment to Irish soccer.

“I will always be committed to football in Ireland,” he said.

“I thank all those who worked with me in the past 18 months.

“I am also grateful to the people who expressed their support for me.”

The statement said the details of the terms of agreement between Mr Rooney and the FAI would remain strictly confidential, but it is understood the cost of the severance package could run into six figures.

“There will be no further comment on this matter,” the FAI statement concluded.

Mr Rooney is believed to have handed in his notice last night after meeting FAI secretary Michael Cody.

Mr Hunter claimed senior officials at the FAI’s Merrion Square headquarters had “permanently diluted the potency and sanctity of the position of CEO” by getting rid of Mr Rooney.

“It can offer little solace to business or commercial sponsors either,” he said.

“It’s time these people were all red carded.”