Denise O'Sullivan accuses FAI of 'lacking class' in Colin Healy debacle

BACKING HEALY: Former Republic of Ireland assistant coach Colin Healy and Denise O'Sullivan during a pre-match walk near their team hotel before the UEFA Women's Nations League B match between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Ireland centurion Denise O’Sullivan has accused the FAI of lacking class in their dealings of the controversial exit of Colin Healy from coaching duties.

Former Ireland midfielder and Cork City boss Healy was released as assistant manager, along with manager Eileen Gleeson, within eight days of Ireland’s Euro playoff defeat to Wales on December 3.

Healy introduced fresh intrigue and distaste to a seemingly straightforward decision from Marc Canham when he accused the FAI’s chief football officer of broken promises.

In the second of two statements, the latter coming two hours before Gleeson’s replacement Carla Ward was unveiled to the press last month, Healy insisted a “verbal assurance” was received from Canham before the playoff that he’d be recommending contract extensions for the management team to the board.

Canham has denied a U-turn, adamant that no “absolute guarantee” was provided to Healy at a time he was still mourning the death of his wife Kelly and mulling over an offer to fill the Cobh Ramblers vacancy near his home on Leeside.

FAI chief football officer Marc Canham during a media conference to introduce the new Republic of Ireland women's head coach Carla Ward at the Aviva Stadium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

His fellow Cork native O’Sullivan backed Healy in the war of words on social media by branding him an honourable man.

She elaborated in an interview, the North Carolina Courage midfielder insisting she couldn’t be silenced when injustice and unfairness was evident.

"Coaches being let go, that’s normal, it’s part of the game, but I think it was the manner it was done,” the Knocknaheeny native told Irish Football Fan TV on the day she turned 31.

“I think it was disrespectful, I think it lacked class and lacked compassion," she said.

"Working with Colin, I don’t have one bad thing to say about him.

“He’s an incredible man, a really excellent coach, but I don’t even want to get into the coaching side because everyone who knows Colin knows how good a coach he is.

"There’s a way to do things and there’s a way to treat people and it wasn’t the right thing to do. I’m really disappointed it happened the way it did."

February sees Ireland return to the pitch for the first time since their failure to qualify for successive tournaments.

Ireland open their Nations League campaign against Turkey on February 20 followed by a trip to face Slovenia in Koper four days later but this sage continues to dominate.

"I love playing for Ireland but I think this is a step backwards," O’Sullivan added. "It left a bad taste in my mouth, the way that happened.

"It’s not about them letting a coach go, that happens in football, but there is a manner in the way you treat people and I think it could have been done very, very differently.

“I can't just stay quiet and that’s why I have voiced my opinion on that.

"He’s a great man. He was dedicated during the whole of last year to the national team, with the challenges he faced as a person in his life.

“It’s a person’s welfare. It affects their family and when that happens I need to speak about it.

"I can’t just stay quiet and that’s why I have voiced my opinion on that. I would be disappointed in myself if I didn’t speak up. It was handled really poorly in my opinion."