FAI CEO not taking Roy Keane comments personally

David Courell said he does not believe Keane's criticism of the FAI is an indictment of his leadership. 

Following Ireland's defeat to Armenia, Roy Keane said the FAI "couldn’t organise piss-up in a brewery". Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Roy Keane’s latest criticism of the FAI is not taken as a personal slight by the current chief executive.

The Corkman repeated his familiar sweeping statement of the FAI being unable to organise a piss-up in a brewery when speaking midweek in the aftermath of the embarrassing defeat for the men’s team in Armenia.

Keane confirmed on Sky’s ‘Stick to Football’ podcast the Irish Examiner’s story last year of him being interviewed for the managerial vacancy.

David Courell was upgraded from chief operations officer to interim chief executive in the latter stages of the agonisingly slow recruitment phase.

“I don’t believe it is an indictment of my leadership,” he said about Keane’s barb.

“The reality is that Roy was talking about a context that was before my time in this position but he is a legend.

“If you go back and listen to it, and I haven’t listened to it, but my understanding is that it was in relation to the previous head coach search.

“So, in terms of Roy’s comments, he’s an absolute legend in the game, both as a player, captain, assistant manager - so he is entitled to his comments.” 

Keane cited the revelation of candidates to support his view of the FAI but the only official confirmations, such as his former Manchester United teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjær or Chris Coleman, originated from those interviewed.

“I think much to the frustration of the media, we ran a tight ship on that managerial search and we stand over it,” added Courell.

He confirmed Heimir Hallgrímsson won’t be sacked even if the Armenia horror-show is repeated in the rematch on October 14. The Icelander’s contract runs until the World Cup campaign ends in November.

“We will see through Heimir's contract and only at the end of that will we take stock about what's next,” he said, quashing initial plans to discuss a new deal between the September and October windows.