I DIDN’T WATCH Soccer Republic on Monday Night.
RTE’s Olympics coverage meant the show started later than usual and this coupled with an early start on Tuesday meant that before I’d seen the show I was already aware that Brian Kerr had added to his status as a favoured son of the League of Ireland.
My Twitter feed was full of praise for Kerr’s passion, and packed with images of his face, incredulous, as Fran Gavin spoke of the FAI in glowing terms.
When I finally settled down to watch the debate on the FAI’s strategic funding I was all set to witness an advocate of the league put it up to the governing body.
The thing is, I’m not sure Brian Kerr actually won that debate.
Don’t get me wrong. I share every ounce of the frustration and anger that Kerr displayed on the night. I got just as worked up when Fran Gavin claimed that the FAI had created an environment that allowed Shamrock Rovers to get to the Europa League Group stages, an environment that saw us lose Monaghan United within a year.
But Kerr’s frustration grew and he started to talk, then shout, over Gavin. He got angrier. Stuey Byrne tried to get a few points in, I wanted to hear more from him but by then the debate had turned to an argument and for all the shared feeling of indignation that Kerr’s performance had brought out, we were really left none the wiser.
Gavin didn’t really have to answer a pointed question, it got lost in the noise.
Kerr didn’t win the debate — Gavin certainly didn’t win the debate. It felt like watching your team put in a hugely passionate display against a rival who’s come to your ground for a draw. They’ve parked the bus, you’ve cheered and you’re proud of the effort, but it ended up 0-0 and that’s not the result you needed.
We need to be careful of the anger, because ultimately it does us no favours. Derry City were angry and St Patrick’s Athletic furious last week, but following the PCA meeting on Wednesday the organisation released a statement, through St Pat’s, that they’d continue to work constructively with the FAI for the betterment of the league.
It was clear that, whatever happened behind closed doors when the clubs got together, the anger was going to be contained.
We’d been marched up the hill, only to be marched back down again. Are we any better off for the past week, has anything actually been achieved?
We should be angry, there’s no question, but we need to make sure it doesn’t become noise — giving an excuse for those deserving of criticism to dodge valid questions, lost in noise.
It’s also important that we stack the anger correctly, the FAI have a multitude of questions to answer and they have an obligation to the league that few feel they’re meeting, but if we focus all our anger at the FAI, if we all point our fingers in that direction, we’re also leaving clubs off the hook.
Clubs aren’t blameless here and if we focus solely on the faults of the Association, which are many, we’ll see clubs happy to have an excuse to hide from questions from their own supporters.
The FAI already avoid the media, particularly in arenas where FAI finance and League of Ireland matters can be challenged.
Since his infamous interview with Dion Fanning following Euro 2012, John Delaney has done some light entertainment interviews but seems to prefer to avoid sports journalists.
It was a surprise to hear that the FAI were actively pushing interviews with Fran Gavin in the wake of the Derry City and St Pat’s statements last week.
Having the opportunity to question the Competitions Director on the league, the finances behind it and the FAI’s plans for it was a rare opportunity, I fear it was missed.
In the end, Gavin said little while we got angrier but the PCA have issued their “working together for the betterment” statement, the FAI will ease back into their favoured position of watchful silence and clubs like Athlone and Waterford will do their best to struggle to the end of the season off the back of attendances not far into three figures.
What’s vital is that the PCA, journalists, supporters and pundits continue to push and ask questions not only of the FAI but of clubs and all stakeholders within the game.
The past week or so has shown one huge positive. There are influential and intelligent people such as Brian Kerr who are passionate about our league, but we need everyone who shares their passion to echo their concern and hold the people responsible for the future of our clubs and our leagues to account.
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Typical Irish attitude! If you have nothing nice to say don’t say it. Heaven forbid the FAI answer some hard questions.
Got to disagree – I felt the hype about the interview was unwarranted. I too watched it the following day and from
what I saw online in advance had expected Kerr to turn fran into a quivering mess by the end.
But for me, the fai came away from it (again) looking like they are making it up as they go along. Trying to take credit for any positives, while stepping away from the multitude of negatives.
Kerr (and pats and Derry) managed to bring the big questions bubbling under about the fai to the fore again and left me again very angry that we are stuck with their self-righteous ineptitude. So for me, Kerr won at least 1-0!
Thought stuey Byrnes closing remarks were right on point too, so make that 2-0!
Absolute rubbish… Brian Kerr won that debate.
Are you having a laugh? Kerr won hands down.
You’re right, John. I think there are a lot of v passionate and well-intentioned ppl who love the LOI (like Brian Kerr) but they often let themselves down by coming across as the angry-shouty man on TV or in the papers.
A bit more diplomacy and political tact is often needed. Professional soccer is a business. In order to be successful you need to have a bit of business nous.