FORMER IRELAND STRIKER Niall Quinn said John Delaney’s refusal to answer a number of key questions at today’s Oireachtas Committee hearing was very concerning.
Recently appointed as the Football Association of Ireland’s Executive Vice-President, Delaney read a short statement at Leinster House addressing a €100,000 loan he provided to his employers in 2017.
“To stonewall it legally was hugely disappointing,” said Quinn. “I see some of the comments saying he ‘parked the bus’, to use a football term. But seriously, that was poor. I thought he had more in him than that.
“I’m very disappointed and I’ll go as far as to say: I had 92 caps for the country and today for the first time in my life I was truly embarrassed by my association. This is as low a point as I can remember.”
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FAI Executive Vice-President John Delaney arrives at Leinster House this morning. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile former Ireland manager Brian Kerr said the conduct of Delaney at today’s Oireachtas Committee hearing was “farcical”, criticising the former FAI CEO’s decision to not answer key questions.
Reacting this evening, Kerr said the association missed the chance to clear up the matter and provide some necessary clarity for the public as the FAI continues to come under significant pressure.
I think from the FAI’s point of view they completely missed an opportunity there to inform the public and give them some clarity, some truth and some transparency to what has been going on in the FAI,” said Kerr.
“They completely missed the beat on that one as far as I’m concerned and John Delaney coming in, making a statement and then basically saying he wasn’t prepared to answer any questions about his time as CEO — that was farcical.”
Kerr has aired his views before about the need for fresh faces within the FAI, reiterating that point again this evening after the Oireachtas Committee hearing in Dublin.
“There should be a clear-out. People who have been there [at the FAI] far too long didn’t give straight answers to straight questions today, so why wouldn’t you think it was farcical?”
Kerr said the FAI had failed to reform itself following the publication of the Genesis Report back in 2002 and maintained his lack of faith with the governing body to implement adequate change today.
I think that’s been obvious for a while,” Kerr replied when asked if Delaney should leave the organisation. “I mean, they’ve moved him sideways and today was about justifying that move.
“People have been waiting for them to be much better for years and years and years ever since the Genesis Report, and they haven’t changed much since then. So why should we believe they’ll change in the future with this particular group in charge?”
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'I had 92 caps for the country and today, for the first time in my life, I was truly embarrassed by my association'
FORMER IRELAND STRIKER Niall Quinn said John Delaney’s refusal to answer a number of key questions at today’s Oireachtas Committee hearing was very concerning.
Recently appointed as the Football Association of Ireland’s Executive Vice-President, Delaney read a short statement at Leinster House addressing a €100,000 loan he provided to his employers in 2017.
However when questioned further by committee members, he said that he would not be responding to additional questions relating to the loan due to legal advice he had received.
“To stonewall it legally was hugely disappointing,” said Quinn. “I see some of the comments saying he ‘parked the bus’, to use a football term. But seriously, that was poor. I thought he had more in him than that.
“I’m very disappointed and I’ll go as far as to say: I had 92 caps for the country and today for the first time in my life I was truly embarrassed by my association. This is as low a point as I can remember.”
Meanwhile former Ireland manager Brian Kerr said the conduct of Delaney at today’s Oireachtas Committee hearing was “farcical”, criticising the former FAI CEO’s decision to not answer key questions.
Reacting this evening, Kerr said the association missed the chance to clear up the matter and provide some necessary clarity for the public as the FAI continues to come under significant pressure.
“They completely missed the beat on that one as far as I’m concerned and John Delaney coming in, making a statement and then basically saying he wasn’t prepared to answer any questions about his time as CEO — that was farcical.”
Kerr has aired his views before about the need for fresh faces within the FAI, reiterating that point again this evening after the Oireachtas Committee hearing in Dublin.
“There should be a clear-out. People who have been there [at the FAI] far too long didn’t give straight answers to straight questions today, so why wouldn’t you think it was farcical?”
Kerr said the FAI had failed to reform itself following the publication of the Genesis Report back in 2002 and maintained his lack of faith with the governing body to implement adequate change today.
“People have been waiting for them to be much better for years and years and years ever since the Genesis Report, and they haven’t changed much since then. So why should we believe they’ll change in the future with this particular group in charge?”
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Brian Kerr FAI John Delaney Oireachtas Committee Reaction