Bleurgh Aw.
Controversial but apparently cuddly Football Association of Ireland boss John Delaney (left) – 47 today – and partner Emma English.
It’s that lad’s birthday every day.
Harrumph.
Via Emma English
Meanwhile...Why John Delaney has a fraught relationship with League of Ireland (Alan Smith, Guardian)
Independent.ie will run a ‘behind-the-scenes’ documentary, hosted by Barry Egan, about FAI chief executive John Delaney from Sunday.
The documentary, called John The Baptist, will feature Denis O’Brien who pays 70 per cent of Ireland football manager Martin O’Neill and assistant manager Roy Keane’s wages, or €910,000 of their combined €1.3million wages.
In it, Mr O’Brien praises Delaney’s running of the FAI, which recently secured a debt write-down of €11.7million.
“John Delaney could run anything. John Delaney could run UEFA easily. He could run FIFA as far as I’m concerned — certainly better than [FIFA President] Sepp Blatter, and more honestly.”
Right so.
And sure he’s great craic too.
Coming soon: John The Baptist (Independent.ie)
H/T: Balls.ie
Previously: Meanwhile, At The FAI
Further to claims by former Ireland manager Brian Kerr that the FAI [Football Association of Ireland] had negotiated with new manager Martin O’Neill while Giovanni Trapattoni was still attempting to get Ireland into the World Cup, FAI chief exectuive John Delaney appeared on Today FM’s The Last Word with Matt Cooper.
Matt Cooper: “When did you start negotations with Martin O’Neill?”
John Delaney: “I suppose in the last week or so – you know, when he confirmed that he confirmed wanted to be manager.”
Cooper: “But when was the approach made? The reason I ask is, Brian Kerr, on this programme last Friday evening said that there was a dinner between a senior FAI person and Martin O’Neill in Shanahan’s {Stephen’s Green, Dublin] the night before the Ireland v Sweden match in the World Cup Qualifiers.”
Delaney: “Well, Brian is wrong there!”
Cooper: “It never happened?”
Delaney: “Brian should apologise for that Matt, I don’t want to put any sour taste in – he’s absolutley bang out of order there! Going into the Sweden game we were still on course to qualify for the World Cup and to make a comment is just bang out of order. He really should apologise for that because that did not happen!”
Cooper: “So Martin O’Neill was not contacted about his availability for the job before Giovanni Trapattoni had stepped down?”
Delaney: “Absolutely not!”
Listen here
Previously: The Grubby Game
Thanks Ronan Lawlor
(Photocall Ireland)
…and there are gonna be changes ’round here.
Win or the puppy gets it….
O’Neill and Keane partnership to be confirmed early this week (Liam Mackey, Irish Examiner)
Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Sue Kennedy writes:
“John Delaney strutting his stuff at Strictly for Soccer! He raised €14,000 for that first dance! Plenty of more dancers taking to the stage in Citywest tonight. All in aid of Irish Homeless Street Leagues and The John Giles Foundation.”
Jaykers.
Fair play, in fairness.
Phil C writes:
Tony O’Donoghue was right however, even the dogs in the street know Delaney was [REDACTED] Trap should be canned.
It seems that the majority of the FAI’s top-priced premium seats are being occupied by existing customers.
Who are paying 25% of the current value of the seats.
When Aviva was being built letters were sent to all 939 existing
customers asking where they wanted to be seated.
753 choose Vantage 1,currently priced at €3,200 a year. those customers are paying €750 a year.
At the end of the ISG arrangement, only 849 ‘Vantage 1s’ had been
allocated.
Which means that the FAI only sold 96 of their top level package.
And there is no guarantee that any of these current customers will
renew for the higher price come 2014.
The Friday question: How many of these seats will be full for Michael Bublé?
FAI Fill The Best Seats For 25 per cent Of ‘New’ Price (Daniel McDonnell, Irish Independent)
Certainly.
The FAI spent €74m on the Aviva stadium, hoping to recoup this and more
by selling 10,400 ‘Vantage Club’ seats on a 10-year deal.
They needed to sell 60% of these seats to break even.
ISG, who were their agents to sell the seats, offered to buy them all
for €75m and take the hit/extra profit.
The FAI turned this down believing they could make even more money.
At last month’s AGM, FAI boss John Delaney (above, far right) said 6,300 ‘Vantage Seats’
had been allocated.
This includes 2,000 seats 3 Mobile get as part of a sponsorship deal and 939 seats for existing customers.
Leaving about 3,400 new ‘Vantage Club’ seats.
So at an average of about 10k per ticket, this comes in at roughly €34m .
Or about €40m less than ISG’s offer.
The FAI are currenty €70m+ in debt.
You’re most welcome.
Ticket Fiasco Leaves FAI Millions In The Red (Daniel McDonnell, Irish Independent)
