Women's international team threatening strike action

Lovely Bloke

It's not even surprising any more.

John Delaney is a lovely bloke.

Zaph

D0NNELLY wrote: »

I wonder will Shane Ross pull the usual FG line.. 'can't do anything, up to the parties involved to come to a settlement'

And he'd right, the government have no business getting involved. They can't be held responsible for the FAI's gross mismanagement of their funds. And everything else for that matter.

D0NNELLY

Zaph wrote: »

And he'd right, the government have no business getting involved. They can't be held responsible for the FAI's gross mismanagement of their funds. And everything else for that matter.

I'm not saying SR is responsible, but we can't rely on JD to sort this.

Ulysses Gaze

The chance to get rid of Delaney was during the Rio scandal in the summer.

Every media outlet in this country should have been calling for his head.

They didn't.

Guy:Incognito

jebidiah wrote: »

Women's sports teams the world over are paid and treated worse than men's. It is a sad fact and needs to change.
.

That's just not going to happen. The men's game generates the money. If the utd women's team can fill old Trafford week after week and sell hundred of millions in merchandise then they can look for similar money. The reality is that the women's game, and women's sport in general, isn't what the fans want or spend their money on.

mikeym

Why dont the women go on strike until their demands are met.

Shame on the FAI.

Wrongway1985

Tackling on Vinnie Browne at the mo

Gavin "shels"

Is this the push needed? Majority don't care about the state the League is in, so hopefully the women's team is now the calayst for action. Not holding my breath.

F*ck All Interest

super_furry

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0405/865339-delaney/

Sorry everyone, but John Delaney is far too busy to deal with your whinging. Sure isn't he joining the UEFA executive committee today?

yabadabado

He will get it to UEFA know a complete bastard when they see one.

Mars Bar

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

That's just not going to happen. The men's game generates the money. If the utd women's team can fill old Trafford week after week and sell hundred of millions in merchandise then they can look for similar money. The reality is that the women's game, and women's sport in general, isn't what the fans want or spend their money on.

United don't have a womens team which is appalling enough. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. The U.S did this and have tens of thousands turn out for their games. AFAIK, the USWNT makes money and doesn't lose it.

Jan_de_Bakker

D0NNELLY wrote: »

That's not a list of demands, it's just common sense.

They should start their own go fund me page and fück Delaney

I'd donate ..., and they should get a dietitian not a nutritionist ... anyone can call themselves that :P

Lovely Bloke

It's a huge nonsense that the FAI won't deal with the PFAI on this.

Yes-man Noel King was on the radio this morning, trying to defend the indefensible.

yabadabado

Noel knows his place and will never say about word about them.Sure he always has a job no matter how inept he is .

Zebra3

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

It's a huge nonsense that the FAI won't deal with the PFAI on this.

Yes-man Noel King was on the radio this morning, trying to defend the indefensible.

Yeah, the Dutch bloke was on the news last night.

Amazing how Delaney does have the time to go on Saturday night talk shows, always about for an interview when things are going well, but when there's negative publicity, the minions are rolled out.

rob316

Astonishing, my buddy plays for the men's Irish international amateurs and they are treated like royalty, everything covered. Disgusting that the women are treated so poorly and some are professional athletes.

_Puma_

stankratz wrote: »

This is very poor from the FAI, but why is it not that surprising? It would be nice to think though that no matter how bad things are, when you get to senior international level the days of getting changed in the jax are behind you.

It's a rotten organisation where any progress which has been made, has mostly been done in spite of those running the show.

There are many people in both urban and rural Ireland giving up their own time to help Irish football at grassroots level. I'm not one of them, but I know some.

One of the lads in particular has put in a lot of hours for a local club who up until a few years ago had only one senior men's team competing in the local league. They had one playing pitch and one training pitch, though you could hardly tell the difference between the two only for the training pitch having quite an increment towards one end of it.

Now though, over some years and after a lot of non-billable hours put in by this person and some other club volunteers, the club have developed a whole range of underage boys teams, plus two underage girls teams. They run a few camps in the Summer for them also. They have a large, equipped astro-turf area which can be sectioned off for smaller games or training. The main pitch was leveled and resown, it doesn't have what you'd call a stand, but a nice sheltered area. They've also developed a few grass pitches in the land around it. During the season, you could go up there on a mid-week evening and it would be a hive of activity with several matches going on at different age levels. This is in a rural area with a strong GAA club and an area which also saw a rise in those looking to play rugby.

I don't know for sure, but maybe this club received some level of a grant from the FAI. However, I do know that what this club has become would not be possible without the work of a few key volunteers. It's not even about doing it for your own kids, my friend here doesn't have any yet, just a passion for the game. Left as it was though and without a bit of initiative and self sacrifice, the 'club' would still be 22 men kicking a ball around a country field of a Sunday morning. Now though, there are over 100 kids actively involved in the club. Will any of them go on to earn megabucks in the big leagues or even have a professional career in the game? Maybe not, but now they have a chance which previously wasn't there.

I'm sure these volunteers like my friend aren't a rare occurrence, and some of you reading this might be familiar with similar stories of clubs and people in your area.

Anyway, my point here is that while good people are going around doing the hard work at grassroots level and doing it for free, while the international womens team are getting changed in the airport toilets and have no loss of earnings reimbursed, there are people at the top getting paid extremely well along with a generous expense account for overseeing a broken organisation. One which would be even more broken but for the people like the members of the Irish international women's team and those volunteers at grassroots level.

Right, in this size of a country we have to be realistic. The FAI are never going to have the money to invest in every local team and make the kind of investment which would see Ireland become a regular Top 10 team after 10-15 years. That said, the way the money is currently spent and appropriated is ridiculous.

For example: That 'International Brand Expert' the FAI hired a few months ago to basically say the boss was doing a great job. He wasn't cheap. He quotes eur7,000 for speeches, you'd have to imagine a brand overview would be more project-like and therefore command a higher fee.

They may as well have burned the money. No harm to the 'Expert' who got the gig, but it was highly unnecessary and a complete waste of what was likely over eur10,000. Live FAI scores displayed at bus stops, bus stops which can barely display their own bus times? Interactive EA games at half time in the matches on giant screens, in stadiums which have no screens?

Would that eur10,000 not have been better spent on a few of the things for the women's team like nutritional advice, some gym memberships, some tracksuits, any of the few things on their list? Sure it would, everyone else knows this but those who unfortunately matter and sign the cheques.

At the time of the 'International Brand Expert', this row would have already been brewing between the women and the FAI. I can only imagine the slap on the face that felt like for them. They couldn't get tracksuits, this brand expert likely had all-expenses covered never mind his high rate.

These international competitors are not looking for much. In fact, any executive worth his/her salt should be able to get the likes of tracksuits for the squad, ones they can hold on to, for free or for very little cost through some kind of sponsorship or even a favour through connections. Right, I know John Delaney isn't Emilio Estevez and the women's team aren't the Mighty Ducks, but tracksuits along with most of the things on the women's list should be a given for the athletes' status. Some items even come down to a matter of basic dignity.

So much of the money paid to under-performing executives rather than invested in the game or awarded to teams and personnel. eur110k for winning the LOI? That's a joke, especially with the organistion's executive salaries.

"We have to offer these kind of salaries and packages to attract skilled candidates" - My hole. The FAI has been nothing but a gravy train for John Delaney for an era at this stage. He has a stranglehold over the position and and the only person he is doing a good job for is himself. eur360k a year to run football in Ireland and answer to no one or face any kind of job appraisal/review? Nice job if you can get it in fairness. The fact that no one else can is part of the problem.

Because of the public attention, the women will rightfully get their requirements here. As long as the FAI remains as it currently is though, none of these kind of revelations/failings will stop, or be very surprising when brought to light.

This..

Football in Ireland(Mens and Womens) exists in spite of the FAI. Have no illusions if taxpayers money was pulled from the FAI it would have no detrimental effect at Local or National(LOI) level. At International level it seems to be the same going by what the Ladies are saying. The sooner this money is pulled from the FAI the better. The bootlicking that went on at the Dail committee by certain government TD's was disgusting to anyone that has put time into volunteering for their local club or even supporting their LOI club.

But sure as long as John Delaney buys a round of drinks for the Boys in Green on away days its all grand. Just don't go asking where the tickets came from.

Umaro

From the FAI statement here:

Efforts to engage the team, in good faith, have taken place on the following dates.

October 16
March 22
March 28
March 31
April 2

Why on earth would you release a statement where you're making it clear that you fobbed them off for over 4 months?

It's now nearly 7 months from the date the were first made aware of the issues. Do they seriously think that this looks like they made an effort to solve them during that period? Are they that deluded? What an insane piece of PR - I seriously hate these morons.

yabadabado

_Puma_ wrote: »

This..

Football in Ireland(Mens and Womens) exists in spite of the FAI. Have no illusions if taxpayers money was pulled from the FAI it would have no detrimental effect at Local or National(LOI) level. At International level it seems to be the same going by what the Ladies are saying. The sooner this money is pulled from the FAI the better. The bootlicking that went on at the Dail committee by certain government TD's was disgusting to anyone that has put time into volunteering for their local club or even supporting their LOI club.

But sure as long as John Delaney buys a round of drinks for the Boys in Green on away days its all grand. Just don't go asking where the tickets came from.

Delaney is hated and seen for what he is by the vast majority of Irish supporters.
Only a very small minority would give him the time of day.

Mars Bar

Umaro wrote: »

From the FAI statement here:



Why on earth would you release a statement where you're making it clear that you fobbed them off for over 4 months?

It's now nearly 7 months from the date the were first made aware of the issues. Do they seriously think that this looks like they made an effort to solve them during that period? Are they that deluded? What an insane piece of PR - I seriously hate these morons.

The women have said that they've been trying to get the fai to engage for two years at least. I imagine that they thought by merging the WFAI with the FAI that they'd make more progress. Obviously they were let down by the FAI as usual.

Can FIFA not have a say in this? They've been trying to promote more girls and women in the game both on and off the field.

keano_afc

Delaney successfully elected. Second in the voting. Mind boggling really.

PhilipsR

keano_afc wrote: »

Delaney successfully elected. Second in the voting. Mind boggling really.

The worst thing is that it isn't mind boggling at all.

Zebra3

Goes to show that mediocrity can pay off.

PhilipsR

PhilipsR wrote: »

The worst thing is that it isn't mind boggling at all.

He seems like a perfect candidate to join them in fairness, and that's not a compliment to the man.

RobertKK

Fair play to the women's team, they should get the exact same treatment as the men, and not treated as inferior.

Hard Worker

Delaney's new job with UEFA requires about 100 days per year.
On that basis, the FAI should renegotiate his contract. There is no way that double jobbing is acceptable. Either replace him or reduce his salary by 35%.
A considerable amount of taxpayers money goes into sport, including football. The Minister for Sport should look for a report on the situation with the womens team.

Ulysses Gaze

Hard Worker wrote: »

Delaney's new job with UEFA requires about 100 days per year.
On that basis, the FAI should renegotiate his contract. There is no way that double jobbing is acceptable. Either replace him or reduce his salary by 35%.
A considerable amount of taxpayers money goes into sport, including football. The Minister for Sport should look for a report on the situation with the womens team.

Do you really think that will happen?

Ulysses Gaze

GavRedKing wrote: »

The FAI is an old boys club, no way anybody will want to upset the apple cart and go against Delaney, he or she wont gain any traction and will be shouted down.

I've no doubt theres much better and cheaper candidates available to do the job as theres no hope in hell Delaney can justify the money he claims every year.

Wrongway1985

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

That's just not going to happen. The men's game generates the money. If the utd women's team can fill old Trafford week after week and sell hundred of millions in merchandise then they can look for similar money. The reality is that the women's game, and women's sport in general, isn't what the fans want or spend their money on.

Man United don't have a women's football team so they won't be filling up a car park anytime soon which is quite pathetic on their part tbh.

They aren't asking for similar money at all here at all not by any stretch of the imagination money in the game isn't across the board anyhow it's negotiated by agents but that's another story, some here aren't even fully professional they are asking for very basic needs which the international mens team are afforded and they are not.

Fair play to them going forward it could go a long way others who are to represent the country in the future.

yabadabado

Hard Worker wrote: »

Delaney's new job with UEFA requires about 100 days per year.
On that basis, the FAI should renegotiate his contract. There is no way that double jobbing is acceptable. Either replace him or reduce his salary by 35%.
A considerable amount of taxpayers money goes into sport, including football. The Minister for Sport should look for a report on the situation with the womens team.

I have a feeling you need to be a head of an association to get that job.
Delaney will leave his FAI role when he wants,on his terms and will most likely appoint his successor. A farce of an association.

Fr Tod Umptious

There seems to be a lot of outage at the FAI about this, and we'll placed I may add.

So here is an idea.

Stop going to matches.

Stop buying merchandise, new kit coming out I hear.

Stop buying the products of the FAI sponsors.

Tell the sponsors why you are boycotting them.

Hit the FAI where it will hurt

Come on folks if people are really outraged at the treatment of the ladies they should all do all of the above and more en masse.

Mars Bar

A Donegal company has used the situation for some advertising.

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/donegal-sportswear-company-makes-heartwarming-offer-to-ireland-womens-team-119491

That's not the point though. The F.A.I shouldn't be given a dig out. The women should have their own Umbro F.A.I gear. The F.A.I should do what a football governing body should do and provide for their players.

gandalf

I'd say Umbro would have their solicitors quite rightly onto the FAI pronto if they took up that offer. I'd say the FAI fecked up the original agreement and left the women and underage teams off the deal. They should dip into their own finances and kit the teams out properly. Given the disproportionate wages their top brass is on what the ladies team are asking for is small fry. How Delaney has stayed in charge is beyond me and certainly how he can justify the money he is on is mind boggling.

yabadabado

Very easy to see how JD has stayed in charge so long and he doesn't and won't justify his earnings to anyone.
It's depressing having him in charge of football in this country.

yabadabado

Glad to see McClean give the womens team support. I thought a few more of the senior team would have backed them publicly .

Zebra3

yabadabado wrote: »

Very easy to see how JD has stayed in charge so long and he doesn't and won't justify his earnings to anyone.
It's depressing having him in charge of football in this country.

He simply can't justify his earnings given the state of the FAi's finances and how poorly paid so many FAI employees are.

yabadabado

Zebra3 wrote: »

He simply can't justify his earnings given the state of the FAi's finances and how poorly paid so many FAI employees are.

But I don't think he tries or even cares.No transparency in the association is a huge issue .

As long as he is surrounded by yes men he will immune from outside pressure.

Copper_pipe

FAI
Statement from the Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland Senior Women’s National Team have reached agreement, following mediation talks.




6th Apr 2017
Discussions between both sides came to a successful conclusion earlier this morning, where all ‘Issues to be addressed’, as outlined by the Players, were successfully resolved.

Following the positive outcome to the mediation process the Players confirmed that they will return to training today, in preparation for their international fixture against Slovakia on Monday at Tallaght Stadium.

The Association is pleased that both sides have reached common agreement and a settlement, which allows the two parties to move forward together as one, in the best interests of Irish football.

yabadabado

All subject to a confidentiality clause I presume.

Sappy404

Copper_pipe wrote: »

FAI
Statement from the Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland Senior Women’s National Team have reached agreement, following mediation talks.




6th Apr 2017
Discussions between both sides came to a successful conclusion earlier this morning, where all ‘Issues to be addressed’, as outlined by the Players, were successfully resolved.

Following the positive outcome to the mediation process the Players confirmed that they will return to training today, in preparation for their international fixture against Slovakia on Monday at Tallaght Stadium.

The Association is pleased that both sides have reached common agreement and a settlement, which allows the two parties to move forward together as one, in the best interests of Irish football.

Great to see. It's a shame it took FAI being embarrassed publicly to meet the players' very reasonable terms. The team deserves a lot of credit.

Umaro

I'm glad its resolved but it should never have come to a situation where the team had to publicly threaten to strike.

This may be cynical, but I'd say that the only reason it got taken care of was because it was ruining John Delaney's big day - not a good look to be accepted onto the UEFA Handshakes Committee whilst one of your teams is threatening to strike and the story is being carried by all the papers.

Hercule Poirot

Umaro wrote: »

I'm glad its resolved but it should never have come to a situation where the team had to publicly threaten to strike.

This may be cynical, but I'd say that the only reason it got taken care of was because it was ruining John Delaney's big day - not a good look to be accepted onto the UEFA Handshakes Committee whilst one of your teams is threatening to strike and the story is being carried by all the papers.

They timed it perfectly to be fair to them, it might not have been resolved as quickly otherwise

TheDoc

gandalf wrote: »

I'd say Umbro would have their solicitors quite rightly onto the FAI pronto if they took up that offer. I'd say the FAI fecked up the original agreement and left the women and underage teams off the deal. They should dip into their own finances and kit the teams out properly. Given the disproportionate wages their top brass is on what the ladies team are asking for is small fry. How Delaney has stayed in charge is beyond me and certainly how he can justify the money he is on is mind boggling.

Very simple really. Lines not just his pockets but those who operate as his yes men, and those who sit on his board and dare not challenge him while he keeps the gravy train rolling and everyone making money and getting nicely compo'd trips.

That he was elected to the UEFA commitee simply just confirms what I knew all along in that by our standards he is an absolute crook with no place in the game, but within those circles he is seen as a top administrator.

You'd be hoping the likes of a minister for sport would have got involved long ago, but sure Delaney probably organises comp'd trips for half that lot as well. He's a snake and simply can't bring myself to watch our support anything to do with our national team or national league while he is at the helm.

Alonso77

Sappy404 wrote: »

Great to see. It's a shame it took FAI being embarrassed publicly to meet the players' very reasonable terms. The team deserves a lot of credit.

And if this is how to get things get done in future then embarrass them publicly every time.

Lovely Bloke

Are people calling for "The minister for sport" really unaware that any political interference in matters relating to national FAs can result in sanctions from FIFA for the senior team?

Or do they just not care about that?

yabadabado

TheDoc wrote: »

Very simple really. Lines not just his pockets but those who operate as his yes men, and those who sit on his board and dare not challenge him while he keeps the gravy train rolling and everyone making money and getting nicely compo'd trips.

That he was elected to the UEFA commitee simply just confirms what I knew all along in that by our standards he is an absolute crook with no place in the game, but within those circles he is seen as a top administrator.

You'd be hoping the likes of a minister for sport would have got involved long ago, but sure Delaney probably organises comp'd trips for half that lot as well. He's a snake and simply can't bring myself to watch our support anything to do with our national team or national league while he is at the helm.

You only have to look back at few months to when he was called to that meeting with TDs it was a complete farce and boot locking exercise.

Umaro

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

Are people calling for "The minister for sport" really unaware that any political interference in matters relating to national FAs can result in sanctions from FIFA for the senior team?

Or do they just not care about that?

I think most people are unaware of that. Its a clever rule from FIFA - any government that tries to clean up their native FA will suffer repercussions on their national team, such as exclusion from tournaments. Ensures that JD really has nothing to worry about, no politician wants to take flak for (potentially) denying Ireland a spot at the World Cup.

yabadabado

Can't government cut funding to a sports body if they wanted.It's not interference in FAI just not backing them financially.

HalloweenJack

yabadabado wrote: »

Can't government cut funding to a sports body if they wanted.It's not interference in FAI just not backing them financially.

What's the point? I'm sure there's dozens of companies lining up to bankroll the FAI if it means that their logo will be plastered over every single piece of replica gear for the next five years.

El Weirdo

HalloweenJack wrote: »

What's the point? I'm sure there's dozens of companies lining up to bankroll the FAI if it means that their logo will be plastered over every single piece of replica gear for the next five years.

Yeah, but at least it won't be taxpayer's money lining their pockets.