FORMER Irish soccer top man John Delaney can expect “the mother of all welcomes” when he arrives in Kerry later this month, the Oireachtas Joint Committee hearing with a delegation from the FAI heard today.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae said Mr Delaney is due to visit Castleisland at the end of the month to open the new George O’Callaghan Park for the local soccer club 45 years after such a facility was first called for.
“I am reliably told that if it wasn’t for John Delaney and the FAI that park wouldn’t be opened,” he said.
“You will be most welcome to Kerry and you will get what I would call the mother of all welcomes when you come to Kerry,” Deputy Healy-Rae told a beaming Mr Delaney at the committee hearing.
“Your reputation and your respectability will proceed you down the road before you land and we will be there to welcome you,” he added.
“The stuff I’d like to remember is the stuff you have done up and down the length and breadth of this country for the Association.”
Lavishing praise on the former Irish soccer CEO and commenting on the financial dealings of the FAI, Deputy Healy-Rae said when it comes to accountancy practices many people in business have to do “certain things at certain times.”
He remarked: “During the recession people bailed out their own small businesses. They did certain things that they had to do to try to be of help and assistance”.
He said John Delaney was the best qualified man for the new executive vice president’s job and in his role as CEO he was only trying to do good. If he was guilty of anything it was trying to help the FAI in the best way he saw fit at that time, he maintained.
The Kerry politician also expressed concern at Sport Ireland’s decision to cut funding to the FAI.
Kerry Senator Mark Daly also praised Mr Delaney’s work on anti-racism and integration initiatives and he remarked: “As am ambassador for Ireland and for Irish sports he has done an amazing job”.
Mr Delaney was among a number FAI officials being quizzed on the organisation’s governance in the wake of a €100,000 loan he extended to the Association in 2017.
Kerry soccer bosses have already rushed to defend Mr Delaney following the recent controversy.
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