Watch: Richie Sadlier claims 'new FAI' has still not arrived amid ...
Richie Sadlier has claimed that the “new FAI” has yet to arrive after CEO Jonathan Hill became embroiled in a payments controversy.
The sporting organisation will face questions from the Goverment’s Public Accounts Committee in December after it emerged that Hill had availed of €12,000 cash from the FAI in lieu for holidays not taken.
The FAI has since expressed its “regret” for what happened, with Hill apologising “unreservedly” for the error that has seen Sport Ireland freeze its funding.
FAI CEO Jonathan Hill Pic: INPHO/Tommy DicksonWeighing up the implications of the FAI’s situation regarding the senior team’s hunt for a new manager, Sadlier suggested the off-field drama could hinder the process.
He shared his view that the new era of the FAI that was promised following the previous regime has not come to the fore.
Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny before the UEFA EURO 2024 Championship qualifying group B match between Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile‘The issues facing the FAI cannot help the process,’ Sadlier said while on punditry duty for RTE.
‘They have a CEO facing really difficult questions about why he received money from the FAI which was in breach of their regulations and possibly in breach of the agreement that was broached with the Government.
RTE analyst Richie Sadlier before the UEFA European U21 Championship qualifying group A match between Republic of Ireland and Italy at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile‘Funding from Sport Ireland for the association is frozen until those questions are satisfactorily answered.
‘The staff within the FAI, the SIPTU (trade union) members have sent a letter to the Minister for Sport declaring their “no confidence” in the senior management of the FAI and some of the board members.’
‘We were using this term the “new FAI” over the last little while. The “new FAI” has yet to emerge.
‘They have serious questions of governance to answer so how that all fits in with the process (of hiring a new manager) when funding is being withheld, and the CEO is under-fire; it cannot help.’
