Financial officer fits Genesis bill

SOCCER: The FAI yesterday announced it had appointed Mark O'Leary to the position of financial officer, a post created in response to recommendations of the Genesis Report.

O'Leary, who is a chartered accountant, comes to the job from Autobar, an international food services and vending group. He had previously worked with Touche Ross (now Deloitte) in London.

Announcing the appointment at Merrion Square yesterday morning, the association's chief executive, John Delaney, noted that the creation of the post was in line with the findings of Genesis and claimed the main issues in the three key areas addressed by the report had now been dealt with.

"This is really the final element in the implementation of the key structural recommendations of the 2002 Genesis report and one which sees the association well equipped for the challenges which lie ahead," he said.

"I'm confident that the changes in policies and procedures as well as the management structural changes, including Mark O'Leary's appointment today, will provide the right platform for the successful development of the game into the future."

The particular nature of this post and the way in which it was to be filled was, nevertheless, a cause of some conflict between the association and the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue, late last year.

The post was eventually advertised publicly after the minister had criticised the reluctance of Merrion Square to fill the job by open competition and the Sports Council had withheld some funding to the association.

ISC chief executive John Treacy yesterday issued a statement welcoming the appointment and noting management structures of the association had entered a "new phase".

Alistair Gray of Genesis, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction with the way his company's original recommendations had been dealt with in the wake of a return visit by the firm to assess the progress made during the past couple of years.

"It is clear that the need for transformation of the FAI has been accepted and acted upon," he said. "Significantly, the culture of discipline, lacking in 2002, is now clearly evident and in place in 2005 together with a new, more professional ethos. The FAI has moved on from 2002 and this needs to be acknowledged."

Noel O'Reilly has named a 16-strong squad for the European Youth Olympics, which take place in Lignano, Italy, from the 3rd to the 8th of next month.

Four years ago an Irish team, also trained by O'Reilly, won the gold medal at Youth Olympics in Murcia, Spain.

On this occasion his side have been drawn in a group with Finland and hosts Italy.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND YOUTH OLYMPICS SQUAD: E Ferry (Trojans/Derry City), B Daly (Corinthians Boys, Cork), D O'Connor (Lakewood, Cork), D Dennehey (St Brendan's Park, Tralee), K McArdle (Shelbourne, Dublin), S O'Shea (Tramore, Waterford), P Bonner (Keadue, Donegal), A Power, Mark Byrne, E Doyle, A Rooney (all Crumlin United, Dublin), A Downes (Tolka Rovers, Dublin), J O'Sulliva, J Donnellan (both Belvedere FC, Dublin), A Judge, J Douglas (both St Joseph's Boys, Dublin).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND UNDER-15 SQUAD FOR TENERIFE TOURNAMENT, JUNE 23rd-26th: K Dawson (Belvedere), J O'Brien, M Collins (both Cherry Orchard), I Daly, N McArdle (both Home Farm), M Nolan, S Dunne (Shelbourne), C Duggan (Kilreen), K O'Brien (Maymount Celtic), P Honahan (Wilton United), I Coffey (Willow Park), J Doyle (Athy Town), C McCormack (Bellurgan), D Joyce (Castlebar Celtic), C Kavanagh (Fairview Rangers), K Thorp (Charlton Athletic), A Moyles (Chelsea), J Lyons (Crystal Palace). Manager: Vincent Butler.