Irish football the loser if Cass report is rejected

YESTERDAY was the closing date for the newly created position of National League Executive Secretary. Next Saturday the 52 members of the FAI's Senior Council will convene in Dublin for a day long workshop to discuss the recommendations of the report by the management consultant, Ray Cass, entitled Securing Winning Goals. The two are, or should be, inextricably linked and if the FAI/NL foul these up then Scottie may as well beam us all up.

This is not about personalities as such. It is not about Louis or Joe or Michael or Des or whoever. It's about adopting more effective and streamlined structures and far, far more important than the blood letting of earlier this year.

With regard to their executive secretary, the National League seem to have jumped the gun. One of the key components in SWG (Securing Winning Goals) is an executive officer for domestic football who would work in tandem with a 10 man Domestic Football Administration sub committee and other full time staff.

Quite why certain figures within the NL may have jumped the gun is a moot point. It, could be that they want to retain, or be seen to retain, a sense of autonomy, or that they do not have faith in the FAI Senior Council to implement SWG.

More ominously, they could be flexing their muscles in preparing their opposition to SWG. It might simply be a case of jobs for the boys.

Sadly, history tells us that the old jobs for the boys network has always been a feature of internal Merrion Square politics.

Given that the expressed purpose of the putative executive secretary (a £30,000 per year post to be filled by the end of the month) will be to act as a football administrator rather than a PR/marketing expert per se suggests that the appointment is liable to come from within.

Arguably, a PR/marketing expert is of greater need though the draconian suspension meted out to John O'Rourke last week and countless examples of rule changing and rule bending do emphasise the need for an authoritative administrator. Names being mentioned as early favourites amongst the 35 plus applications are Eddie Cox, Donal Crowther and Ollie Byrne.

While a knowledge of the murky waters that is the National League appears a prerequisite, personally I would have preferred a young, dynamic, well qualified person in administrative affairs without long term ties to any club or clique within Merrion Square, nor some green youngster straight out of college either.

Either way, the new appointment should be integrated into the recommendations of SWG, which in turn should be adopted by the Senior Council. If not then the bloodletting and navel contemplation of earlier this year and the hiring of Ray Cass will have been a further waste of time and money.

The 28 page report is not particularly radical. In it, the council members world retain certain privileges and remain the consultative body of the FAI/NL. All rule changes would still have to be voted on by the Senior Council, which would also retain the right to elect and to dismiss, in exceptional cases, the Board of Management.

The prospective 12/14 member Board of Management recommended in SWG would effectively replace the existing 20 member Executive Committee. The Board of Management, as outlined in SWG, would be comprised of the president, the honorary officers elected by Senior Council (four at present, but potentially two or three), seven members elected by Senior Council and, possibly, two further members co opted on to the board by the president who need not necessarily serve on the council.

The Board of Management would have a two year term of office, with eight 10 member sub committees under the following headings: Domestic Football Administration, International Activities, Finance and General Administration, Referees, Appeals, Policy and Planning, Media and Marketing, and Football Development.

Aside from the Board of Management, and realistic structuring of sub committees that are focused on specific tasks, there are also proposals for a Merrion Square staff structure that is geared to support the Board of Management and the sub committees, as well as much, much more besides. It is a clear, concise report, the result of extensive research by Cass, following extensive research of sporting and non sporting bodies. Will it be adopted?

So far the omens are good. Council members were yesterday informed of the results to the questionnaire which a sizeable majority of them responded to in advance of Saturday's workshop.

The latter will be divided into four subgroups embracing the aforementioned structures, domestic football, football development, and media and marketing.

Emanating from this, a discussion paper will be prepared for Senior Council in November, with resulting rule changes to be put before council in December or January.

Almost 90 per cent considered it extremely important that the FAI be seen to have modern, effective decision making structures. Two thirds believe the main proposals in the report are positive/helpful for the future of football, while a further 25 per cent regard them as extremely positive/helpful.

Clearly if they are as good as their word, then the majority of the 52 member Senior Council are intent on embracing the recommendations of Securing Winning Goals and with it more progressive and streamlined structures for the association. The National League would be a prime beneficiary and the amalgamation would be set fair.

Long after time, although better late than never, the Senior Council have to be seen to do something, to change things for the better. To reject Securing Winning Goals, thereby reverting to the status quo and their outmoded old ways, would surely be to fail Irish football again.