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"It's a half a CEO role": Niall Quinn rules himself out of FAI job - for now

Niall Quinn has ruled himself out of the running for the CEO role of the FAI - if the remit stays...



Soccer

"It's a half a CEO role": Niall Quinn rules himself out of FAI job - for now

Niall Quinn has ruled himself out of the running for the CEO role of the FAI - if the remit stays as it is.

Quinn spoke on Virgin Media One, after the departure of John Delaney from the CEO position to take up a newly-created Executive Vice-President position at the organisation.

The news has been greeted with dismay by a large section of Irish fans, some of whom are planning on protesting against the FAI at the match against Georgia tomorrow night.

"Under absolutely no circumstances will I be applying for the job given the current remit of where this job sits," said Quinn of the vacant CEO position.

"I don't think that this reads as a CEO role at all, I think it reads as a half a CEO role. Anyone going in there will have a huge shadow over them, because the departing CEO has not departed at all.

"It would make life very, very difficult and I think that this is a little bit of a charade given the scrutiny that was in place over the last week. The rush of the appointment, the unanimous decision of the board to tell us all late on a Saturday night in the middle of some serious scrutiny on the CEO at that time."

Quinn was also critical of both the handling of the last couple of weeks since revelations of Delaney's 'bridging loan' payment to the FAI to assist 'cash flow' issues.

"We are not buying it. I am not buying it. I think that it is an ill-conceived decision that needs to be looked at again, in my opinion.

"I will say it again - it is a half a CEO role. It is a role that, if it stays in its current form, it is for a gillie.

"How can you bring in your passion and your drive [...] with the departing CEO not departing at all, and taking responsibilities for the plum, prettier roles - the glamorous jobs!"

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