Sadlier: LOI frustration over 'tone deaf' FAI comments
Richie Sadlier says criticism of the FAI by Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley is inevitable after years of frustration within League of Ireland circles.
With record attendances in the domestic game and the Hoops still flying the flag in Europe, the League of Ireland is on the crest of the wave.
Yet there remains huge dissatisfaction with how the association treats the league in some quarters.
Last week Bradley voiced his criticism towards Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson in relation to comments regarding Shamrock Rovers players following their European success, saying "hopefully they will get career change from this success".
On the eve of Rovers' UEFA Conference League knockout phase second leg with Molde – a tie they lead 1-0 - Bradley has launched a scathing attack on the FAI’s leadership and feels their "disgraceful" treatment of Colin Healy "smacks of arrogance".
Healy was let go as Republic of Ireland assistant manager by the FAI on the same day that they announced manager Eileen Gleeson was leaving.
FAI chief football officer Marc Canham claimed the circumstances were made clear to Healy at every stage and that there were consistent lines of communication with the Cork native.
However, in a lengthy statement, Healy criticised the process in which he was removed from the assistant manager's role, claiming he had been informed just weeks before the decision, that there would be a recommendation that his contract be extended.
Healy has submitted a formal complaint to the FAI over the handling of his departure.
Colin Healy says he turned down an offer to take over as Cobh Ramblers manager on the strength of a discussion with Marc Canham
Bradley paid an emotional tribute to Healy, stating that he does not feel the right people are running Irish football currently.
"Looking at the treatment of Colin, they don’t understand Irish people and football," he said, when asked about the FAI’s leadership, before adding "football isn’t about PowerPoint presentations."
Former Republic of Ireland international and RTÉ soccer analyst Sadlier agreed with Bradley’s view that Hallgrimsson’s comments were "tone deaf" and the handling of Healy’s departure was poorly handled.
"I love where the League of Ireland is at the moment," he said. "I love the confidence the people in the league are showing with the decisions they are making recently, the things they are saying. They are turning around and saying, 'we are worth more than how we are being treated by various individuals over the years’.
"I love that they are now coming out and saying this.
"It is disappointing when you read the detail of Colin Healy’s situation. It follows on from Stephen’s comments about the national team manager.
"A neutral observer on the Heimir Hallgrimsson comments would be understandable if they said, ‘you know what, a really good run in Europe from an Irish club may lead to clubs wanting the Irish players, and that’s a good thing’, but for the team manager to say it himself, it showed poor judgement and was tone deaf.
"It’s a window maybe into what the clubs think that the FAI thinks of them."
Rovers manager Stephen Bradley addressing the media on Wednesday at Tallaght Stadium
Bradley’s press conference was dominated by his criticism of the FAI – "I couldn’t tell you what they (FAI) are doing wrong because I don’t have time" – and Sadlier says it is a build-up of frustration over the years from those within the domestic game.
"It’s quite obvious who he is aiming his comments at," he said. "This isn’t a one-off incident how Colin Healy was treated. There are a string of things that people are unhappy with.
"I’m careful of how much I can say here because I know a lot of things that maybe will come out in the next little while."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Turkey in the UEFA Women's Nations League on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live commentary with 2fm’s Game On
