JOHN DELANEY HAS revealed that a misunderstanding was the source of the legal threats issued to media outlets ordering them not to carry a video which showed him singing a Republican ballad in a pub last week.
In a statement released last night, Delaney underlined how he ‘abhors violence’ and also appeared to label the legal threats as ‘a misunderstanding’ because he was out of the country at the time:
“I now understand that while I was travelling and un-contactable there was some confusion through a third party around the background of a video which appeared and where it happened which led to misunderstanding. As anyone who knows me will attest, I abhor violence and have worked tirelessly through my role at the Football Association of Ireland to strengthen links between communities on this island, north and south.”
Delaney yesterday apologised in an interview with Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ 2fm if he had caused any offence after the video clip surfaced.
This singing story is clouding the real issue: that this buffoon is not fit to do the job he is paid a vast sum of money to do. What other chief executive of a major sporting organisation gets himself into the papers with such regularity? How often do Paraic Duffy and Philip Browne (his equivalent in the GAA and IRFU) make fools of themselves in public? Delaney is a desperate attention seeker.
His ‘misunderstanding’ explanation doesn’t add up. He thought he could bully people, as is his way, and then when he realised what was actually happening he backtracked. It’s time to get rid of this clown once and for all.
While I think they’re totally dragging the arse out of this story, you’re right about him appearing in stories too often, and the heads of other organisations seemingly having more clout.
I misundertand why Delaney can keep his job
Amazingly 11 people (as I write this) have down voted your comment. Something weird about the comments section here
The real tragedy is having to listen to his dreadful singing voice….also brings back nightmarish memories of the Wolf Tones and their “wrap the green flag round me boys” type of music.
All this bloody hullabaloo over signing a rebel song in an Irish pub? Sigh….
terrorist song not a rebel song
A beautiful song about a man who gave his life for his country. Even hard line loyalists respected these men.
I think people are missing the overall point here. This is just the latest incident involving John Delaney. From walking around Poland blotto drunk with no shoes on to the ticket problems for the Scotland game to that awful ‘John The Baptist’ documentary….. I could go on. He doesn’t behave the way the head of a sporting organisation should or the way that they head of any other sporting organisation would for that matter. He sang a song in a pub – grand, I don’t really mind that. But he sang a song in a pub around the corner from the stadium where the national team had just played then denied it and issues legal threats to media agencies claiming it was not him in the video.
Its nothing to do with the actual song ,the issue is that he’s the CEO of the FAI ..behaving in a manner not befitting a CEO.Getting pissed up on free beer in the stadium ,where he has just used his paid orange jacket goons and the Gardai to quash a uprising from the peasents and he goes to a bar next to the stadium for a sing song.He tried to force balls.ie to remove the link on saturday under legal threats ,along with uk papers ,so his bullshit story about yet another “Misunderstanding” is blatent lies.He was traveling on Monday ,he wasn’t travelling on saturday when he tried to use the usual bullyboy tactics.The FAI sgned up to the Kick it out campaign ,they’ve activly promoted it ,they have sponsors that are UK based ,is the overpaid head of the FAI singing rebel songs in a pub the best way to promote Irish football ? There was war when Billy Bingham did this crap in Windsor ,the Rangers Vice Chair had to resign over singing the sash ,while JD was on the 2nd verse of Joe Macdonnell ,the English FA and manager were apologising for their fans singing “No Surrender” and the official band got pillored for playing along.Do we really need this crap with England to come to Landsdown..does that fixture really need any additional fuel?
Uncontactable because he was travelling?! On another junket paid for by the FAI no doubt!
“SCOOPS”
What is wrong with singing a republican ballad?
John Delaney, is the head of the FAI and a senior figure in the Irish Olympic committee 2nd only to Pat Hickey. Both are open to & represent athletes from the entire Island of Ireland regardless of race, creed or religion.
Some people from certain communities that these organisations deal with and represent could find offence in the Delanys choice of after hours singing.
Anything that draws attention to this fools, stupidity, disregard for his job and greed , is a good thing. Remember his salary is €100,000 higher than the total prize find for all league of Ireland clubs!!
whats right with it would be a better question
Plus we are playing England shortly for the first time since a game had to abandoned due to English football hooligans. This Delaney incident has been reported in the UK and isn’t helpful when so many are trying to ensure such violence doesn’t happen next time.
….its a song. A bit of craic.
So if he was singing say the Billy boys or thee famine song you would be ok with it?
JD gets 4 times a year what league champions get actually
Those two songs are singing direct abuse at Irish people it’s a hell of a difference tbf
Well explained Wayne
Francis, his current wage is 350,000 the winners get 100k the total prize pot is €220k
He is irish isn’t he
Can we all move on? No ones died for gods sake, lets all get a life and sweat the ‘real’ stuff in life.
joe did
Lol paddy!
Maybe a list of “acceptable songs” could be issued by the Irish Times so that we peasants know where we stand. I presume anything by U2? This is such a nothing story.
The Guards over here show check with the Scottish Police as there is such a list in place over there. If your ever in the Gallowgate before a game expect the local coppers to come into the pub and check the jukebox to make sure there are no Irish rebel songs in it or the band isn’t playing any of the same songs..Yet Rangers fans can sing The Billy Boys, The Famine Song and do The Bouncy which is a direct reference to the way Loyalists jumped up and down on the Head of Robert Hamill In Portadown killing him..
Political correctness gone mad
It’s just stupid, Ireland is turning into a country full of moaners!! Water is my basic human right, I won’t pay, you will pay, get on with it, yes john Delaney is Irish, he sang a song, build a bridge and get over it.
Paul it’s not the Irish moaning
You sound like you’re having a bit if an auld moan yourself there Paul
Singing* lol
What a terrible version of that song. Terrible singer
I have said it all along, this guy is one serious cluster f*ck – how he has remained in his role with the FAI is mind boggling…
He says he was uncontactable as was travelling on Monday yet the, acting on his behalf, FAI told balls.ie it wasn’t him in the video on Saturday, another pretty obvious porky pie there John
*The FAI, acting on his behalf
Paddy Mulligan all that ignorance and hatred is unhealthy and will eventually eat away inside you. Lie down deep breath that sort of thin pal. Now wheres my Wolfe Tones tape and the Ballad of Joe McDonnell. God Bless him.
to hate would mean you actually care
only an absolute idiot would sign songs about SF/IRA terrorists and abusers
That the majority of the country then paddy not much hope for us then! Any good song about general o’duffy and the boys going on the lash in Spain?
do the majority support terrorism? i seriously doubt that
The majority sing rebels songs and I’d imagine are aware of the grey area between singing and supporting! You should stop reading the English papers, they haven’t any trouble with the history of their military in Northern Ireland and treat it as serving in any other campaign.
So by your logic Collins, Lemass, Pearse Connolky etc were murderers??
Ian, he fire bombed a furniture suppliers! Striking a great blow to the British forces and their horrible an Inhumane use of the comfy chair to torture nationalists
Uncontactable because of travelling? Doesn’t he have a mobile phone? Or was he driving…for many many many hours. Or on a plane…for many many many hours….with no stops….no signal….no internet….??? Hardly plausible in these times, in his position!!
The man hurts my eyes! !
It’s a storm in a teacup. Why all the fuss? Why don’t the Irish fans sing Hunger Striker songs at the English fans in the Aviva in June? They won’t mind. John Delaney could help out if we forget the words. And then wait for the English to reply with a few lovely anti-Fenian songs too? After all, it’s only harmless banter, isn’t it?
The fuss is he threatened three media outlets with legal action, saying it wasn’t him, then within a few days, admitted it was him.
Daryl,
I don’t think you grasped the (pretty obvious) irony in my comment, did you?
He sang Joe Mcdonnell for fcuk sake you’d swear he was singing go home British soldiers. Pack of hams
You know the world is gone too PC when an Irish man sings a Irish song in an Irish pub and gets lambasted for it!
Crazy isn’t it? I’m not a fan of John delaney but really like. you got it in one, all this for an irish man (doesn’t matter who he is) singing an irish song in a bar…in Ireland.
Convenient
Keep singing any song you like John – especially good Irish Ballads , but get a couple of lessons !
Meanwhile , what will be next piece of Important News to be DISCOVERED by the Quality Hacks & Journo’s of Indo Group , RTE et al ?
It’s seems that so many Journalists in Ireland just haven’t copped that the Citizens of Ireland have had enough of their Drivel and Red Top Rubbish !!!
no one in this country even knows who joe mc donald is? is he a footballer or something
With respect, to be signing the song our of concern for those with hearing impairments, is tone commended.
Out of concern
Dig up stupid!
John told you stick to the Tap dance lessons leave the singing to the shower
After all you wouldn’t know what would appear then
I think they made a mistake it’s really Roy keane singing this
I don’t understand why he tried to prevent the media from broadcasting this video (unless he plans on pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.) Ok so who’s feelings were actually hurt by this?
Really getting silly now even if your not an over paid dickhea÷ u cant say anything your racist your mysoginst your anti semetic if we keep it up there will be know freedom of speech