Opinion: John Delaney’s a victim of long standing media vendetta

It seems that the Irish media in general have made a decision to hunt down John Delaney for some perceived ‘offence’ he has committed viz-a-viz company law – and it’s a pretty vicious attack.
'Journal' columnist, Eddie Mahon doesn't think FAI Chief, John Delaney has done too much wrong.'Journal' columnist, Eddie Mahon doesn't think FAI Chief, John Delaney has done too much wrong.
'Journal' columnist, Eddie Mahon doesn't think FAI Chief, John Delaney has done too much wrong.

But it all seems more of a long standing vendetta than the discovery of some heinous crime that our former CEO has committed.

Although I don’t have a forensic knowledge of the intricacies of the business bible I can’t for the life of me see that giving your employers a short term loan to help them over a temporary difficulty and getting repaid (without interest) two months later is something that should keep the football community up nights.

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So, on this matter, I’ll save my tears for greater sorrows. But that’s not all he’s been accused of – indeed no! It seems he’s being paid too much! - Well, slap my thigh and call me Wilma. Imagine that. A man has negotiated a good salary for himself? Off to The Tower with him.

I thought that was the general idea. And then there’s the fact that he’s having his accommodation paid for by his employers; just, I suspect, like hundreds of other captains of industry. We seem to be living in a world of perpetual outrage and, while we have plenty to be outraged about in this world of Trump, Boris and Rees Mogg, my own view is that John Delaney comes pretty low in the pecking order.

The overall accusation seems to be that he’s too clever by half but, when you consider that he’s had to cross swords with the toxic crooks at UEFA and FIFA, that’s certainly no bad thing.

Our paths have crossed twice – once on a wider issue, and once more personally. The wider issue was Derry City’s ‘double contract’ trouble in 2009 when we were within an ace of being dumped out of football altogether and it was only Delaney’s good offices and huge influence which saved our bacon.

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Then there was the time when big Shane Duffy was worried about his Republic of Ireland future after an incident in a Liverpool bar in which he was an innocent party. Although he was in America at the time, the FAI man rang me back immediately to assure Shane of his full support in the matter.

So, I’ll join the posse hunting down John Delaney when someone gives me a good reason. Until then I’ll take him as I found him

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