John Fallon: Transparency lacking in Eileen Gleeson's FAI fallback arrangement
Imagine for just a second a scenario almost 20 years ago whereby Brian Kerr reverted to his previous post as Ireland youth manager after being deemed a failure in the senior post.
Or a more modern example of Stephen Kenny: How convenient it could have been for the U21 brief he flourished in being left open for when he eventually ran out of road on the ultimate dream job.
Either situation can be visualised until the reality bites of how outlandish it sounds.
Besides, both men had too much pride to countenance the prospect of serving an employer who’d lost faith in them.
Football fans are entitled to decry the brain drain caused by their exits but football as an industry continues to thrive. Kerr migrated into other projects, as will Kenny once he decides when’s right to mount a comeback.
The notion of sloppy seconds inside the FAI was anathema to them, unlike some that were content to cede stripes to survive.
Now we have that very possibility unfolding for the women’s team manager.
Eileen Gleeson possesses that mantle now, a title which was uplifted from caretaker to permanent in December following an unprecedented run of six straight competitive wins to top their Uefa Nations League group and seal promotion to the top tier for this year’s Euro 2025 qualifiers.
Despite explicitly ruling herself out — then suspiciously staying silent on that elevation — the FAI’s global search for Vera Pauw’s successor brought them to the “outstanding” candidate standing right before their eyes.
Central to Gleeson’s supposed reluctance was her desire to resume her duties as the association’s head of women’s and girls’ football.
This was a vacancy she filled just 12 months earlier but only operated for nine until the call came to step into
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