THE unexpected resignation yesterday of the FAI's chief executive, Mr Sean Connolly, is likely to plunge the association into another potentially damaging situation.
Mr Connolly's departure was announced in a terse, one sentence statement after a meeting of the executive committee. It said he was leaving voluntarily.
Effectively, the decision was made on Thursday after Mr Connolly was summoned to a meeting of the association's officer board. Before it ended, he had intimated his decision to resign and this was confirmed at yesterday's talks.
A spokesman for the FAIL declined to elaborate on severance terms but it is understood that there is no provision for a redundancy package.
Earlier, in a separate development, Mr Michael Morris, the association's accountant, said he was leaving. There is speculation of at least one more resignation soon.
Senior FAI officials were tight lipped on the surprise Connolly resignation it will do nothing to enhance an image already tarnished by the controversial circumstances of Jack Charlton's resignation and the campaign to replace him.
Mr Connolly, the FAI's highest profile officer, is thought to have survived at least two previous attempts to depose him. In October, 1993, there was a body of opinion within the officer board which allegedly wanted his resignation but this move was ultimately defeated by members of the full FAI council.
A similar move was made after the World Cup finals in 1994 but again Mr Connolly survived and appeared to be in a stronger position by the start of the following year. However, even as the association was making ready to part company with Mr Charlton, the chief executive's position was coming under increasing threat.
The vacancy is now likely to be advertised and among those mentioned as a possible candidate is Mr Louis Kilcoyne. To succeed, however, he would first be required to resign his position as FAI president.
Mr Connolly (47), a native of Dundalk, was appointed in 1988 to head up the Independent Radio and Television Commission. His appointment to replace Dr Tony O'Neill in the pivotal FAI post in October, 1990, was wholly unexpected but in a relatively short period, he built a reputation as an efficient, courteous administrator who doubled easily as the association's publicity officer.
At a time of huge growth in the numbers playing soccer, the FAIL was seen as an association always capable of shooting itself in the foot. The Jack Charlton era ended in acrimony and it was only after a series of well publicised mishaps that the appointment of Mick McCarthy as his replacement was confirmed.