Landscape of Irish football has changed and Marc Canham's replacement must reflect that

The 42

25-04-2025

TIMING IS EVERYTHING and Tuesday's announcement from the FAI that Marc Canham will be leaving his role as chief football officer in three months fell nicely.
That's because FAI chief executive David Courell had been pencilled in well in advance for a media briefing the following day.
The perfect chance to get a swift reaction and follow up to the story of the week.
Sceptics who wondered if the date in the diary would be re-arranged at short notice were left disappointed when Courell duly met journalists on Wednesday. He insisted it would be 'irresponsible' to limit the successor options.
'Am I exclusively going to say the search is restricted to these shores? No, we need to make sure we make the right appointment. If that person is Irish, then fantastic. But I am not going to close off, that would be irresponsible of us to do. We have to find the right person for the role.'
This was the last in a round of appointments between senior FAI figures and the media. In the first one, held with Canham at the end of last month, he was asked about his future with the association.
'I don't look too far,' he said. 'In terms of our [pathways] plan and our vision, it's 12 years and there are loads of things to do but in terms of my own self, I don't look too far in the future.'
Less than one month later – after League of Ireland academy director Will Clarke and grassroots director Ger McDermott had carried out their presentations – his exit was confirmed.
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Sources indicate that Canham feels his true legacy for Irish football won't be felt for years, which will be a handy reference point should he be asked about his achievements in potential job interviews to come.
Packie Bonner, based in Scotland but an independent board director who oversees the high-performance element of football operations for the FAI, has been a strong advocate for the work Canham was undertaking.
So too FAI president Paul Cooke, who wrote in his programme notes ahead of the Uefa Nations League promotion/relegation play-off with Bulgaria last month about the Government backing for the League of Ireland and academy funding.
'Those two areas deserve State support, I make no apology for restating that aspiration. The League of Ireland is thriving but maintaining that momentum requires Exchequer support now, not down the road, as we look to produce the international footballers, male and female, of the future.'
Courell was equally forthright. 'The League of Ireland Academies continue to be a focus for the association and as recent weeks have shown a key point of debate.
'This is entirely appropriate as LOI academies will be the source of players for the Irish international team going forward and will define the next generation of talent, and we're working hard to secure the funding the academy structure needs in this country to produce that talent.'
Perhaps Bonner's stance on player development in this country has shifted dramatically since that infamous interview in which he said that Celtic 'should have a club over there. We should have a club in the League of Ireland and run the whole thing'.
But setting this context is even more important now as the FAI begins the search for Canham's replacement, and those in power now seem to fully understand the importance of the professional game in this country.
When the above is written down in black and white it seems even more staggering to think it was never the case previously.
Clarke detailed in his own presentation how the FAI want to provide a refined plan to the Government by 15 August for funding of up to €8 million per year on a phased basis for League of Ireland academies.
He said that State support would be for an 11-year period with investment tapering off from 2030. The hope is to secure the money as part of October's Budget ahead of the 2026 season.
Courell reinforced that on Wednesday, and it's clear from the public statements made that the remit of the chief footballer officer must now have the League of Ireland and the development of academies at the very core of the job specification.
There can be no ambiguity or middle ground, especially when Courell, the person at the top of the organisation, states so clearly that 'LOI academies will be the source of players for the Irish international team going forward and will define the next generation of talent.'
The CEO did offer a glimpse into some of the Government's reticence. 'Their nervousness and questions primarily centre around investing into private enterprises. It's not something governments normally do and we want to work with them and clubs to give them the comfort and confidence.'
Although such concerns are hard to stomach considering – and this is just one example – the 2025 Budget confirmed State funding of €79.28m to horse racing.
What happened next?
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) increased its prize money by €1 million from last year to €70.9m.
For Irish football, though, it is absolutely critical to get someone who is capable of looking beyond what the League of Ireland is now and realising what it needs to become for the future of international teams.
Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley spoke ahead of his side's Premier Division game with Shelbourne tonight and made it clear becoming CFO is not the kind of career change that he's interested in.
'No. No, my job is this focusing on us winning the title back, progressing in Europe, improving. I'm 40, I'm a manager. I've made no secret of what I want to do in management and that hasn't changed,' he said.
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'It's important to understand the landscape of Irish football and where it is, and more importantly understand where the Government is and the feelings towards everything surrounding releasing that funding, that's really important obviously. I would think it's quite obvious that the person who takes that job would understand the landscape of where everything is.'
Closer to home for Bradley, Rovers CEO John Martin will be leaving the club at the end of August and will undoubtedly be someone in the mix to take over from Canham. Especially when you consider the crossover appeal of an operator who is a former player, worked in financial services, and has had dealings with those in the upper echelons of Government when he was one of the key architects in reclassifying Rovers' academy as a childcare provider to unlock vital funds.
Such innovative work is continuing behind the scenes at Rovers – and elsewhere around the country – and someone coming in cold to the demands of the environment at the FAI will only serve to halt progress even further.
'We're really good as a nation being open to high quality people, Irish or wherever they're from, so I wouldn't say they have to be Irish but they must understand Irish football,' Bradley said.
'Irish football is like no other. The landscape is completely different to any other country because of the factions around the country. If someone doesn't understand that and thinks they can pay lip service by just washing over it, that's not this country.
'Others might work that way but we're unique in how we operate and all of that deserves to shown respect by the new person. I'm sure decisions have to be made that won't make everybody happy, as before, and that's fine but conversations need to be had and the factions listened to.'
Plenty will have their say but what the FAI do next with this appointment is of greatest importance.