Delaney faces questions over Arkaga and Brady mystery
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Friday September 12 2008
FAI Chief Executive John Delaney will today face questions on the thorny issue of Liam Brady's alleged links with the Arkaga Group.
Mystery surrounds the relationship between Ireland assistant manager Brady and Arkaga --whose recent decision to pull the plug on their investment in Cork City has left the Eircom League club in crisis.
Solicitors acting on behalf of Brady have sent letters to newspapers that have suggested a relationship between the 51-year-old and Arkaga -- in relation to their ownership of Cork -- threatening action on the matter.
Brady's alleged association with Arkaga has been in the public domain as far back as February when it was reported that he interviewed Alan Mathews prior to his appointment as boss.
At a fans forum with Cork supporters after his appointment, Mathews spoke about his discussions with Brady which were received positively as it presented an opportunity to work with one of the most respected names in Irish football.
However, Brady is now moving strongly to deny any association with Cork and Arkaga after it was reported that he was present at a meeting last month between Mathews and Arkaga founder Gerard Walsh at the latter's house in England where Mathews was assured that all was well.
It's understood that Brady was present at the second part of the meeting where recruitment of players was on the agenda.
Alas, within weeks of that meeting, Arkaga indicated that they would not be ploughing any more money into the Leesiders, thus leaving them in such a dire state that they were forced to enter examinership with players allowed leave on the cheap and the remainder taking a 70pc pay cut. Ten members of staff were also laid off.
Last month, Delaney angrily hit out at the behaviour of Arkaga, stating they had reneged on a commitment provided to the FAI guaranteeing they would continue investing in the Turner's Cross outfit until the end of this season at least.
"We may go down a legal route," said Delaney. "What Arkaga did is a disgrace. It's just not right what they did. To leave people down, leave the club down, the supporters down, the management and players down, is just not right."
Brady -- also employed by Arsenal as the head of their youth development -- was not on the FAI's books when first linked with Arkaga.
But reports of subsequent contact with the Cork situation while assistant to Giovanni Trapattoni has proved embarrassing to the FAI, given the difficulties presented to them by the Leesiders' troubles.
Now, Brady denies attending any meeting with Walsh and Mathews and denies that he acted as a consultant for Arkaga. He also refutes that he was involved in the appointment of Mathews, or offered any services to Cork City Football Club.
Legal action on behalf of Brady has been instigated by Lyons Kenny, who are also the solicitors for Cork City's interim examiner Kieran McCarthy.
Lyons Kenny Solicitors are a Dublin-based firm, who specialise in Commercial Law Examinerships, with main partners Barry Lyons and Graham Kenny.
Cork City CEO Pat Kenny, who was appointed by Arkaga in July, is Graham's father having previously been employed as an executive with Fitzwilliam, Land Securities who share the same registered office as Lyons Kenny.
- Daniel McDonnell
