FAI president Donal Conway wishes he had tackled the John Delaney-led regime more than he did.
But he admits some people in the FAI feared the repercussions of taking on the former chief executive.
“I didn’t fear John,” said Conway. “But he had too much power, yes.
“Did it come down to fear in the sense that if you were an employee your life was going to be determined in the FAI if you took the wrong stance?
“I think a person may be fearful of what the consequences might be.”
Coway added: “I would have preferred if I was stronger.
“I would have preferred if I’d tackled some of the elements of the old culture that should have been tackled.”
Conway is an FAI board member since 2005 but is tainted in many people’s eyes because of that long running association with Delaney.
Delaney left the association last month having been placed on gardening leave in April pending investigations into some financial issues under his watch.
The FAI wants to reform and the establishment of a new-look 12-person board will be completed soon with the appointment of four independent directors and a chair.
Conway said: “The old culture was not sufficiently transparent, not sufficiently open, individuals who disagreed with certain people suffered for that.
“For asking questions, for voicing disagreements there were consequences for them. That was all poor reflection on the board, and a really bad culture.
“That culture has to fundamentally change. And for a short period of time, if I can play a role in bringing that about, I will try to do that.”
In an FAI statement in March, Conway went on record to praise Delaney by claiming he “transformed how we operate as an association.”
Reflecting on that comment seven months later, Conway said: “I would regret that phrase, to be frank.
“When you say transformative, it was referencing issues like moving from Merrion Square to here (FAI headquarters in Abbotstown), the Stadium and all that.
“Look, I worked alongside John for a number of years and saw what he was capable of doing.
“I saw some achievements which he may or may not get the credit for in the future.”
Meanwhile, the FAI wants to stand on its own two feet financially sooner rather than later.
The cash-strapped association is being kept afloat with up to €10 million of UEFA money.
And the association’s audited 2018 accounts “won’t be pretty and will shock people” at the AGM later this year.
That is according to vice-president Paul Cooke - a chartered accountant by trade.
Quizzed on how long the FAI would need UEFA’s financial help for, Cooke said: “We’re working on a detailed financial plan.
“We had Grant Thornton here at 8.00am on Friday working out a financial strategy to ensure we don’t need UEFA support after a certain period of time.
“We don’t want 10 years. We don’t want two. We want to get to a situation were this organisation lives within its means on what it takes in the door and what it pays out.”
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