New FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill insists he cannot afford to dwell on how John Delaney ran Irish football.
And the Englishman revealed today that he has yet to read ‘Champagne Football’, the book that lifted the lid on his predecessor's highly controversial reign.
“I have read excerpts via the Sunday Times serialisation of it,” he said.
“It would be foolish to say that it’s not important for me to understand the past to know the here and now and our future.
“There are any number of legacy issues, some in the book and some not, that I have had to listen to and deal with moving forward.
“But I am only focused on the future because what else can I do?
In his first press conference since taking the role in October, Hill was asked today how he will be different to Delaney in the role.
“I don’t know John Delaney,” he said. “I hope people will see that I’m a reasonably straight talking Yorkshireman.
“I like to think I have an open and collegiate approach to doing business.
“I’m not afraid to make decisions and have a good understanding of football for 25 years and 10 of those with the English FA.
“Nothing I see now is new to me. How that compares (with Delaney), I will let you guys decide.”
Meanwhile, Robbie Keane’s future within the FAI has yet to be resolved, according to Hill.
After the AGM at Christmas, Hill said he would speak to Keane who remains under contract but without a role.
Keane was assistant under Mick McCarthy and was handed a four-year deal by former CEO John Delaney.
But the former striker - who is not part of Stephen Kenny's staff - is still being paid despite having no job in the association.
Today, Hill admitted that those talks with Keane have yet to take place - nearly a year since McCarthy departed and two months since the AGM.
“Robbie remains an FAI employee," he said. "I haven’t had the opportunity to sit down and talk to him but I will do that.
“He is clearly a legend within Irish football and I look forward to having an open and honest conversation with him about the situation
“(Those talks) have not happened yet and I am very mindful of that. I am open to all different possibilities with Robbie."
Hill confirmed the FAI have no sponsor as yet for the men’s national team and ruled out using a bookmaking company in the future.
