‘I want it sorted tomorrow, like we all did yesterday’ – Stephen Bradley claims FAI manager search hindered by instability

Confirmation that the hunt for Stephen Kenny’s replacement will run on into the summer concluded a week that started with the departure of CEO Jonathan Hill from his post.

Bradley is certain from his conversations that candidates with an interest in the position will be looking at the overall FAI set-up before making any decisions.

It’s understood that first choice Lee Carsley did make enquiries in the Irish football community last November about the suspension of state funding that preceded a pair of Oireachtas appearances for Hill.

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Hoops boss Bradley is of the opinion that prospective managers will be assessing the overall Abbotstown picture to decide what they are getting themselves into.

“It’s the whole set-up, the manager is not the goal, it’s the whole thing, we need everything to look right and feel right, and be right,” said Bradley.

“I’m pretty sure that managers who they’ve been speaking to would be very conscious of what is going on in the background, that is part of your decision, like it would at club level – it’s the same at international.

“The sooner we sort all the stuff in the background, hopefully we can get the right man in charge.

“When people come and look at you for jobs and you speak to them, the last thing you look at is the team.

“It is who I’m working for, who am I going to answer to, I’m very lucky with the people I speak to, but that is one of the first things as a manager you look at, the team looks after itself, that’s the easy part to put right, but it’s what’s the plan, where are we going, in that case as a nation, that’s what they’ll be looking at and who am I going to be dealing with day to day?

“If that’s not right, or they don’t feel it’s right, I’m sure that will play a part in their decision.”

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Bradley has never been a serious part of the discussion despite the prolonged nature of the process but he shrugged off questions about that to say that he is focused on his job.

“I don’t care about it to be honest and I don’t mean that in a bad way,” he continued.

“I’m like all of you, I want it sorted tomorrow, like we all did yesterday. We all do. But come November, no one is going to be talking about this weekend and the FAI, they’ll be talking about how successful, hopefully, we’ve been.

“It’s frustrating, but I’m like you, I’m like every fan, I just hope they get the right person, it’s not been good enough, we can all accept that for different reasons. I just hope they get the right person and move on because it’s become a bit of a joke.

“It really doesn’t bother me. I don’t get sidetracked with stuff like that, My focus is on us and making us better.”