John Delaney's sudden departure as FAI Chief Executive to become the newly created Executive Vice-President has been the hot topic in Irish football circles since the change was announced on Saturday.
Delaney's position at the top of Irish football has come under scrutiny recently after it emerged he facilitated a bridging loan to his employers in April 2017. No credible explanation has been forthcoming for this irregularity although Delaney is due to appear before the Oireachtas Sports Committee on April 10th - and we have since received confirmation that he will be in attendance.
Questions remain around the new role Delaney will assume, and speaking on Sunday's Off the Ball, Dan McDonnell tried encapsulate what Delaney's new role will entail, telling Joe: "It's a key question and I don't think anyone really has the answer. I think I'd be speculating if I said that I did.
"We've managed to survive without an Executive Vice-President for this long but obviously it's a role that has cropped up now as part of this governance review which has been undertaken by the FAI over the last number of months in an external offering of input and advice and guidance and they've decided to bring those recommendations forward.
"I mean it's a new position...maybe this role is in all sorts of organisations and international associations around Europe but it's not what I'm overly familiar with. People were speaking in terms of Ed Woodward's title and position at Manchester United and how terminology can be used that doesn't take away from the fact that someone still remains the most powerful person there.
"But, we don't know - this is the thing. There's a lengthy statement which is the FAI's statement and that's fine - they're outlining their position and stating what's happening but there's so many questions arising from it that naturally go on in relation to power, salary, impact upon decisions that he would have been central to before, as you mentioned, the FIFA/UEFA business and bids and so on.
"So, where does he stand know, in terms of say, there's a big transformation in the League of Ireland or changes that are coming soon in the League of Ireland, there's that and many other questions. Many other questions which are fair to ask and be answered," he added.
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