Former Republic of Ireland women's assistant manager Colin Healy has hit out at the FAI for the manner in which it handled his departure from his post in the wake of Eileen Gleeson's exit from the managerial role.
The FAI parted company with Gleeson, following Ireland's disappointing Euro 2025 play-off final defeat to Wales.
Healy was also let go by the FAI on the same day that they announced Gleeson was leaving.
At a press conference held this afternoon to welcome Gleeson's replacement Carla Ward, Canham claimed the circumstances were made clear to Healy at every stage and that there were consistent lines of communication with Gleeson's number two.
However, in a lengthy statement, Healy criticised the process in which he was removed from the assistant manager's role, claiming he had been informed just weeks before the decision, that there would be a recommendation that his contract be extended.
Healy claims that he turned down an offer to take a role as manager of Cobh Ramblers on the strength of a discussion with FAI Director of Football, Marc Canham, the same person who weeks later informed him that his services with the FAI were no longer required.
In a statement on Instagram, Healy wrote: "On 11 December 2024, a few minutes before the FAI announced Eileen Gleeson would not continue as Women's National Team Head Coach, I received a very short call from Director of Football, Marc Canham, and he informed me that that my contract as assistant coach would not be renewed.
"The news came as a shock, as only a few weeks before the same man verbally assured me his recommendation to the board would be that my contract should be extended alongside Eileen. This previous conversation took place prior to the playoff game against Wales, when I was offered the position of Cobh Ramblers manager and needed to make a decision on my future.
"The following day, after I'd digested the FAI’s decision and noticed they had failed to mention that I had been let go within their statement, I asked my representatives Integrity Sports to announce that I had been let go. It was important to me that the squad members knew that I had not chosen to leave, given the respect and loyalty I felt towards every single one of them."
Healy also claims that the day after his phonecall with Canham, he was contacted by FAI CEO David Courell, who appeared to be under the impression that Healy had resigned from his role, rather than being let go.
His statement continued: "On the morning of 12 December 2024, I received a text from FAI CEO, David Courell - who I believe to be a very decent man – sincerely thanking me for my time with the association.
"But rather surprisingly, David also expressed genuine sorrow that it had been communicated to him that I had made the decision not to continue, whilst also being very clear that the FAI would have welcomed an opportunity for me to continue my work with them. By reply I informed David that it was not my decision to leave and that I was, in fact, let go."
Former Republic of Ireland international Healy added that he intends to make a formal complaint to the FAI's Director of People and Culture.
Canham refused to go into detail around his conversations with Healy, citing confidentiality, but he was adamant Healy was aware any contract renewal would be subject to a review.
"I have been very consistent in all my conversations with Colin, his agent and other people that have been involved in those conversations, that the decision that we make on the renewal of the contract or non-renewal would be based on a review, which is very consistent to what we have done with other teams in the association with other head coaches," said Canham.
Courell conceded there was some confusion on the issue as Healy was pursuing other job offers, but said it was left up the new head coach, Ward, on who would be her number-two.
"The confusion or maybe the question mark, is around at that time we were made aware by his agent that Colin had other suitors.
"We were always open to whoever was appointed as head coach considering Colin as a number-two... subject to who comes in and whether or not they would express an interest in Colin as being their number two, we would be open to it," adds Courell.
Canham admitted that there are lessons to be learnt from the process, especially the decision to not include Healy as part of the announcement of Gleeson's departure and confirms that it was the FAI that initiated the non-renewal of contract.
"There's something for us to reflect on. We wanted the press release to be clear on Eileen at the time, because she was what we thought was the priority as the head coach, and maybe if we had our time back we could have created that clarity.
"It was absolutely our decision to make the decision that Colin wouldn't renew his contract, and we have to make these difficult decisions."
Additional reporting: Katie Kirk
