FAI announce the departure of Chief Football Officer Marc Canham

The FAI have announced that Chief Football Officer(CFO), Marc Canham, has taken the decision to step away from his role as CFO.

Marc has spent 3 years working in the role and the FAI have announced his departure by saying he has "has played a pivotal role in helping to shape the future of Irish football, including the development of our Football Pathways Plan, which provides a clear direction for the continued growth of the game at all levels from grassroots, to professional, to international."

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Reflecting on his decision, Marc said: “After much consideration, I have made the decision to leave the Association and relocate back to England. This decision has not been an easy one to come to, but I believe that the time is right to explore new personal and professional opportunities for me and my family. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time living in Ireland and working in Irish football and I am proud of the work that we have put in place to support its long-term development.

“I would like to thank the FAI Board, all of my colleagues at the FAI, and everyone involved in Irish football for their support during my time with the Association. I wish every person, every organisation and everyone associated with Irish football the very best for the future.”

FAI President, Paul Cooke said: “While we are sad to see Marc leave, we fully respect his decision, and I sincerely thank him for his dedication and hard work throughout his time with us. His leadership and hard work in driving forward the Football Pathways Plan has set a strong foundation for the future of Irish football which we all now need to deliver upon. We wish him the very best in his next chapter.”

FAI CEO, David Courell said: “We are very grateful to Marc for his commitment and contribution to Irish football, and we wish him every success for the future. Marc and his team have shaped a clear vision for the game through the development of the Football Pathways Plan. This is the first time we have had a clear whole game approach which the Association is committed to delivering on and which we firmly believe will set Irish football up for future success.”