AARON CALLAGHAN HAS been banned from all footballing activity in the Republic of Ireland for the next six months.
The FAI suspension, effective immediately, has been handed down just 24 hours after Callaghan resigned as manager of struggling Athlone Town, who are currently bottom of the SSE Airtricity League First Division after earning just a single point from their opening nine games.
According to the FAI, the 51-year-old Dubliner ignored their rules which restricted him from entering the dressing room area while serving a two-match suspension for Athlone’s recent games against Wexford and Cabinteely.
An FAI statement, which was issued this afternoon, described Callaghan’s behaviour as “both offensive and intimidating towards match officials”, leading an independent disciplinary committee to issue a six-month ban after considering the reports of the match officials.
Callaghan was found to be in breach of the following rules:
- Part D, Section 2, Rule 13: Offensive Behaviour (April 20, 2018)
- Part D, Section 2, Rule 15: Intimidation/Threats (April 20, 2018)
- Part D, Section 12, Rule 90: Failure to Respect Decisions (April 20, 2018)
- Part D, Section 2, Rule 13: Offensive Behaviour (April 28, 2018)
- Part D, Section 12, Rule 90: Failure to Respect Decisions (April 28, 2018)
Callaghan stepped down as Athlone boss yesterday after just five months in charge. He told Off The Ball that “the last straw” was Monday’s defeat to Shelbourne in the Leinster Senior Cup.
“Changing a football club’s culture is one of the most difficult leadership challenges a manager incurs,” he said. “That’s because the club’s structure is comprised of an interlocking set of goals, roles, processes, values, communications, practices, attitudes and behaviours.
“To raise the bar in any industry, you need to set professional standards and evolve with the competition. Somehow this message never landed.
“The players and staff have my utmost respect and I wish them every success. The last straw was on Monday night when there was no warm-up gear and no physio.”
