SOCCER:THE FAI has confirmed that Packie Bonner will leave his position as technical director with the association when his contract expires in a few weeks' time with a spokesman insisting he was simply the most high-profile victim of the financial cutbacks forced upon the organisation in the current economic climate.

Bonner himself declined to comment but, in a statement issued by the association confirming the news, he said he hopes to take on “another meaningful professional role in Ireland or Britain”.

Despite having repeatedly been linked with such a move, it is not expected he will enter politics at the forthcoming general election. Nor is there any suggestion of him moving into a post with Uefa while he’s believed to have turned down a part-time ambassadorial role with the association.

In last night’s release, there was none of the upbeat, “wanting to pursue new challenges,” that is usually rolled out on such occasions and its content tends to support the widely held belief that the former Ireland international very much wanted to stay in his post.

It certainly appears quite pointed that there is no mention by Bonner of the man whose decision it must have been to let him go; the organisation’s chief executive, John Delaney.

“Over my eight-year term as technical director great strides have been made in the development of our game throughout the country,” he is quoted as saying. “This has been achieved through the hard work and dedication of all my colleagues and the thousands of volunteers who give up their valuable time . . .

“As a former professional player to move into what was largely a football administrative role was a new challenge,” he continues “In my time at the FAI I have learned an enormous amount and developed broader organisational and management skills that I believe have benefited the association and that I now hope to put into effect in another meaningful professional role in Ireland or Britain.

“I want to thank the association for the faith it placed in selecting me to fulfil such an important role in the development of our game. What has been achieved could not have been realised without the support of an excellent team of committed professionals and I would like to express my thanks to all my friends and colleagues . . . ”

Paying tribute to Bonner, FAI president Paddy McCaul described his contribution to the development of the organisation as “outstanding” with the 50-year-old having “spearheaded the implementation of the Technical Development Plan with professionalism and . . . in his own personable style”.

Delaney, meanwhile, remarked that: “Packie’s role as technical director was hugely important as the FAI restructured its football development plans. In addition to driving the Technical Development Plan forward so successfully in recent years, he has nurtured and developed a great team of people around him who implement the many programmes of the plan across the country.

“He demonstrated great passion and his commitment to the delivery of his role has been highly regarded by Uefa, Fifa and all strands of Irish football.”

All of which is bound to prompt the question: Why was somebody who was so highly regarded not only at grassroots level but also at national and international level not retained after doing so much work? A spokesman for the association last night insisted it was simply a hard financial decision made at a difficult time.

“Nobody wants to see Packie go,” he said. “He’s been a great asset to the association. Everyone can see the work that he’s done. But during his time with the association we’ve taken on high performance director (Wim Koevermans) and Packie put a good team in place around him.

“In the times that we are in, it’s probably not as justifiable to have a high performance director and a technical director. There are decisions to be made and it’s not easy.”

Still, it will be difficult for Delaney to argue, as he has up to now, that the association’s financial situation is under control and that the 10-year financial plan poses no serious threat to the development of the game in the wake of the loss of such a popular and well-regarded figure.