O’Leary wants FIFA help in Al Ahli dispute

Former Aston Villa manager David O’Leary has requested intervention from FIFA in his compensation dispute with UAE Pro-League side Al Ahli.

O’Leary was sacked by the club just one year into his three-year contract and is still seeking compensation that he believes the club still owe him.

The former Republic of Ireland international’s advisors have approached the English Football Association (FA) in a bid to draw the governing body into the quarrel.

Head of Professional Game at the English FA Graham Noakes, said: “Following application from Mr O’Leary’s advisors, the FA has referred this matter to FIFA which has the authority to intervene in disputes of this kind.”

O’Leary has also received support from the English League Managers Association (LMA), with LMA chief executive Richard Bevan telling the media: “David O’Leary has been left with no option but to place his contractual dispute with Al Ahli before the Players’ Status Committee/Dispute Resolution Chamber of FIFA.”

“The LMA is committed to protecting and, where necessary, enforcing the legal rights of its members, and to ensuring that clubs honour their contractual obligations in the all too frequent event of a manager’s dismissal.”

He added: “Our commitment to this goal is the same whether our member works at home or abroad.”

However O’Leary’s former club Al Ahli have refused to comment on the matter.

“I don’t have anything (to say) about that,” Al Ahli chief executive Ahmed Khalifa Hammad said.