Wait and see for FAI on Euro ’20

Now the FAI have completed the legwork to prepare and submit their bid to see Dublin secure one of the 13 hosts cities for Euro 2020, chief executive John Delaney and his team must wait until September to discover their fate.

Yesterday’s deadline for the final pitch to Uefa saw 28 cities in total stake their claims in the form of a technical bid. Like all their other candidates craving the nod from Uefa’s board, the FAI has received government backing on a proposal that could generate upwards of €20 million to the economy on the whole.

Of the 13 successful cities, two are expected to be awarded to the ‘western’ region encompassing the bids of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Wembley Stadium is a sure bet to host games, up to including at least one quarter-final, leaving the Scots, Welsh and Irish to vie for the one remaining berth this side of the continent.

Giving Dublin an edge over Cardiff in their bid to win a package featuring three group matches and one last-16 tie is the presence of two airport terminals — a consideration Uefa place major emphasis on to segregate rival supporters.

Glasgow, in contrast, does meet the desirable airport criteria and has a venue, Hampden Park, older in age and similar in capacity to the Aviva Stadium. Insofar as these technical issues matter, a huge factor in the final shake-up still comes down to political lobbying during the upcoming six months.

The FAI made some friends in high places by carrying off the 2011 Europa League final hosting without a major hitch, so the fact Dubliner Declan Conroy is Project Director on this tilt too carries clout.

“We’ll have to lobby hard to see if we picked or not,” admitted Delaney yesterday following the lunchtime deadline for submissions. “Political will to support the Dublin bid at City and National Government level is specified by UEFA as being a key factor in the process and we’ve got that. Competition will be strong. But we are confident all of the stakeholders involved in the Dublin bid have presented a compelling case for Dublin’s inclusion at UEFA EURO 2020. This will be the 60th anniversary of the competition and also comes at the same time as we enter our 100th year as an association.”

Main rivals Scotland were sounding similarly bullish about their prospects yesterday. That Ireland’s Celtic cousins have staged both the Uefa Champions League and Europa League finals at Hampden in recent years can be decisive, in their view. “We have basically gone with our track record of hosting major events,” argued Stewart Regan, the Scottish FA’s chief executive. “Not just football but Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.”

Regan also cited the FAI’s debt problems, still amounting to around €50m, as the rationale for them renovating, instead of rebuilding, their stadium. He said: “There are issues the Irish have had with the Aviva Stadium and the financial burdens it entailed. We have got ourselves into a reasonable state financially and the last thing we need is to put another millstone around the Scottish FA’s neck.”

Meanwhile, Delaney did his best to dampen speculation about Roy Keane’s future despite not having spoken to the Ireland assistant manager amid links to a Manchester United return for the former captain as Louis Van Gaal’s sidekick.

“I was talking to Martin O’Neill the other day about this and I fully expect him and Roy to be with the Irish team managing to the Euros in 2016,” he said. “There’s going to be lots of speculation about who will be managing United in the coming months but, from our point of view, Martin and Roy will be staying with us for sure.”

Delaney dismissed out of hand the possibility of Keane sharing club responsibilities with his existing international role.

“I don’t think anyone could do both jobs,” he affirmed. “You’re either working for Ireland or you’re working for a club.”