It hardly carried the glamour or gravitas of an induction into Cooperstown or Springfield, it wasn’t like there was a Larry Bird to welcome his Magic Johnson into this particular Hall of Fame, but there was something particularly pleasing about seeing Ronnie Whelan being honoured at the FAI International Awards on Sunday.

Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and Keith Andrews have been nominated for the Senior International Player of the Year Award at this Sunday’s 3 FAI International Awards.

The FAI today announced the nominations for the 19th eircom / FAI International Awards.

IT took 113 days for the FAI to announce Steve Staunton’s successor but, as it turned out, the three wise men needed only half an hour to come to the conclusion that Giovanni Trapattoni was the man they were looking for.

STEPHEN IRELAND might still be on a self-imposed exile from international football but that hasn’t stopped him being nominated for a Young Player Of the Year gong in the 18th eircom/FAI International Awards, which will be broadcast live on RTÉ in February.

Bobby Robson will receive the International Personality Award at tomorrow’s Eircom/FAI International Awards in Dublin.

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill has been named eircom/FAI International Personality of the Year for 2004.