Cooney: Don’t hold us responsible for FAI’s Aviva decision

CHRISTY COONEY has declared that the GAA cannot be held responsible for the FAI’s decision to commit all Irish soccer internationals to the new Aviva Stadium for the next 10 years.

That agreement with the insurance company has been criticised lately on the grounds that the Dublin 4 stadium will hold 30,000 fewer spectators than Croke Park which has been playing landlord to the soccer and rugby fraternities since the closure of Lansdowne Road.

However, FAI chief executive John Delaney stated recently that the GAA’s initial stance on a purely temporary accommodation at Croke Park had been taken into account when soccer and rugby officials agreed an exclusive deal with Aviva over the Ballsbridge venue. “We are not taking responsibility for the FAI’s decision regarding the Aviva,” said Cooney.

“The FAI are well aware that we had an agreement that Croke Park would be available while Lansdowne was under construction. The situation with the FAI is for the FAI.

“There will be a motion coming before Congress to make our facilities available if appropriate and when required by other sports and that will be left to Central Council.

“But what the FAI do is up to the FAI. We have enough of a job looking after our own affairs.”

One of the items near the top of the GAA’s affairs are the latest experimental rules. GAA officials will be meeting with inter-county managers this evening to discuss the latest raft of tweaks which have met with a mixed response, at best, thus far. The introduction of a mark and the tighter restrictions on the handpass rule have been the primary source of ire from players and managers. The mark for slowing down the game and the handpass restrictions because it will be so difficult to police and which will also affect the flow of the games.

“My view is let’s give them some time during the national league to see how they work,” said Cooney.

“I’m keen that the players would give some feedback through their managers and their county board.

“Then when county board officials come to Congress, we’ll be well aware of everyone’s views and make a decision which is best for everyone. If the changes are appropriate, if they are helpful and they’re right, so be it. If not, so be it. They’re not mind boggling changes. They’re not very significant.”

Meanwhile, Croke Park has been in contact with the Tipperary county board this week regarding their recent appointment of Kerry native John Evans as their full-time Director of Football. Evans is to combine his new salaried role with that of manager of the Tipperary senior, U21 and intermediate teams but the appointment would appear to have run foul of the Association’s rule book.

Under a directive issued by the Management Committee some years ago, full-time employees of the GAA not working for their club or county are not permitted to manage county sides at senior level.

“There was correspondence from Tipperary before the Management (Committee) last weekend,” said Cooney. The management dealt with it and Tipperary will be duly notified.

“I can’t make any other comment before Tipperary are notified. We’ll see where it goes from there.”