Comment: Leadership deficit detrimental to FAI handling tricky Israel fixtures

Mixed messages won’t disappear just because the football has finally rolled around.

FAI chief executive officer David Courell. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Sat, 19 Sep, 2026 - 09:39

John Fallon

A year into his tenure as director of football, John Martin learnt the nuances of officialdom earlier this week.

His declaration that his employers, the FAI, are on record as not wanting to face Israel in the upcoming Uefa Nations League games wasn’t necessarily accurate.

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Comment: Leadership deficit detrimental to FAI handling tricky Israel fixtures

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