FAI must stand firm on club and country issue

THE new chief executive of the FAI, Fran Rooney, predicted on his appointment something will happen over the next few years that will test the FAI’s ability to respond.

He made the comment in the context of Saipan and the ensuing controversy that threatened to ruin Ireland's World Cup. He said the FAI could not have anticipated the events in Saipan but they could have dealt with it better. Rooney went on to suggest that what the FAI must do is to make sure how they respond to a crisis.

"Life is about responding to what happens," he said.