Fears for Irish football as club row kicks off

EUROPE’S richest soccer clubs want to put the boot into national football bodies.

Eighteen of the wealthiest clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, AC Milan and Real Madrid, are supporting a test case demanding that national associations pay players’ wages while they are on international duty.

World Cup mania could become a thing of the past for small countries like Ireland if a Belgian court rules in favour of the clubs.