FAI to net €30m as Croker draws top guns

STEVE STAUNTON saw opportunity. The FAI just saw euro signs.

When Ireland’s name was drawn out of the drum in the same group as Germany, Wales, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus and San Marino, the new Irish manager said he was “delighted” with the 2008 European Championship draw.

But one was left with the feeling that it was the Football Association of Ireland who were the real winners.

With six games to be played at home, four of which are likely to take place in Croke Park, and the presence of Germany adding huge box-office appeal, the FAI can expect to take in up to €30 million over the campaign.

Television rights for the Germany game in Dublin are believed to be worth €7m. FAI chief executive John Delaney declined to discuss precise figures but said the sale of TV rights for Ireland’s home games would bring in “record figures” for the association.

“We’re into very good revenues out of this, there’s no doubt about that.”

Group D will also see Ireland playing “derby” games at home and away to Wales, as well as facing world second ranking Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus and San Marino.

The identity of the first country to provide Ireland’s opposition at Croke Park will be decided at the crucial fixture meeting in Frankfurt on February 9.

Mr Delaney said: “That meeting will determine who we play and when we play, leading to the historic date of the first game of soccer in Croke Park.”

While Germany, with likely backing from the Czech Republic, will be very much in the driving seat in determining the sequence of matches, it is expected the Irish delegation will go into the negotiations hoping to secure early home games against minnows Cyprus and San Marino at Lansdowne Road, meaning the action would switch to Croke Park in 2007 for the games against Germany, Wales, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

“It’s a challenging group but it could have been worse,” said Mr Delaney. “But Group A was the one to be avoided.”

Group A is the only one containing eight teams and involves logistically difficult trips to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Kazakhstan. But, much to the relief of Steve Staunton and the FAI delegation at yesterday’s draw in Montreaux, it was Belgium and not Ireland who came out of pot four to wind up in Group A.

“Our group is a good one in terms of travel and everything else. Obviously, as fourth seeds, it will be difficult for us, but we’ll be giving it a good shot and I’m really looking forward to it,” said the Irish manager.

There will be no play-offs in this campaign. Instead, the winners and runners-up from each group will go through automatically to the finals in Austria and Switzerland in 2008.