FAI ponder venue options

THE ‘House Full’ signs at Lansdowne Road for a friendly international against the Czech Republic illustrated spectacularly the potential benefits from a new national stadium for the FAI.

The exciting brand of football that manager Brian Kerr is encouraging his talented young players to embrace will only add to the appeal of Ireland’s matches and, hopefully, facilitate more positive results like that which ended the Czech Republic’s long unbeaten run.

There is a feelgood factor about the Irish team that owes much to the brilliant football of Damien Duff and Robbie Keane and also reflects the influence of Kerr and his coaching staff.