Rooney seeks €1.5m grant from Government

THE FAI's chief executive, Fran Rooney, yesterday said they would look for a three-fold increase in last year's grant of €1.5m from the Government, to implement their technical plan for the development of the game, and to advance the recommendations of the Genesis report.

Mr Rooney predicted the FAI would develop a new administrative headquarters that would, ideally, be sited in an area also suitable for accommodating the nerve-centre of the country's main coaching centre.

Ireland's elimination from the European Championship meant a loss of potential revenue of between €2m and €3m to the FAI, over the next 12 months. He said this meant they needed to push on with the development of the corporate side of the FAI's business.

Rooney took time out on the return from Basel yesterday to praise manager Brian Kerr, the management team, and players for their efforts to rescue their European Championship prospects, after the loss of the first two games.

The FAI intends to help the development of the team before the kick-off of the World Cup qualifying campaign next year, by setting up a series of friendly matches, with a contest against the Czech Republic likely to be first up.

He said: “We have already started to bring about change in developing the corporate side of the business, and we will continue with that, so I would hope that by the time we play our next competitive matches we'll see a very much changed FAI.

“We've focused on some key issues that affect us now, things like a stadium, a national headquarters, our technical development plan, and putting in place all the commercial activities that need to be addressed over the next 12 months.”

He suggested that the key decision that would affect the Association was the Government's next move in relation to a new stadium and said: “The location of the stadium is a matter for Government. I've said we are becoming extremely concerned at the lack of urgency in making that decision.

"I've met Government representatives on a number of occasions and asked them to make an early decision because it's not just the issue of a stadium.

"We want to build a new national headquarters, we want to get our coaching infrastructure in place, our regional coaching centres, and the decisions the Government makes in relation to the stadium will have serious implications for where we locate our facilities.”

Rooney admitted that the implementation of the FIFA regulations, ruling out temporary bucket seats at matches, would create huge problems for the FAI for the World Cup, and result in a serious loss of income.

When asked if an approach to Croke Park might be an option he said: “I have very strong relationships with the people in the GAA. I played gaelic myself and won a Dublin junior medal, and I enjoy good relationships with the senior people in the GAA.

“The real issue about playing at Croke Park is that it is not available at the moment, that is the reality of it. The first issue here is for the GAA to make their own decision on it, then for us to decide, if it became available, whether a date suited us, or whether the capacity suited at a given time.

"But it's a moot point at this stage because it is not available.”

The Swiss FA played a positive role in helping as many Irish fans as possible to attend the match, even if thousands had travelled to Basel just to enjoy the atmosphere surrounding the game.

Most without tickets were content to watch on TV screens in the city-centre pubs, a couple of hundred who travelled to the stadium were rewarded at the last moment when the Swiss FA offered them free access.

Rooney said: “I thought our fans were fantastic. I got a 'phone call straight after the game from the FA saying the Irish fans were the best they had ever received in their country.”