Bid to host Euro 2008 finals set to hot up
That is when the UEFA panel visit Scotland and Ireland to view potential venues for the matches. It goes without saying that FAI officers will hope to have a definite site and building plans for the proposed National Stadium available by then.
Time is short but the people behind the joint bid are quite bullish about their chances of success. They plan a press reception in Dublin tomorrow at which a "major announcement" about the bid will be made.
It would help their cause enormously, of course, if the GAA were prepared to offer a definite commitment about Croke Park. How the football legislators across Europe would salivate at the prospect of 78,000 fans packing the stands, as they did a week ago for two All-Ireland Championship matches.
The ability of Ireland to deliver the two stadiums they need to host on four-team segment of the championship is the only item casting a shadow across the joint bid. But FAI officers take heart from the fact that not all the stadiums in Portugal, where the 2006 championship will be held, are ready at this point.
Certainly the UEFA inspection committee will be impressed with the quality of the stadiums available in Scotland. And the Scottish FA's successful hosting of the Champions' League final in May was further testimony to the Scots organisational ability.
What is offering the joint committee encouragement is the positive attitude of the two governments, both of which have guaranteed their unequivocal backing of the plan. More important than that, they have made substantial financial commitments as well with Bord Fáilte heavily involved.
Joint committee members believe their only substantial challenge will come from the joint bid of Switzerland and Austria, with the location of the UEFA headquarters in Switzerland viewed as something of a potential drawback to the Celtic bid.
The other bids do not pose the same threat a joint bid from four Nordic countries: Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway, lone bids from Russia and Hungary and a joint bid from Croatia and Bosnia.
The perceived wisdom is that most of these will have withdrawn before the inspection committee begin their September tour with the competition reduced to the Nordic bid challenging Switzerland/Austria and Scotland/Ireland.
All of that is mere speculation, however, and the issue of two suitable stadiums in Ireland is clearly the big imponderable.
The Government are committed to building Stadium Ireland but there were some doubts raised recently over the viability of using the Abbotstown land as its site. Perhaps An Taoiseach might throw some more light on that at tomorrow's conference.
Meanwhile the AGM of the FAI in Dublin was relatively mild with total support for the officers' action in signing with Sky because of the inadequacy of RTÉ's attempt at negotiations. But one unrelated issue has caused ripples that might yet develop into a major controversy.
The issue was the election of an honorary secretary to succeed the long-serving Des Casey. The unexpected result saw Kevin Fahy of the Irish Schoolboys' Association defeat Mick Cody, Cobh Ramblers' representative for many years on the FAI. The vote was very tight with Fahy winning by 29 votes to 26.
Informed sources suggest that Cody may have received as few as six of the 22 Eircom League delegate votes.
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