FAI play waiting game on World Cup play-off venue plans

THE Republic of Ireland could be forced to finish their World Cup qualifying campaign in Britain in the event of Brian Kerr’s team finishing second in Group 4 and having to take part in a two-leg play-off game.

Rugby internationals at Lansdowne Road in early November would overlap with the projected dates (12th and 16th) for the play-offs, meaning it would be impractical for the soccer team to play its home leg at the ground, regardless of the order of the draw.

With Croke Park only theoretically available to soccer during the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, the FAI would have to look outside the island for a venue unless the GAA revisits the issue between now and November.

Celtic Park, Old Trafford, Anfield and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff have all been mentioned as possible alternative venues in the event of Lansdowne Road being unavailable, but FAI Chief Executive John Delaney refused to be drawn on specifics, saying the association would consider “all options” should the play-off situation come to pass.

“Obviously, the primary thing is to go and win the group and it doesn’t become an issue,” he said. “If it does occur we will have to look at alternative venues. My own belief is that it takes about ten days to get the bucket seats in and out, so it would be difficult to have a soccer international played at Lansdowne Road during those weeks if we were in a play-off situation.”

Delaney didn’t rule out the possibility of lobbying FIFA for an alternative date but suggested there were other avenues the association might explore.

“You could play in Lansdowne Road without bucket seats - that is an option though not a preferable one. Certainly, you could go cross-channel as well. But let’s wait and see how the group pans out.”

Delaney was speaking following the FAI’s AGM in Waterford at which he stressed the amateur ethos of the game.

“Because we have the Damien Duffs, Roy Keanes, Robbie Keanes and Shay Givens earning significant revenues in England, people think that possibly the FAI caters for the professional game. The fact is that there are only 500 players in Ireland who are paid to play professional football. Out of the 400,000 people who play games every week, 399,500 are actually catered for through an amateur side. So I think it is important to emphasise that we are in every community in this country, catering for the amateur side of the game - people who want to participate at whatever level they want to.”

Delaney also stressed his hopes for more Government funding, in particular linking sports capital grants to improvements in the eircom League.

Expressing his admiration for the popular success of Bord na gCon greyhound stadia in Cork, Waterford, Dundalk and Dublin, he said: “The key to any significant changes in attendances at eircom League matches is very much linked to an infrastructural development programme. And we’re trying to convince Government that that’s the way forward.”

He added that, having completed most of their work, Genesis - authors of the ground-breaking post-Saipan report into the FAI - would soon be delivering their White Paper on the eircom League.

The AGM also heard of the FAI’s plans to develop the women’s game in light of FIFA’s prediction that participation in the code will more than double in the next five years. FAI plans include a dedicated football unit, a full-time international manager and the appointment of up to six women’s football development officers. It is expected that manager Noel King will be appointed on a full-time basis.

There was also a boost for disabled participants in Irish football with the unanimous decision to vote a representative of the Football For All sector onto the National Council. The new member is Paul Cassin, the manager of the cerebral palsy team, who has played 82 times for his country and accumulated a host of gold, silver and bronze medals in international competition. From now on, players who represent their country across the range of ‘Football For All’ categories will receive a cap, a development that was welcomed by FFA National Co-ordinator Phelim Macken during a special presentation to the AGM.

The day also marked the stepping down of Milo Corcoran at the end of his four-year presidency. David Blood was elected as the new FAI President while Maurice Fleming takes over as Vice-President and Eddie Murray assumes the role of Honorary Treasurer.