Euro 04 failure means job losses

MEMBERS of the Board of Management of the FAI are likely to learn the harsh economic facts of life as a result of Ireland’s failure to reach the Euro 2004 finals when they meet in Dublin today.

Ireland’s elimination from the competition by Switzerland reportedly meant a loss in income of between 3m and 4m to the FAI. Already there are indications the new management team at the FAI will respond by reducing staff numbers.

The communications arm is reportedly first to be hit with staff reductions in the Press department and in the official FAI website team.

It is interesting to recall that this area of operations was ‘beefed up’ immediately after the World Cup finals last year with the employment of two PR specialists. They now control the dissemination of official communications from the FAI officer board.

News of staff cuts will be of concern to other employees of the FAI who, only recently, threatened strike action over a pensions issue.

Delegates to today’s meeting will be keen to learn the specific details of the FAI’s financial standing against a background of projected losses of €600,000 on a turnover of €12m for the current year.

The FAI will be hoping to limit losses by arranging friendly international matches between now and the kick-off to the next World Cup qualifying tournament in August/September of next year.

The eircom League has announced that a revised fixture schedule for the remainder of the 2003 Premier Division season has been agreed.

Seven outstanding Premier Division fixtures were rescheduled, namely Bohemians v Derry City, Bohemians v Longford Town, Derry City v Bohemians, Shelbourne v Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic, St Patrick’s Athletic v Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town.

One scheduled fixture, Shelbourne v Drogheda United, has been moved from its original date of Nov 4 to Nov 17.

The Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians fixture was brought forward from Nov 3 to this Friday night, 24 Nov.

Derry City’s home game against Shelbourne will now take place on Saturday (7.30pm), having originally been scheduled for tomorrow night. Shamrock Rovers’ home game against Shelbourne which was scheduled to take place next Monday will now take place the following night at 7.45pm.

The final weekend series of Premier Division fixtures were moved from Friday Nov 28 to Sunday November 30.