Welcome to the house of fun

THEY’VE moved from behind the green door to behind the green gates — and, even then, there’s still a long and winding road up to the FAI’s new home at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown.

Little wonder that the place felt like a bit of a refuge to Seamus Brennan yesterday.

“On Budget Day, it’s much safer to be out here, believe me,” said the Sports Minister, as he performed the official opening ceremony in the company of world football legend and UEFA president, Michel Platini.

It was a day when the ‘house of football’ became the ‘house of fun’. Seemingly in great good humour at his temporary escape from that other big house, the minister deviated from script to ask the Frenchman:” I don’t suppose you’d take the ‘oul Irish job?”

And with the ball at his feet, he continued on his solo run.

Promising Lansdowne Road, “in all its splendour” would be open for business in 2010, the minister said: “We do hope UEFA will do us the honour of bringing the UEFA Cup final in 2011 to Dublin.”

Just in case Platini missed the hint, he repeated: “We’d love to christen the new Lansdowne Road in 2011 with a UEFA Cup final.”

And then, turning again to Platini, and with an even bigger grin, he added: “So thank you for agreeing to that.”

As UEFA president and FIFA vice president, Monsieur Platini is no slouch in the business of political cut and thrust. And, on Budget Day, he wasn’t about to be cajoled into making any commitment he couldn’t keep. “There’s nothing there,” he smiled when asked his opinion of Lansdowne Road, having been given a guided tour of the Ballsbridge building site earlier.

And he reminded his listeners that no decision on the venue for the 2011 final will be made until next year. However, in conciliatory tones, he added: “I will write 2011 on my hand so I will remember when we vote.”

And he hadn’t forgotten the minister’s initial suggestion of a career change either. “Thank you for the job offer,” Platini purred, “but I am not crazy”.

When the laughter subsided, Platini got down to the serious business of the day. “This house is a wonderful beginning for the future of Irish football,” he said.

“We hope you create good players but the main job is to organise football for your children and to make them better human beings.”

So, no pressure then.

The FAI is the first national governing body to move to the 350-acre west Dublin site, its 167 staff taking up residence in the impressively-refurbished former state laboratory, where they will be joined by affiliates such as the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland, the Irish Soccer Referees Society, the Leinster Football Association, the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland and the Dublin & District Schoolboys League.

But centralising the game’s administration in one house represents only the first stage in an ambitious FAI plan, with chief executive John Delaney stressing the focus will now shift from the office to the pitch.

“Phase two of our Abbotstown project is the creation of a National Academy, complete with seven top-class training pitches,” he said. “We are recruiting for an International Performance Director to oversee the National Academy so phase two is a high priority for us.”

In the meantime, FAI staff are learning to make the most of space, after years working in the confines of Merrion Square.

A new era worthy of celebration then, though the proximity of their new home to the National Aquatic Centre suggests, perhaps, we haven’t seen an end to all those celebrated leaks.