Author Archives: Aaron McAllorum

Former FAI CEO John Delaney and Sports Minister Shane Ross

This morning.

Sports Minister Shane Ross gave an interview on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland when he was asked if was “bailing out” the Football Association of Ireland.

In response, he said:

“I hate that sort of expression. What we’re doing at the moment is we are looking after the €2.9million which we give, which we have been giving to the FAI. We’ve withdrawn that funding and what we’re going to do there, is ensure that that gets to the small clubs.

“We’re going to absolutely ensure that that gets to the players, to the grassroots, and that it doesn’t go near the FAI because the FAI… bail-out is a very pejorative word. But it’s a basket case.

“And to ask the Government to come in and bail it out, when we don’t even know the extent of the black hole there, it’s an appalling vista and to ask us to bail it out? No. That’s not going to happen.

“We want to protect taxpayers’ funding. We also want to protect the grassroots. They’re the important people. We’re interested in football, not so interested in the FAI.

Listen back in full here

RELATED: Where was Shane Ross in 2017 when he could have done something about the FAI crisis? (Neil Cotter, The Irish Sun, October 8th, 2019)

Yesterday: Vanessa Foran: Let’s See That Again In Slow Motion

Previously: At The End Of The Day: €55,067,472

Pic: RTÉ

 

This morning.

The World anti-doping agency has voted unanimously to ban Russia from international sport for four years for doping offences.

Russia now have 21 days to appeal the sentence, which would see the country banned from participating at next summer’s Olympics in Tokyo and the Qatar World Cup of 20

Russia banned from Tokyo Olympics and football World Cup (The Guardian)

This evening.

Three have announced that they will be ending their partnership with the FAI when their current deal expires next July.

“The Board and the commercial team here at the FAI would like to thank Three Chief Executive Robert Finnegan and his colleagues for their support of Irish football,” said FAI President Donal Conway.

“In their ten years as proud backers of Irish football they have been Ireland’s number one supporter and we will always be grateful to them for their financial and personal support.

“We look forward to a successful eight months ahead with Three on board as we countdown to the Euro play-offs in March and the UEFA EURO 2020 games in Dublin next summer.”

Statement released by the Football Association of Ireland this evening after Three Ireland announced it would not be renewing its sponsorship of the FAI when its current deal expires in July 2020.

Three Ireland will not be renewing sponsorship deal with FA (Irish Examiner)

FAI thank Three for Sponsorship (FAI)

Meanwhile…

Ah here.

Thanks Paul Flynn

 

 

 

Later today.

At the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown, Dublin.

Ireland’s greatest ever running athlete Sonia O’Sullivan, who turns 50 today, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Irish Life Health Athletics Awards.

Chairman and CEO of Savvy Sports Management and former Ireland international race walker Pierce O’Callaghan has usefully tweeted every race, medal, international cap won by Sonia between 1985 and 2015 here.

In fairness.

Pic: Inpho Photography

Daniel Lambert writes:

The gulf in funding between football and GAA is astonishing given more people play football.

The parochial organisational structure of the GAA makes it a far more potent force in leveraging politicians at all levels as opposed to the fragmented football structures.

Hon Mayo!

FIGHT!

Joe Schmidt becoming an Irish Citizen at a Department of Justice ceremony in 2015

On The Late Late Show

Jennifer O’Brien writes:

Tomorrow evening’s show is set to be jam-packed, kicking off with Westlife, who will be performing a number of songs…

Legendary singer Christy Moore will be in studio to celebrate and reflect on 50 years in the business, and to perform some of his most beloved songs…

Ahead of stepping down from his role as Ireland rugby coach next week, Joe Schmidt will join Ryan to look back on his time with the team…

Iconic newscaster Trevor McDonald joins Ryan to talk about interviewing some of the most famous people in the world…

And finally, to celebrate 20 years of Gift Grub, Mario Rosenstock will be bringing some of his best-known characters to life….,

The Late Late Show on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.

Rollingnews

Gulp.

This morning/afternoon.

The first picture of Jose Mourinho as Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino yesterday.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Mourinho has signed a contract until the end of the 2022-23 season.

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, said:

“There are obviously concerns about how Jose and our club’s executive board will work together, and we are sure all fans would appreciate greater clarity on how the club sees this relationship operating in practice.”

FIGHT/REF!

Tottenham Fan Reaction: Mourinho ‘guaranteed to win something’ for Spurs (Love Sport Radio)

Pic via Spurs

Meanwhile…

Right so.

*ceases supporting Spurs*