fifa – Slugger O'Toole

European Super League proposal a stab in the back to the sport we hold so dear

Peter Farrelly on April 19, 2021, 8:56 pm

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It has been bubbling away in the background for months. But finally last night the hammer blow was dealt, a new European Super League was announced with 15 founding clubs. This league has guaranteed automatic qualification for all founding clubs. There will be mechanisms in place for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season. Yes, you read that right, only 5 other teams across the whole of Europe. However, the European Super League …

FAI Still Not Convincing over €5M FIFA Pay-Out

Daniel Collins on June 9, 2015, 1:46 pm

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The Republic of Ireland football team extended their unbeaten run versus England to over 30 years with a friendly match draw in Dublin last Sunday. Thankfully, the affair was uneventful off the field and there was no repeat of the riotous scenes witnessed in the stands when the two teams last met on Irish soil back in 1995. Things were just as uneventful on the field, unfortunately; the game ended 0-0 with very little creativity or imagination demonstrated by either side. …

Football Eligibility: An Issue for the Misinformed and Those Seeking to Deny National Rights?

Daniel Collins on April 13, 2015, 2:01 pm

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The matter of the eligibility of northern-born Irish nationals to play for the Football Association of Ireland was raised again recently at a panel discussion on sport and reconciliation during the 50th plenary session of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA). It was co-chaired by Frank Feighan of Fine Gael, who told us that the “trend… deserves careful consideration”. This dispute has long been resolved, however, with football’s governing body, FIFA, providing ample clarification as to the correct application of their …

Will Scottish football decide the referendum?

John Ó Néill on January 17, 2012, 11:56 am

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Is Scotland’s football team good enough for independence? Let’s look at the facts by comparing electoral support for independence, in so far as that can be measured as support for the SNP, with the performance of the Scottish football team. A number of points are worthing noting here: Qualifying for the finals of tournaments in the 1950s didn’t coincide with any major electoral success on the part of the SNP as, coincidentally, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that there …

Is FIFA about to enter a ‘black hole’ of Blatter’s own making?

Mick Fealty on May 31, 2011, 9:00 am

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Given FIFA sponsors are getting itchy over allegations of corruption amongst some of it’s highest placed officials, it’s worth asking whether this was something like the “black hole” Sepp Blatter had in mind when he argued the organisation had no alternative but to vote him back into office tomorrow: ” Nevertheless, it is worthwhile outlining what the alternative would be, i.e. none at all. “What applies for every carpenter also applies for us: the roof will only hold as long …

That’s the end of that

Blank on October 6, 2010, 2:08 pm

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Back in July Chris noted the CAS dismissal of the IFA case over Daniel Kearns representing the Republic. At that point only a brief press release was available. As this finally ends any doubts on player eligibility and for completeness – here, at last, is the full CAS judgement and the arguments presented. Blank