I have just seen your new thread Mac and hav'nt even bothered to download the older one (Wow some thread..seems more like a "hawser" to me.) But was'nt there some suggestion that a) Mick McCarthy erred in calling a full Irish attendance, admins and all, before which to confront Keane and thereby provoking (deliberately or not) the verbals b) Keane was accused, at this gathering, of putting his club before country. c) If , as McCarthy had stated to the media, Keane did have some "personal problems" his temperament being known to all and sundry, this was not the way to approach him.

However things have panned out somewhat better than anyone really expected and now if we can raise our game once more to outscore the Saudi Arabians by two goals we will find ourselves in the knockout stage. When one considers that Soccer is merely a minority sport here in Ireland where our population is something like 3million people (I realise that we now consider players whose lineage qualifies them to hold a passport, but all other countries have the same ability) I think that we are due a lot of credit. Yes, living here I can see , first hand, the archaic structures and 1940/50s administrative style of the FAI and realise that, this time , we simply must modernise and , if we do...??? One other matter:- Has any local noticed how prominent Martin Cullen , now a Dail Minister, John Delaney, FAI Hon Treasurer and Milo Corcoran, FAI President all were in the usurption of Bernard O Beirne, Former CEO of the FAI. They also had a major role in the government's shafting of Eircom Park and the Air Corps helped them out by objecting to same. Bertie gets his version of a national stadium (Not the grandiose Sports Campus anymore mind you and maybe not even in Abbotstown )Now if we do get a stadium and it is still only an "if", the FAI will have to share it and pay rent just as they did in Lansdown Road , so who wins??? BTW all three named above reside in Waterford and the two FAI reps are on the board of Waterford FC , I wonder will they get a few bob to help out this once great club which now languishes in the lower reaches of domestic Irish soccer.

Sorry for railing on McGrath but..

Beach