FAI unveil €863 million wishlist of facility improvements.

[Kiki Balboa]

https://www.the42.ie/fai-investment-plan-6088175-Jun2023/?r_dir_d=1&jrnl_lg=1

Think this deserves its own thread.

It is a pretty big plan by the Fai, and for me, really shows that there is a significant change between the new Fai and the previous regime.


I do feel this is unlikely though. The Gaa will probably mobilise all of its resources to fight against it. If I was the Fai, I would be trying to partner with all the other possible sporting bodies in the country (IRFU, Tennis Ireland, Basketball Ireland etc etc) to push it and keep a focus on multisport facilities.

[Philosophizer]

A key part of the proposal is to develop multi sport venues though, which makes sense.
The fai know that there just isn’t infinite resources to create this amount of facilities purely for football.
You can bet your bottom dollar the gaa will do whatever they can to undermine progress for football. Their worst nightmare is the fai becoming a well run organisation and finally getting its act together and properly running football. It’s the most popular game in the world and still Ireland’s most popular game by participation so if the fai properly get their sh!t together it will be a massive threat to Gaelic games.
Agreed that the post JD fai is a far better run org.

[nr637]

I think the FAI are correct with this inititive. Now they have a plan in place and get it out there!

[cláirseach]

Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this in but does anyone with a good understanding of such matters know if the standard of artificial pitch installed here is lower than elsewhere? To the untrained eye it appears to be particularly poor, and the bounce and run of the ball seems quite different in say Mounthawk and Oriel. It may be though that I am just seeing examples elsewhere that have had more money spent on them.

[outspoken]

Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this in but does anyone with a good understanding of such matters know if the standard of artificial pitch installed here is lower than elsewhere? To the untrained eye it appears to be particularly poor, and the bounce and run of the ball seems quite different in say Mounthawk and Oriel. It may be though that I am just seeing examples elsewhere that have had more money spent on them.

It's how they are maintained and the big diff between here and Europe is the euro clubs install very good watering systems whereas weve a lad with a hose, may as well be p*ssing on it.

[Philosophizer]

It's how they are maintained and the big diff between here and Europe is the euro clubs install very good watering systems whereas weve a lad with a hose, may as well be p*ssing on it.
Pat Fenlon spoke about this on LOI central while ago. The continental clubs have an underground sprinkler system so the pitch is completely soaked. In that scenario the pitch is actually pretty good but it seems neither Dundalk or Derry have installed the sufficient sprinkler system necessary.

[outspoken]

It would probably cost as much as the pitch itself

[wonder88]

Is Morton Stadium lost to soccer now that DCU have taken ownership of it? Would it not be a good idea for the FAI to keep and maintain the facilities they have as a first step.

[cláirseach]

Is Morton Stadium lost to soccer now that DCU have taken ownership of it? Would it not be a good idea for the FAI to keep and maintain the facilities they have as a first step.

Morton Stadium was owned by Fingal County Council prior to DCU. They took it over from Clonliffe Harriers in 1994.

[legendz]

What is going on with the FAI?

FAI CEO Jonathan Hill to repay €20,000 in expenses.
The FAI was to have 40% female representation on the board by the end of this year.
FAI pulls out of Oireachtas committee meeting on €500m state funding application.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/1114/1416436-bellingham-out-of-england-squd-for-upcoming-qualifiers/

Cassels had revealed that the FAI had pulled out of a planned appearance at the Oireachtas Committee for Sport to discuss their €863m infrastructure plan.

"Surprisingly, they have decided they’re not coming next week, they can’t, maybe we would have been discussing something else," said the Fianna Fáil senator.

"It’s important, given the amount of money that is being sought by this sports organisation, which does immense good work for so many people across the country, that if they are coming for half a billion in Government supports, that the checks and balances that we sought following the last controversy four years ago are put to bed and we do have confidence that taxpayer's money going into this sport can be properly used."

[Nesta99]

First part is wtf, how can this messing happen again. 2nd part, where there candidates to fill positions or did delegates not endorse candidates. Last part - for sure you need yer house fully i order and an impressive, ambitious, detailed, costed and complete finanial proposal going in front of the PAC and with proof of past behaviour shown to be in the past. If that can be done next week the the right thing to do is postpone. It will be a pivitol moment for our domestic game. We also need to ensure that oarlimentary members that are more on the supportive side will be present and not a bunch of Fitzer led muck savages decring giving a garrison game any support.

[JC_GUFC]

First part is wtf, how can this messing happen again. 2nd part, where there candidates to fill positions or did delegates not endorse candidates.

No, the plan was to have the additional female candidates as independent board members. I think this was the LFA's issue and they proposed someone for the board as part of their plea.




Last part - for sure you need yer house fully i order and an impressive, ambitious, detailed, costed and complete finanial proposal going in front of the PAC and with proof of past behaviour shown to be in the past. If that can be done next week the the right thing to do is postpone. It will be a pivitol moment for our domestic game. We also need to ensure that oarlimentary members that are more on the supportive side will be present and not a bunch of Fitzer led muck savages decring giving a garrison game any support.

I'd agree with that - there was no point turning up asking for all that money when the conditions the government laid down weren't yet met.

Thomas Byrne's statement that 50% of the board also have to be independent surely puts the LFA's proposal to bed but hard to know whether they'll back down now. The vote got 66% support the last time and needs 75% to pass - I'm not sure how many votes there are and what that extra 9% means in terms of actual numbers.

[Elfman]

Last I checked the General Assembly (formerly the FAI Council) had 141 delegates, each with one vote. Assuming the numbers haven't gone up, 93 people voted for the motion and you're looking at 13 more votes to pass it.