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HAVING APPEARED more than happy to take a back-seat role when Ireland last bid – with Scotland – to play a part in hosting the event almost a decade ago, FAI chief executive John Delaney seems more positive now about the prospect of the European Championships coming to Ireland in 2020.
Delaney said yesterday in an RTÉ radio interview that a successful bid is “do-able” but insisted that the chances of Ireland, Scotland and Wales successfully landing the event between them would depend on many factors, including the willingness of the GAA and, possibly, the IRFU, to make venues available for the event.
He also said that while Turkey and Georgia are the only two countries at this stage to signal their intention to make solo bids, Uefa have left open the possibility of one of the continent’s bigger nations joining the race somewhere down the line.
“In total you need nine or 10 (stadiums) so that’s do-able,” said Delaney.
“We’d be depending on the support of the GAA and the IRFU, if you were to look at Thomond Park as another stadium. But that’s something you can’t presume either.