Ireland ask FIFA to be 33rd team in WC

**pineapple stu** · 02/12/2009, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Spanner

In fairness though, things are discussed/suggested/thrown out there in meetings in general and are never recorded in minutes/summary documents.

The key things one might take out of the release are that the:

1. Request was not made formally in writing.
2. The meeting was held in private.

Absolutely. But the FAI sat down with FIFA and at one stage suggested this. What sort of idiot suggests increasing the World Cup to a ridiculously awkward figure when the real issue - i.e. a ban for Henry - has been completely overlooked.

**paul_oshea** · 02/12/2009, 12:30 PM

the key to this, which no one has said yet, and the FAI could legally challenge on is if in the meeting they SPECIFICALLY asked that it not be recorded in the minutes, but unfrotunately im assuming they did since it was going to be brought up at the meeting, unless of course they were like "well we dont want it recorded in the minutes but can you see what the other delegates think".

Great response by the FAI. They really are taking on the bully in the playground here, who looks for those scared to approach him and just agree. letting this drag on for as long as possible is a good thing, lets just hope that the FAIs response is seen in as many quarters as Blatters reponse. Again unfortunately I doubt it.

God Id love to get in a room with a few of those delegates and blatter and challenge them on all fronts. They come across as petulant impulsive kids who missed out on their formative teenage years....

**paul_oshea** · 02/12/2009, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Absolutely. But the FAI sat down with FIFA and at one stage suggested this. What sort of idiot suggests increasing the World Cup to a ridiculously awkward figure when the real issue - i.e. a ban for Henry - has been completely overlooked.

Stu, dont know if you have any involvement on management committee or such, but you can request something not to be recorded in the minutes of a meeting, this goes back to spanners point above as well. The FAI never confirmed that they did or did not do this.

I can see it all now, blatter pushing a switch under the table that recorded delaney in the middle of saying informally that we be put in as a 33rd team and hoodwinks and smiles at delaney all the time. Then replays it 5 minutes before he stands in front of the room and regurgitates ad lib what delaney requested without actually mentioning the pretext to the dialogue.

**paul_oshea** · 02/12/2009, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

I heard there were over 20 possible scenarios discussed, of which this was one.

Where did you hear this? In the "LOI Supporters - No Room for inferior infidels that wave plastic hammers" forum?

**pineapple stu** · 02/12/2009, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

but you can request something not to be recorded in the minutes of a meeting

Mayhap, but I've no bothers with Blatter making a public fool out of Delaney, and I don't see why anyone else does either.

I'd love to hear the other solutions. Bump us up in seeding for the next World Cup? Pay us half the World Cup cash anyway?

**Leeside Swagger** · 02/12/2009, 12:56 PM

Its just closing the stable door after the horse has bolted by the FAI. If they had came out with these 5 points a week ago they would had maintained their credibility. Complete joke of an association.

**paul_oshea** · 02/12/2009, 1:04 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Close. From a football journo. You might meet one or two and get talking to them if you can remove yourself from your barstool.

Unfortunately the games that i go to the journos are inaccessible, as are most of the players.

And before you come back with the obvious tired LOI retort, no I'm not talking about Ireland games.

**jbyrne** · 02/12/2009, 1:04 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Close. From a football journo. You might meet one or two and get talking to them if you can remove yourself from your barstool.

in my experience a barstool is exactly where you will find most of our fottball journos..... allegedly

**bennocelt** · 02/12/2009, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Long experience. The Ole Ole by definition shows up twice a year in his Man Utd jersey and demands world class football while refusing stoically to do anything to assist in its development.

And I smell them on this thread.

Had to laugh, me too - isnt it so obvious

**Greenforever** · 02/12/2009, 1:21 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

A leprechaun suit wearer who gets to 6 games a year and reckons they are a 'charachter' and an expert on football and ridiculed by those who are actually involved in football. See Davy Keogh as an extreme example of the phenomenon. Generally lacking the actual football experience and intellegence to chalk a bad decision down and move on. Which LoI fans have no choice but to do.

This comment and using the name of someone you obviously dont know shows you up to be a prize fool.

Davy would not be seen dead in a leprechaun suit

Davy is very heavily involved with Iveagh Celtic

Davy is a Bohs follower and a regualr at Dalymount

And having been talking to him after the match his attitude then was it's over, move on.

Davy was around, like myself, long before the Leprechauns and Ole brigade, so I suggest you crawl back under your LOI rightous blanket and stay there, or research your post better the next time.

**eaststand85** · 02/12/2009, 1:34 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Close. From a football journo. You might meet one or two and get talking to them if you can remove yourself from your barstool.

Mods, can we please have a separate 'Fan Police' thread where whoevers wants to discuss the old 'What constitutes a real fan?' chestnut can do so without hijacking random threads on a regular basis as is currently the case?

**geysir** · 02/12/2009, 1:39 PM

The hero of those rancid chestnut lovers, Sepp Blatter, hits the International sports pages again.
FAI- blattered but not broken

**osarusan** · 02/12/2009, 1:55 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

Never a truer word, I have never come across a LOI fan moan ad nauseum about the injustice of a bad decision affecting their club, an outrageous undeserved defeat due to a cheat or moan about the FAI administration of the league. The good fellowship of the LOI clubs and aspiration to win on the field of play is evident to all. Their good grace coming from a superior intelligence is an example to all people who aspire to be called supporters.

Ah now I wouldn't go that far.

**Uncle_Joe** · 02/12/2009, 2:36 PM

That looks to be a fairly good response from the FAI. No one has any real idea in what context the request for the 33rd team was made, although its very mention left the FAI vulnerable to FIFA's response.

Too little too late it may be, but at least Blatter doesnt get away looking as smug.

**Alf Honn** · 02/12/2009, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Wolfie

Strong and dignified response by FAI.

Blatter's deliberate attempts to belittle our situation is despicable.

In hindsight, any request regarding the 33rd team, no matter how informal should not have arisen - but Blatter's ploy to use this to discredit us is infuriating.

Can't believe how people are buying this classic FAI back-tracking in their statement.

FAI today state the 33rd nation madness was 'explored only fleetingly' yet FIFA man makes it clear in his statement that it was an official request.

"Valcke said that, as Ireland had made an official request, the matter would have to go before Wednesday's organising committee meeting in Cape Town."

It was only after Blatter publicised the suggestion on Monday morning that the FAI decided to withdraw the request for it to be heard at Wed's convention.

There was no mention from Brady yesterday that the FAI withdrew this request.

The real issue here is that our overpaid and incompetent CEO went to meet Fifa and either he, or one of his colleagues who he's responsible for, was stupid enough to float this absurd idea.

The depiction of him in the Star as Oliver Twist begging was spot-on.

**paul_oshea** · 02/12/2009, 2:51 PM

'This is a matter of the disciplinary committee and it's not a question of this player or another - it was a blatant unfair playing and was shown all around the world, but I don't know what the outcome will be.'

Basically, because we were found out and it went all over hte world we will have to do something to show that em our eh fair play thingie is still intact,however if you can get away with it and you aren't shown all around the world then its ok to cheat. Its all fair play like.

And they aren't going to implement 5 officials or use video technology for the world cup.

YA well done lads, the eejits on here saying ah sure delaney and co should have used it to lobby fifa or to make a lasting chagne. Fifa are a law onto themselves they do not care about a small country like ireland missing out on the world cup due to cheating. Get over it, ya i think its not a case of get over it, its a case of accept the hypocrisy of it all. The final chapter indeed.

**Junior** · 02/12/2009, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

'This is a matter of the disciplinary committee and it's not a question of this player or another - it was a blatant unfair playing and was shown all around the world, but I don't know what the outcome will be.'

Did he do a little snigger at that point?

**dr_peepee** · 02/12/2009, 3:13 PM

Very concise well written statement. However it won't get the pedestal Blatter got. We need to fight fire with fire. The Official Statement should be pinned to the back of a volotile inciting statement from a sacrificial lamb in the FAI, And by that I mean someone should openly question the integrity of Blatter and FIFA as a man and organisation. No requesting of replays or asking for anything..... No ambiguity. Straight out. Blatter is corrupt... FIFA is corrupt.. Addidas.. Mafia... Fat Cats... Greco Roman... back Scratching.. Henry's a coward.. And finish up by citing that Paris will not be the last example of the corruption of the game...

Then face the sanctions knowing they'll never work in an official cappacity in the sport again... I vote Don Givens..

I'm serious about the first paragraph though.