What SHOULD the FAI have done? | OFF THE BALL BREAKFAST
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What did FAI President Paul Cooke say about the decision to play the Israel match?
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Uh we played a little bit of the FAI President Paul Cook speaking with the assembled media last night. We're gonna play uh the full thing here and usually we don't stray from going live at this point on a Monday morning, but this is definitely worth listening to.
I think the week went as well as could be expected in the face of I would say unprecedented coverage and the way some people conducted themselves. And I'm not referring to anybody in the camp. Here are you I'm referring to the way some of you have behaved in some respects. Right. The odd the the pressure, the way some some of the stories have been chased. I worked in media thirty five years. I thought journalists were meant to be bounced. And reflect two sides of an opinion. I haven't seen that. That's just my personal voice. What side's been lacking? Well, as to why the game should be played, I have never seen a piece from any of you saying why should the game be played. The case for playing the game. You may use you were making that case.
But that's that's in the face of that. That was what made it quite difficult for everybody, right? I've never seen we well, we made the case in Paris, and everybody was just picking holes in it. The reality here is we all know what the sanctions will be, which is two 3-0 defeats. We all know that the and then there's undetermined sanctions. So Hampton God tastes what a non-determined sanction would be. But I've never seen anyone fight that. What the we are charged in football with what like with what is good for Irish football and the future of Irish football. That's what we're charging. And what was lack last in a lot of this was the decision that the board took, first of all, that was endorsed by our members, by nearly a over a two-thirds majority to play the game.
That is football democracy and transparency. A lot of you might remember back in the days. There was never that. But this is one but no I heard nobody actually saying amongst when I read the articles, anybody's I had this earlier on today somewhere. Anyone actually saying that the football community have spoken to play the games, which they have. But you like Euro Euro twenty eight was mentioned in your document, right? That being at risk from this. Well we don't know because we Okay, did UEFA ever communicate that? Yeah, UEFA never communicated anything specifically. But if you were sorry, no But if you weren't sorry, I don't accept that the undetermined sanctions are a significant part that's not. They are, but uh but I don't know what they are.
But equally the government centers are serious. Let's not forget it let's not forget that. Two s three nil defeats. They are serious as well. And and the consequence of of going down to League C. But equally, as I said, I haven't heard anybody say that this decision was taken by the football community, which is what it was. There's there there'd be a thought process from a lot of people in the country that the decision isn't just about what should be good for football. Well unfortunately well that's the thought process. All I can do is feel what's best for football, which is what I've tried to do all my life. Or the time I've been involved in the FI. That's all I tried to do. And that's what I hope I I do try to do every day when I'm doing pla something to do with football.
Did you make these points in the hotel yesterday to people? What was your role in the decision being taken to play the game? My my role was there to support everybody. That was my role. Because you said that I I mean ultimately David and John and Hamer came into the room yesterday and said that
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What did FAI President Paul Cooke say about the decision to play the Israel match?
0:01–4:27
2
How did Cooke justify the game as “football democracy” and address media criticism?
4:27–8:30
3
What was the role and outcome of the player vote on playing the fixture?
8:30–13:37
4
What sanctions were discussed and how did the FAI view the potential penalties?
13:37–19:08
5
How did the panel evaluate Gavin Bazunu’s withdrawal and its impact on the squad?
19:08–23:36
6
Why did the hosts say the FAI lacked clear leadership during the crisis?
23:36–27:32
7
What long‑term damage could the controversy cause to Irish football’s public bond?
27:32–32:27
8
What solutions did the presenters suggest the FAI should implement after the fallout?
32:27–37:04
Speakers
6 identifiedMore from OTB Football
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