Limerick: FAI Refuse to Sanction Barcelona friendly

The_Kew_Tour · 13-05-2010 07:35PM #1

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0513/limerick.html

If true the FAI are some pack of *****.

It would help Limerick so much imo

3hn2givr7mx1sc · 13-05-2010 07:42PM

Probably afriad it'll take away from their friendly.:rolleyes:

dan1895 · 13-05-2010 07:43PM

Yet its ok for a representitive XI to play yinira the same week as cup semis and potential euro qualifiers??

GLaDOS · 13-05-2010 07:54PM

Absolute joke, would have been a huge coup, esp as they agree to play some big players

Diabhal Beag · 13-05-2010 08:01PM

Must be more method to the madness.

_blank_ · 13-05-2010 08:14PM

More idiocy.

Kess73 · 13-05-2010 08:20PM

Bad stuff if it pans out this way. I hear Messi is gutted that he will not get to meet me.:)

I hope someone sees sense on this. Would be great to see Barca play at Thomond Park, especially if a decent number of the big names are there.

RasTa · 13-05-2010 08:53PM

Dublin only, culchies.

RichTea · 13-05-2010 08:55PM

That's outrageous. I wish I could say I'm surprised by this but I'm really not. The FAI are smalltime.

antomorro-sei · 13-05-2010 09:13PM

Pathetic stuff.

CSF · 13-05-2010 09:18PM

This has to be it for them running the league.

CSF · 13-05-2010 09:35PM

'The FAI has also told the Blues that it is in active and ongoing negotiations with Barcelona in relation to a visit to the Aviva Stadium.'

Real reason behind it all.

Töpher · 13-05-2010 09:35PM

CSF wrote: »

This has to be it for them running the league.

No way they'll get another deal, they'll be out on their ear. Good riddance too, nothing but an inept shower of cowboys.

Third party commercial agreements? That's disgusting. Rovers v Madrid was alright, but I suppose they weren't on the ball enough to try to nab Madrid first on that one.

The Article wrote:

The FAI has also told the Blues that it is in active and ongoing negotiations with Barcelona in relation to a visit of Aviva Stadium.

There's the reasoning. The poor FAI couldn't cope if little ol' Limerick got their hands on the cash, it's much better for Irish football if the money earned is filling the void left by thousands of unsold premium 10 year tickets.

I'm not sticking up for Limerick here either, couldn't give a monkey's left one if they went tits up in the morning, but this is really petty from the temporary powers that be.

Töpher · 13-05-2010 09:39PM

www.limerickfc.ie wrote:

Limerick FC would like to confirm that they have been in on-going negotiations with FC Barcelona with a view to hosting them in a friendly match at Thomond Park in July of this year. The club confirms that agreement has been reached between Limerick FC and FC Barcelona that the match would take place on 31st July subject to official sanctioning by the Football Association of Ireland. The agreement guarantees that the FC Barcelona team to play Limerick will include marquee stars such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Xavi, Bojan & all new marquee signings.

However, Limerick FC has been informed that the Airtricity League Director has refused to sanction the game. The failure of the FAI & Airtricity League Director to sanction this game ensures that fans throughout the Mid West region and beyond will not have the opportunity to see the world’s greatest stars in action.

Pat O’Sullivan, Chairman of Limerick FC, said: "This is a massive setback for Limerick FC, Limerick City and the Mid-West region. We along with Thomond Park & local tourism bodies have worked tirelessly to bring a team of the stature of FC Barcelona to the sports mad Mid West region. The potential benefit to the local economy of up to €10million and to the profile of soccer in the region is enormous. This makes it imperative that the Airtricity League Director reverse his decision, sanction this match and allow fans all over the region see the likes of Lionel Messi grace Thomond Park in July."

FAIl.

dreamers75 · 13-05-2010 10:30PM

P1 are behind the limerick thing.

CSF · 13-05-2010 11:22PM

dreamers75 wrote: »

P1 are behind the limerick thing.

Jesus, they really could take the league forward if given half the chance, you get the impression they'd actually want to aswell. Instead of the FAI doing a half-arsed job on it.

John Delaney, the most hateable man since Hitler?

_blank_ · 13-05-2010 11:25PM

Why do they even need permission?

monkey9 · 13-05-2010 11:28PM

Well hold on a minute. Why should Barca affect the league fixtures????

If it was Arsenal or Liverpool etc, and the FAI allowed the friendly to go ahead, they would get grief for not taking their own league seriously against the barstoolers!

TheBigLebowski · 13-05-2010 11:34PM

monkey9 wrote: »

Well hold on a minute. Why should Barca affect the league fixtures????

Why would it affect the fixtures? Limerick are not playing that night.

Neil3030 · 13-05-2010 11:35PM

I'd just play the game anyway. F*** the FAI.

_blank_ · 13-05-2010 11:38PM

monkey9 wrote: »

Well hold on a minute. Why should Barca affect the league fixtures????

If it was Arsenal or Liverpool etc, and the FAI allowed the friendly to go ahead, they would get grief for not taking their own league seriously against the barstoolers!

Wrong.

This wouldn't affect the fixtures.

LoI teams regularly have friendlies in the summer months against English opposition. Leeds have been over the last two summers to play Shels. The Leeds fans get to see their team, and Shels play a mixture of fringe first teamers, lads returning from injury and youngfellas. Everyone's a winner baby, as they say.

Saint_Mel · 14-05-2010 08:30AM

And it was set for a 3pm kick off which would give everyone enough time to get to Athlone after it for the big game against Waterford. Everyones a winner

stovelid · 14-05-2010 08:35AM

dreamers75 wrote: »

P1 are behind the limerick thing.

I can see clearly now.

antomorro-sei · 14-05-2010 09:30AM

Des wrote: »

Why do they even need permission?

Cos every game has to be given permission by the FAI I think.

MuPpItJoCkEy · 14-05-2010 11:05AM

This is sad. If such a fixture could be organised, any team and it's football association should be happy to get a team like Barcelona to play against.

Don't we always hear footballers saying that they want to pit their wits against the best and the fans want to see their teams playing the best too.

Feels like there is a lot of losing out going on here.

gimmick · 14-05-2010 11:08AM

What I do not understand is why there cannot be 2 games perhaps? Not like they will not be able to shift the tickets. There is plenty money to be made here and the FAI are screwing it up for everyone.

Ridiculous behaviour.