The FAI are looking to resume football on our shores with news that talks are in the pipeline of playing a four team tournament.
Sky Sports report that the four teams will include, Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Derry City and Bohemians. These four teams qualified for European competitions. It is also expected these 4 teams will return to training on June 8th with games then to take place after June 20th. Sky Sports also report that the games will likely be held in the Aviva Stadium.
Speaking to FAI TV, Alan Byrne, who is the FAI Medical Director said, The idea behind it is to try and to create a template for the safe return of football”. Byrne confirmed the news that training for the four teams can commence on June 8th stating, “We’ll start off training on the 8th of June, but we’ll have tested the players with the co-operation of the medical staff and the coaching staff in the four clubs”. The remaining league of Ireland clubs will be allowed return to training on June 29th according to RTE.
He also said that if you are a player that you simply have to be tested for your own sake and your families sake. He said, “If you’re a player… you need to be tested for your family’s sake, for your sake, for your overall safety and your colleague’s safety as well.”
Derry City have come out and supported the idea saying the four team tournament is “a good template”. Director of Derry City, Sean Barrett said, “I think it’s a good idea. I think the concept of trying something out, if they are going to go to regionalised venues later on, then this is a good example to get it started”.
He continued and said it will be good for all four clubs involved. “I don’t know much about it yet. It’ll be great for Dundalk, Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers and also good for all the other clubs to have a look at it to see how things will be done”.
I fully expect to see more news on this in the coming days.
