FAI renew their call for change of venue

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:FOLLOWING an apparent softening of Fifa's position on the issue, the FAI has renewed its call on soccer's world governing body to switch the venue for next month's qualifying game against Georgia unless it can guarantee the safety of the Irish team and supporters.

Association officials expressed concern that, after deciding on Tuesday the Georgians would have to nominate a neutral venue for the game, Fifa had appreciably changed its position.

Yesterday a statement on Fifa's website revealed it was continuing to monitor the situation in Tbilisi. The statement added the city nominated by the Georgians as an alternative to the capital would be used only if it were finally concluded the game must be moved.

"Fifa will assess the very latest situation in the country as of 26 August 2008 - the deadline given to the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) for them to announce an alternative venue for their qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland, scheduled for 6 September 2008," read the statement.

"Fifa has asked the GFF to name an alternative venue for this match by 26 August 2008 in order to be prepared, should the situation in Georgia still require a neutral venue."

The Georgians confirmed that they are hopeful that the game might staged on home soil after all. "If the Russian occupiers leave our country," said GFF spokesman Alexander Tsonbiladze, "then we hope that the game will go ahead in Tbilisi." If that proves impossible, he said, the Georgians' preference is to stage the game in southern Germany, possibly in Munich, so as to facilitate an easy transfer to Udine, in north west Italy where the Georgians play again four days later.

An FAI spokesman had earlier acknowledged that the issue of where the game should be played remained one for Fifa to decide but insisted Fifa must be certain the Irish travelling party's safety could be assured before requiring the team to play in Tbilisi.

"I have the greatest of respect for the Georgians," said the Ireland manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, yesterday morning, "and this isn't a question of whether I'm happy or not. I've been to Georgia many times. Tbilisi is a beautiful city. We are open to any decision about the game but Fifa must think seriously about the decision."

Asked to comment on a suggestion by the Georgians that a change of venue would only have the effect of providing additional motivation for the Irish players, Trapattoni conceded that was a possibility.

"Sure, there is a psychological aspect of football that you have no control over," he said.

"Sometimes as a player, when I played against a big star I did very well but sometimes not so well against less famous players. Coaches look for things to help motivate their players.

"In this case, I don't believe we would have an advantage if the game is played somewhere else. It's the 90 minutes on the pitch that count. At this moment my main concern is the war."

The renewed uncertainty appeared to cast a shadow over what Trapattoni insisted had been a good trip away.

Reflecting yesterday morning on the Norway game, Trapattoni expressed considerable satisfaction with how the returning senior squad members had played. He maintained they had done particularly well in the first half before a combination of the weather and tiredness had taken a toll.

The coach suggested once again that the side that started on Wednesday night had contained "90 per cent" of the players likely to start next time out, on September 6th.

But if Andy Reid left for England yesterday morning believing he might be the man most likely to benefit from a change to the XI, Trapattoni had bad news for the Sunderland midfielder.

"I've said already that we have enough offensive players," he said when asked about the 26-year-old's failure even to get on during the second half at the Ullevaal Stadium.

"The team also needs a midfield with players like (Glenn) Whelan, like Steven Reid. We also have Liam Miller and Darren Potter."

Whelan, he said, had been, "very strong" against the Norwegians and it appears that the Stoke City player may have done enough this week to cement his place alongside Steven Reid in the starting line-up for next month's qualifiers.

Starting with the more creative Andy Reid, concluded Trapattoni, would require a broader tactical reorganisation.

"He is a very skilful player," said the coach, "with very specific characteristics, but with him in the side we could play with only one striker.

"Depending on the game, sure, you can play with just one striker. There are teams like that in Italy but they score goals from the left side and the right. But at the moment we don't have so many players who can score goals - (apart from) Doyle and Keane.

"These days," he continued, "there isn't a team that plays with players like (Aiden) McGeady, (Kevin) Doyle, (Robbie) Keane, (Damien) Duff and Andy Reid. It needs balance.

"Andy can still be an important player for us, though. It is a long campaign and we will play a lot of games over more than one year."

The coach's assessment will come as a major blow to a player who looked to have come of age on the international front last October with his display in central midfield against Germany.

And having captained Sunderland against Liverpool last Saturday, Reid seemed confident about his international future prior to departing with the squad for Oslo. At that stage he restated his preference for playing in central midfield but said he would want to "talk my way out of getting a game on the wing".

Trapattoni, though, more or less discounted that possibility yesterday, observing that he had seen the Dubliner play out wide but "his position is not on the line".

Overall, Trapattoni concluded that the team continues to make progress, though the players must, among other things, exert more control over the tempo of games.

"We have to improve again," he said. "With more experience we can learn to slow the pace of the game. At 1-0 ahead (in Oslo) the players were immediately trying to take quick throw-ins and free kicks like a typical English team. But strong teams choose the right moments (to play quickly). We have to become smarter."

Brady 'under observation' in hospital

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND assistant manager, Liam Brady was said to be "stable and comfortable" in Beaumont Hospital last night, where he was being kept under observation in the coronary care unit after becoming unwell following the Irish team's return from Oslo in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Along with a number of other team officials and players Brady, 52, was staying at a hotel adjacent to Dublin airport when he became unwell.

He reportedly called for assistance from his room and, after being examined by team doctor Alan Byrne, he was taken to Beaumont by ambulance.

He was admitted there (Beaumont) following an episode of back and chest pain this morning," said the FAI in a statement issued yesterday afternoon.

"His condition is stable and his medical investigations are ongoing. Liam will remain under observation overnight in Beaumont hospital. We all wish Liam a full and speedy recovery.

- Emmet Malone