The €5m hand-out of frog

[ian1964 10,613]

By GARY MENEELY

Published: 13th July 2014

 

SEPP Blatter handed Ireland a €5million windfall in a bid to heal the rift over the Thierry Henry ‘Hand of Frog’ scandal — and to get the FAI off his back.

 

The money was initially provided as a loan before being converted into a grant.

 

FIFA president Blatter infamously made a laughing stock of us as he revealed the FAI’s plea for Giovanni Trapattoni’s outfit to be added to the World Cup as a 33rd team after Henry’s cheating robbed us of a finals spot.

 

Football’s world governing body had already rejected a demand for a replay of the controversial play-off defeat by France when Blatter, 78, publicly ridiculed Ireland’s private request for a place at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

 

FIFA had been expected to consider the extra team plea confidentially and furious FAI boss John Delaney blasted Blatter when he went public.

 

Today the Irish Sun can reveal FIFA gave the FAI €5million in a bid to quell the storm.

 

A source told the Irish Sun: “FIFA wanted this row to go away. They feared the FAI delegation could raise the issue at FIFA congress in South Africa deflecting from what should have been a good news story.

 

“The feeling at the FAI was that Blatter had embarrassed himself... FIFA provided money to try to heal the rift.”

 

The €5million FIFA handout went a long way to easing the financial blow to Ireland of not reaching the 2010 tournament. It is estimated that qualification would have been worth at least €10million.

 

The €5million FIFA gesture is believed to be one of the FAI’s biggest one-off cash injections.

 

Income at the association for 2013 was €36.6million.

 

The Irish Sun understands a chunk of the FIFA hand-out went towards helping the FAI pay for the Aviva Stadium.

 

Blatter had stung Irish pride by SNIGGERING when he revealed Ireland had sought to be included in the 2010 World Cup. The FIFA president said: “They asked very humbly, ‘Can’t we be team No 33 in the World Cup?’”

 

When that was greeted by laughter, Sepp wheezed: “They have asked for that! Really!”

 

Delaney later stuck the boot into the Swiss pensioner, fuming: “I think the way the president of FIFA behaved was an embarrassment to himself and an embarrassment to FIFA.”

 

Amid the fall-out from Ireland’s notorious play-off game in Paris, Delaney also revealed that the FAI had turned down the chance to receive a fair play award from FIFA.

 

Former Ireland assistant boss Liam Brady also launched a stinging attack on Blatter.

 

He said: “I was told they went to a private — a supposedly private — meeting with Mr Blatter and officials from FIFA. I believe they agreed that it would be confidential.

 

“I’m afraid Mr Blatter is a bit of a law unto himself. I thought he was very disrespectful in how he presented his facts.

 

“He totally ignored most of the controversial things that went on. He never had anything to say about Henry’s behaviour after scoring the goal and how that stands against his fair play campaign within the game.

 

“My country deserves a bit more recognition from Blatter. I think the man is a bit of a loose cannon and an embarrassment to FIFA.”

 

Blatter later tried to suck up to Ireland fans by suggesting the Boys in Green be given some sort of “moral compensation” — which hasn’t been heard about since.

 

The FAI declined to comment on the windfall last night.

 

http://www.thesun.ie/irishsol/homepage/news/5750718/Whatll-it-take-for-you-to-stop-your-Blatter.html

[The Real PapaBear 0]

What's this I see? Governing bodies making ex-gratia payments for past wrongs done to member organisations?

 

Hmmm, interesting.