Strong words from a player that gave his heart and soul for the cause over Ireland’s two legs, against France, in 2009.
Former Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews did not hold back, last night, as he delivered a scathing response to confirmation that the FAI accepted a €5 million payment from FIFA to shelf any legal proceedings following Ireland’s controversial elimination from the 2010 World Cup.
Andrews spoke eloquently on Newstalk’s Off the Ball show, last night, and expressed his displeasure over the whole, sorry affair.
‘Disbelief and disgust would be the two words that have cropped up, in my head, over the last couple of days, as the news was coming out,’ he began.
‘The fans, the country as a whole, we have been able to hold our heads up high about the affair; and with great dignity. That was the one comfort we all had from that night in Paris, and now I think that has been taken away from us. I find it all very very sad.
‘There has been a lot going on the past few weeks with UEFA and FIFA and now, unfortunately, we are going to be tarred with that same brush.’
‘As a player at the time, and I’m back to being a fan now, it doesn’t sit well for me. In either camp,’ he continued. ‘If you are asking me, personally, if I would have taken a penny from them, absolutely not.
“Do I blame them from going and try to undo the injustice we suffered that night, no absolutely not. But to take the money off them, for me personally, was wrong.’
- Listen to the full interview here:
Andrews declared that he was now interested in learning where, exactly, the €5m went.
‘[I would like to know] if it is gone to grassroots football, or earmarked for any training centres so the senior team and all underage teams could use it, then that money would have gone to some use.
‘I wouldn’t have taken the money but we did, so where is it gone and, if it has gone to good use, then it would sit that little bit better with me.’
Asked about FAI chief executive John Delaney had any questions to answer, Andrew stated that the association had been hit hard by being knocked out at the World Cup play-off stage.
He said, ‘But the way they went about it, the lack of transparency with this whole affair, with the amount of money given and FIFA coming out and saying it was a loan, well it wasn’t a loan, it was hush money to, literally get rid of John Delaney, the FAI, anyone who was saying anything about that night. It was hush money, quite simply.’
Andrews, who appeared for Blackburn and WBA in his playing days, backed up Friday’s position, stated by former Ireland assistant coach Liam Brady, that none of the players or coaches were aware of the €5m payment from FIFA.
‘I never thought we were going to be the 33rd team [at the World Cup]. I never thought there would be a replay,’ he admitted.
Meanwhile, and with thanks to JOE.ie for spotting the story in La Stampa, Giovanni Trapattoni, who was Ireland manager in 2009 when France beat us in Paris, has spoken about the FIFA fiasco.
‘I remember every moment of those seconds in Paris and, above all, the laugh of the assistant of the referee Hansson made in front of me,’ said Trapattoni.
He also recounts a meeting with then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who apparently told him:
‘Meet me, we can find together a way out, a way to forget.’
‘I do not know what he wanted,’ Trapattoni added. ‘I just know that when he gave me his hand, I did not give mine because I do not have two faces.’
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