IRELAND’S EURO 2020 play-off with Slovakia, refixed to the first week of June, may face another postponement as Uefa assemble all 55 member associations on a video conference call from noon tomorrow.
The FAI will be represented by interim CEO Gary Owens, and all members will be updated on the progress of two working groups created earlier this month. One of these groups is focusing on rescheduling competitions, while the other is examining the economic impact of the suspension of competitions.
The first of those groups is of particular relevance to Ireland, as it grows increasingly likely that the Euro 2020 play-offs will be postponed again with many European countries still in lockdown mode to contain the spread of the coronavirus,
Ireland’s game in Bratislava was originally fixed for 26 March, but was initially postponed to the first week of June when it was decided that Euro 2020 would be delayed by exactly a year.
Ireland must beat Slovakia and either Northern Ireland or Bosnia to qualify for the championships.
Interim Deputy CEO of the FAI Niall Quinn admitted this refixed date was “aspirational”, and The42 understands that Uefa are now examining a number of alternative dates for the play-offs.
The Irish Daily Mail report today that the game may be refixed for September, although an FAI spokesperson told The42 that they have yet to be informed of a refixed date.
If the game is refixed for later in the year, it may cause complications for the FAI’s plan for Stephen Kenny to succeed Mick McCarthy as the Irish senior manager. McCarthy’s contract is due to expire on 31 July with Kenny’s set to begin on 1 August, dates in line with the initial plan for McCarthy to coach the side up to the end of Ireland’s interest in Euro 2020.
Quinn kicked the can down the road on the issue earlier this month, telling FAI TV that “we’re still in a position where we don’t know if we’re going to the Euros or not. We’ll know on 10 June. I would have thought 10 June would be a good time to start worrying about that particular instance.”
Now that issue looks unlikely to be resolved by June, it will rear its head once again.
Tomorrow’s conference call will also discuss the issue of player contracts across Europe, with the traditional 30 June expiry date no longer falling at the end of the season. FIFPro, the international players’ union, has expressed support for extending contracts until the current season is concluded.
Any precedent set here may become relevant to the resolution of the FAI’s managerial succession plan.
There is one other precedent on this issue set in Europe, with Denmark sticking to their plan of replacing manager Age Hareide with Kasper Hjulmand on 31 July as planned, in spite of the delay to the European Championships.
Elsewhere, tomorrow’s call will discuss how best to conclude the suspended league and cup competitions across Europe. With no end in sight to Europe’s lockdown measures, however, uncertainty reigns.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin told Italian media last week that, “there is a plan A, B and C.
“We can start in May, in June or the end of June. If we can’t do it on any of those three dates then the season probably would be lost. There is also the possibility to finish the season at the start of next season, with next season starting a little late. It would have to work with respect to the players and the signing periods.”
The League of Ireland season remains suspended, with the clubs and the FAI provisionally targeting a resumption of games on 19 June, albeit this is subject to the permission of the government and public health officials.
