FAI check on foreign options

FAI chief executive Fran Rooney confirmed yesterday that the association has made firm inquiries in relation to the availability of four stadiums in Britain to stage Ireland's home international fixtures during the period that Lansdowne Road will be unavailable because of redevelopment work.

The organisation expects to be without its home for more than a year and, in the absence of an offer from the GAA to use Croke Park, it anticipates having to move several games out of the country.

"It would be terrible to have to move any games out of Ireland," said Rooney. "Home games should be played at home but if we can't do that then you have to be realistic and look at what you can do.

"What we have done is to approach the owners of four stadiums with preliminary inquiries and the responses we have had have varied from positive to extremely encouraging. In fact, one of the four is now actively engaged in attempting to attract the games.

"Ultimately we have a good relationship with the GAA but we have no control over what they do with their ground," he added. "We have our own business to look after and we're confident that if it comes to it we'll have a plan that allows us to fulfil all of our home fixtures without any problems while the home of Irish football at Lansdowne Road is being developed."

Rooney declined to reveal which stadiums are being considered as venues for Ireland's games during the period in question but Celtic Park, the Millennium Stadium, Anfield, Villa Park and Old Trafford have been mentioned as possibilities in the past.