FAI set to investigate Cascarino claims

The FAI are likely to carry out an investigation into claims by former international striker Tony Cascarino that he was not properly qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland.

Cascarino won a record 88 Irish caps before retiring after the European Championship play-off with Turkey last November. But he revealed yesterday that he was never eligible to play for the country, and that he was "a fraud, a fake Irishman".

According to the FAI chief executive Bernard O'Byrne, there are no exact plans as to what route the investigation will take but he will be talking with Cascarino in the near future to go through the details of his revelation.

"I think a lot of people are a little bit sad and a little bit embarrassed by the whole affair," said O'Byrne yesterday. "I am personally disappointed to hear this but I also recognise that the need for a bit of publicity for his new book has something to do with it.

"No one has any great desire to take away any caps from Tony and that's probably going to be a matter for himself. But the rules on eligibility of players in 1996 made it essential for everyone playing for Ireland to have a passport and from then on that was certainly the case with Tony."

Cascarino made his Republic debut in 1985 on the strength of his maternal grandfather, Michael O'Malley, coming from Westport in county Mayo.

But in his new autobiography, to be released for the Christmas market, Cascarino said he only discovered years later that his mother had been adopted. She had been aware of the fact throughout his career, but only told him after he had retired from international football. He also reveals that he was turned down for an Irish passport in 1985, but carried on playing regardless.

According to the then Republic manager Eoin Hand, he had been tipped off that Cascarino was eligible for the Republic through one of his grandparents being born in Ireland.