Ireland can join UK in bid for World Cup
ThE likely British Isles bid to host the 2030 football World Cup could involve all of Ireland in what would be a five-country campaign.
No approach has yet been made to the FA of Ireland but it is an option that is being considered and it would be received favourably across the Irish Channel.
Such a move would solve the problem of Northern Ireland not having a suitable stadium to host a World Cup match, with Dublin already having two venues that could stage games: the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park. It also helps that relations between the FAI and Northern Ireland’s governing body have never been better with senior figures attending each other’s meetings.
An FA spokesman said ‘all options are being considered’ with one of them known to be an all-Ireland involvement.
Not only would that help spread the load of the 48 training facilities that will be needed for the extended competition from 2026, but also the Republic of Ireland being on board would bring in FIFA Congress votes from around the globe that would not normally support a home Nations bid.
And bringing all Ireland into the fold will strengthen UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin’s support for a British bid having said last week it was time ‘for that part of Europe to get the World Cup’ and ‘if more countries bid, there is more chance to win’.
however, one complication is that even with UEFA receiving 16 places at a 48-team World Cup, there is no way they will allow five countries to automatically qualify as hosts.
ThE strong suspicion that the England management would prefer vice- captain Jos Buttler to keep wicket rather than Jonny Bairstow was underlined by coach Trevor Bayliss saying after the series win at the Ageas Bowl: ‘Being a keeper you are in a perfect spot to see what is going on, the angles and what the fields are. It always helps to have a vice-captain behind the stumps.
And it was also noticeable how captain Joe Root ran first to Buttler after India’s Rishabh Pant had been caught at deep point off Moeen Ali in the second innings from a field that the vice-captain had obviously been instrumental in setting.
lMANCHESTER
UNITED’S long wait for a new director of communications since Phil Townsend handed in his resignation last December is over with the appointment of Nike vice-president of communications Charlie Brooks. He will start in October and prove a popular choice with the media following the good relationships he forged at Nike despite the brand’s terrible attitude towards the Press.