Women’s team once again on collision course with the FAI

THE Republic of Ireland’s women squad are understood to be deeply disappointed with manager Colin Bell and the FAI for a statement released to the Irish Mail on Sunday which stated that agreement to waive a match fee at the end of a recent training camp was reached through captain Katie McCabe (below). The issue, which threatens to cast a major shadow on their preparations for a vital World Cup qualifying double-header with Slovakia and The Netherlands in the coming days, came to light yesterday when Bell, via a written statement from the FAI, said McCabe and the squad were aware that they would not receive their €300 fee for a game against Cork City’s Under15 boys team.

Sportsmail understands that while Bell broached the issue of a training game informally some weeks before the squad assembled, there was no written agreement or formal consultation with the squad nor their representatives, the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland as per a mediation agreement accepted by all parties a year ago this week. It was then, following a press conference at Liberty Hall, that the players agreed to accept a €50 per diem payment for each day of international duty on the basis that it would be supplemented with a match fee – €300 – whenever they joined up. However, following the intensive nine-day training camp at the five-star Fota Island resort, which started at the end of February and finished in early March, the game with Cork’s Under-15s was deemed a training match by Bell and, as such, there would be no match fee. However, as revealed in yesterday’s Irish Mail on Sunday, it was only when payments from the FAI for the camp were processed to the players’ bank accounts that many realised that a fee would not be paid. As they won the game 1-0, a bonus of €150 would have been due on top of the €300 which, as had been thrashed out a year previously during the mediation process, the women’s squad would be entitled to for both friendlies and competitive fixtures. Instead, each player received the basic €450 for nine days of what Bell described as an ‘intensive training camp’. In his statement to Sportsmail, the Ireland head coach explained: ‘During our training camp at Fota Island Resort, a training match took place against Cork City Under 15s. The match was designed to practice shape and possession ahead our upcoming 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Netherlands. ‘The training match was three 30-minute halves and also included a time-out for a team talk and tactical advice. This match took place within a training session and cannot be classed as a competitive fixture. It was behindclosed-doors. I was extremely grateful to Colin Healy and Cork City for helping us. ‘Before the camp took place, it was agreed with the players, through captain Katie McCabe, and it was made clear through discussions with the players that no match fee would be expected for the training session.’ It is that last paragraph which has caused considerable angst among the squad and will likely be an issue as preparations for Friday night’s clash with Slovakia at Tallaght Stadium get underway. The Ireland coach is due at a media event tomorrow, to announce a new sponsorship partnership with Aviva. Ireland captain McCabe is also due to attend along with teammates Denise O’Sullivan, Karen Duggan and Leanne Kiernan Following their show of force at Liberty Hall, where PFA Ireland solicitor Stuart Gilhooly blasted the FAI for treating them like ‘fifth class citizens and the dirt on their shoes’, the Irish women’s side has gone from strength under Bell’s stewardship. This issue is the first serious bump in the road for him to deal with.