THE FAI is maintaining its silence over allegations that a senior Irish international soccer player was punched in the face during a row at a hotel.
The alleged incident happened while the team was staying at the Portmarnock Hotel in north Co Dublin in the run up to Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia in Skojpe earlier this month.
A report over the weekend claimed that a well-known member of the squad was punched in the face by a member of the Ireland team staff.
“Not making any comment, thanks,” a spokesman for the FAI told the Irish Independent when asked about the incident.
It was claimed that the incident happened following an argument over a guest who was at a party with a number of the players at the hotel. Players became annoyed when the guest was asked to leave.
It is alleged that staff became involved in a row with players over socialising and the agreed curfew for the stay at the hotel, which was being used as the Irish headquarters for a number of games.
Following a number of disagreements, it is alleged that the staff member lost his temper and punched one of the footballers in the face, knocking him to the ground.
It is understood that he was not seriously injured and that gardai were not called. Calls and messages to the hotel went unreturned yesterday.
Prior to the match against Macedonia, the players had been staying in the hotel for three weeks during the Nations Cup tournament at the Aviva Stadium.
High emotions between players and staff have been a feature of Irish football in recent years.
During the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Roy Keane famously walked out following a spat with manager Mick McCarthy in Saipan over training conditions.
First Steve Staunton is threatened by a lunatic with a gun and now staff members are punchng the players. The place seems to be about as well run as Fawlty Towers.
This never would have happened at the Nuremore in Carrickmacross.
Interesting. I’d read elsewhere that Tardelli was involved. Then I read that the security guy decked Given. I’ll believe you though mate. Had we not won in Skopje the media would be going with ‘more unrest in camp’ stories. People need to realise that all sport squads have rows, even very successful ones. I witnessed Farmer and Rocko slapping the heads off each other in The Village one night.
“muttonhead” was the horrendous insult which the Irish player hurled at the staff member. Which player would be the most likely candidate to use such a quaint term of abuse?
[b]During the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Roy Keane famously walked out following a spat with manager Mick McCarthy in Saipan over training conditions.
I have spoken directly to a hotel staff member who was involved in this incident - he broke up the fight.
Stemmed from Robbie having a few cans on the beach apparently. Got a bit rowdy. Tardelli got annoyed, Robbie got annoyed, Tadelli hit Robbie. Tadelli has an “Italian temper” according to my source.