News: More than 2,000 Irish supporters are expected to attend the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Israel in Tel Aviv later this month despite the violence in the city over the weekend that prompted some speculation that the game might be moved or postponed.
While a significant number of Irish fans living in the Middle East are expected to source tickets locally themselves, the FAI has sold 1,783 for the game to a mixture of tour operators, clubs and supporters.
A spokesman for the organisation said yesterday that there had not been a single cancellation since the weekend. The association is still selling tickets for the game after taking 2,000 on a sale or return basis from the Israelis.
It had been offered 4,500 tickets for the match but took less than half that number on the basis of sales for comparable away games in the past. Around 18,800 were sold for Ireland's game in Paris in October, but only a tiny number for the European Champion qualifiers in Georgia and Albania in 2003. For the game in Basle last year 2,600 were sold, little more than a quarter more than the figure for the Tel Aviv match.
Dublin tour operators have experienced no reluctance towards making the trip in recent days with Ray Treacy Travel and Stephen's Green Travel reporting no cancellations. The former company's trip for the game has been full for some time while the latter have around 220 bookings to date, several of them received yesterday, and about 25 places left.
Barring a dramatic escalation in the level of violence in the city it appears almost certain that the match will go ahead as scheduled on the 26th of the month.
Acting FAI general secretary John Delaney has what he described as "a very positive meeting" with the Israeli ambassador yesterday and said afterwards that the association is "proceeding with full plans for the game".
He said, however, that the association would keep in close contact with the Israelis, Fifa and the Department of Foreign Affairs in relation to the situation during the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Waterford United have announced that the club's former star, Johnny Matthews, is to become its commercial manager. Coventry born Matthews initially joined United in 1966 on a six-week loan from his home town club and ended up scoring 147 goals for the team over the next 14 seasons, during which time he won six league titles with the club. He has lived in the area ever since.
"I have a deep love of the game and of Waterford," he said yesterday, "and I am looking forward to getting stuck into the job. This is a huge challenge and one that I am relishing."
