“It will cater for every need of the team, management and backroom staff.” They couldn’t have had it any other way.
Roy Keane is back in a major tournament with Ireland and he’s making damn sure that there’ll be no repeat of the infamous Saipan saga back in 2002.
The former Republic of Ireland captain was sent home – oh, you know all this.
Anyway, he’s happy with the country’s training base for Euro 2016.
The FAI have confirmed that it wishes for the Irish team to be based in Versailles for the competition in France.
The historic city, just outside Paris, is seen as the ideal location for the Ireland squad who will play their group matches in Paris, Bordeaux and Lille,
With the first game taking place in Paris and, with five days between that Sweden clash and the trip to Bordeaux to face the Belgians, the Versailles base is the most sensible option.
It also met the criteria of both Roy Keane and Martin O’Neill who travelled last week along with John Delaney to visit the UEFA-approved hotel, Trianon Palace, and the local municipality football facility, which is home to AFC Versailles.
“The facilities and accommodation in Versailles are second-to-none, and will cater for every need of the team, management and backroom staff,” John Delaney confirmed. “I visited the area with Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane (on Sunday after the draw for the European Championships), and both are extremely impressed and looking forward to being based there.”
