The first episode, which focused on Grassroots Football, aired last Saturday and received hugely positive feedback from coaches all around who tuned in and engaged with the content.

A new webinar will be posted every week for the next four months with specialised topics discussed by Coach Education Tutors Paul Osam, Tom Mohan, Tom O'Connor, Colin O'Brien, Jim Crawford and Jason Donohue, who all have experience managing at international level.

During the webinars, the Tutors will reveal an assignment that coaches who have been involved on FAI Coach Education courses can complete as part of their Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

FAI Head of Coach Education Niall O'Regan said: "It was important to us in the Coach Education Department that we stayed connected with coaches during this period and what better way than to have our Tutors provide unique insights to various topics through a series of weekly webinars.

"We have received great support from FAI High Performance Director Ruud Dokter and the coaching community in getting these webinars set up. The first episode was a tremendous success with superb feedback coming in from coaches at all levels of the game.

"We are excited by the next number of episodes to come and hope that we can provide more tips & valuable information to coaches."

Next up in the series, Republic of Ireland Under-16 Head Coach Paul Osam - who has enjoyed success at Victory Shield and UEFA Development Tournaments - will discuss preparation and execution for an international tournament.

On May 16, Tom Mohan will focus on the specifics of team meetings - pre and post training & games. The Ireland Under-19 Head Coach's experience of leading his team to the semi-finals of last summer's European Championships will provide a fantastic insight to how he made of the most of his team meetings.

A week later, Tom O'Connor, who has previously been in charge of the Ireland Women's Senior Team and Ireland Men's Under-16s, will discuss the impact that leadership has on coaching.

Ireland Under-17 Head Coach Colin O'Brien will talk about the preparation that he went through ahead of the opening game of the 2019 UEFA Under-17 European Championships, which was hosted in Ireland, and acted as his third successive finals tournament at that level.

Newly-appointed Under-21 Manager Jim Crawford has chosen the current Under-21 European Championship qualifying campaign as his topic of discussion, where he can point to the work already completed and what lies in store for their three remaining games.

Ireland Under-15 Head Coach Jason Donohue, who has done excellent work in introducing players to international football. will go into detail of the tactical analysis review that he conducted on opposing teams throughout the last year.

Following on from the Coach Education Tutors, there will be specialised webinars focusing on topics such as Goalkeeping, Football Fitness, Performance Analysis, Futsal, Session Planning, and Football For All. While there will also be an exclusive episode with High Performance Director Ruud Dokter.

Make sure to check out the webinars each Saturday as they will be posted on the FAI Coach Education Twitter page and on the FAI TV YouTube page.

FAI Coach Education Webinars
May 9: Paul Osam
May 16: Tom Mohan
May 23: Tom O'Connor
May 30: Colin O'Brien
June 6: Jim Crawford
June 13: Jason Donohue
June 20: Female Coaching
June 27: Performance Analysis
July 4: Session Planning
July 11: UEFA Coach Education
July 18: Coach Education Pathway 2021-2025
July 25: Ruud Dokter
August 1: Football Fitness
August 8: Goalkeeping
August 15: Futsal 
August 22: Football For All
August 29: Grassroots Part II

While football at all levels in Ireland is waiting to return to pitches around the country, the Carlow and District League have taken a novel approach to keeping their teams active off the pitch.

"The response was huge and much bigger than expected with some clubs even hosting internal tournaments to decide who would represent them,” League Secretary Brian O'Reilly told local newspaper The Nationalist.

“The competition also generated huge interest on social media with over 95 people watching the final live on twitch stream."

Local clubs ran internal competitions to decide who represented them, while other clubs nominated players to represent their local club.

The tournament was won by Mill Celtic. The Kildare club took the virtual trophy back over the border after a 4-3 win in the Final against Vale Wanderers A.

Such was the success of the tournament, plans are already underway for another competition in the coming weeks.

Three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, three healthy recipes that are fun to make and healthy to eat will be chosen by members of the Ireland senior squad and available to download.

The recipes have been carefully crafted to ensure a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals are present in each meal and snack and will help keep people satisfied over the coming weeks and months. 

SPAR has a proud history of promoting healthy eating through their SPAR Better Choices and SPAR Better Choices Kids initiatives and these recipes highlight that people can rely on their local SPAR retailer to maintain their healthy lifestyles during the Covid-19 lockdown.

20 players from the Republic of Ireland Men's and Women's Senior Teams are involved in the 2020 Healthy Eating Guide, including SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Ambassadors Amber Barrett and Jack Byrne (pictured above).

Eating healthier food helps children to concentrate for longer and learn more, while it also helps create the energy they need to perform at their best at sport. Three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, three healthy recipes that are fun to make and healthy to eat will be chosen by members of the Ireland senior squad and available to download from the FAI’s website. 

The recipes have been carefully crafted to ensure a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals are present in each meal and snack and will help keep people satisfied over the coming weeks and months. 

SPAR has a proud history of promoting healthy eating through their SPAR Better Choices and SPAR Better Choices Kids initiatives and these recipes highlight that people can rely on their local SPAR retailer to maintain their healthy lifestyles during the Covid-19 lockdown.

20 players from the Republic of Ireland Men's and Women's Senior Teams are involved in the 2020 Healthy Eating Guide, including SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Ambassadors Amber Barrett and Jack Byrne (pictured above).

Former Ireland striker and FAI Interim Deputy CEO Niall Quinn said: “The SPAR Healthy Eating Guide is a brilliant opportunity for children and their families to try some healthy and tasty recipes during this current lockdown period. I'm delighted that our senior men's and women's internationals are part of this programme. A healthy diet is key to a healthy lifestyle. It's fantastic to join forces with our Primary 5s partners SPAR to give those around Ireland the opportunity to try some new and tasty recipes."

Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director said, “We are delighted to be partnering with the FAI in reprising this fabulous initiative. When we brought the Healthy Eating Guide out for the first time in 2017, it was a terrific success and it is great to be updating it and showing people that they can continue to eat healthily during these truly extraordinary times. At SPAR, our local community-based retailers are committed to providing our customers with the best of options under the tree and the Healthy Eating Guide is a perfect way to show our commitment to that.”

The 2020 Healthy Eating Guide can be downloaded here - www.fai.ie/sparhealthyeating

From Caretaker Assistant Manager with Nottingham Forest to studying the methods of Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots.

Name: Andy Reid
Role: Republic of Ireland Under 18 Head Coach
Began the current role: 2019

Coaching history
Nottingham Forest Assistant Manager
Republic of Ireland Under 18 Assistant Coach

What is the one key attribute you need as a coach?

It’s very difficult to pick just one but if you’re a coach at a high level you will have a great knowledge of the game anyway so I would preparation. Whether you’re preparing your training sessions or preparations leading into a game i.e opposition analysis. I would say preparation is a massive attribute needed for a coach.

What is your favourite thing about the job?

I was lucky enough to have a career in the game so to be able to pass on my knowledge and experience to players who are treading the same path as I did is probably the most rewarding thing. I understand what these players are going through as I’ve come through the youth system of Ireland so it’s nice to share my experience with the next generation. Any pre-match rituals? Not really. I’m just so focused on the game and thinking of all the possibilities of what could happen and what I can do to influence it in a positive way.

What one message would you give to a player to keep with them throughout their career?

The biggest piece of advice I can give to any player is to stay humble, it was advice given to me when I was very young. Irish people and coaches within the association want to produce technically good players with a drive and desire but we want to develop these young men as good people too – it’s very important. For me staying humble is massive.

Which coach/manager – from any sport – have you taken your greatest inspiration from?

I really like the tactical side of the NFL and the top coach in that would be Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. I’ve watched documentaries and read books about him and I love listening to him talk about the game. He’s someone who I would take inspiration from. When you hear players speak about him they always seem so certain of what is expected of them when they go out onto the pitch. All the good coaches I worked under you always knew exactly what they wanted from you when you went out to play. That really comes across when people speak about Bill Belchick, they’re prepared mentally and physically. He oversees the whole football operation of New England Patriots – that’s really admirable. I think it’s very important to take learning from different sports.

Favourite match you coached and why?

When I was with Jim Crawford and the Under-18s at the Pinatar tournament in Spain and we managed to beat the Netherlands 1-0. I was so pleased for the lads, for Jim, for Denis Hyland. We had Adam Idah and Jason Knight involved so it was a great group and it’s brilliant to see where those lads have come from and where they’re heading. The Netherlands are always very strong at underage level so to go in and put in a really good performance and get a result against them is always massive.

What team or match from any era do you wish you could have coached?

I think the Napoli team in the late-80s or early-90s with Maradona would be the one for me. Since the Maradona film came out last year, I’ve watched it about seven or eight times and as a footballer Maradona was my favourite. My eight-year-old asks me all the time who my favourite footballer is and I always say Maradona – he can’t believe it’s not Messi or Ronaldo! Tactically he was a genius and understood the game, his technique, his dribbling, his finishing was fantastic. To be able to have coached him and a Napoli team that achieved great things going from where they were when Maradona arrived to ending up as league champions and UEFA Cup winners – that would have been a real pleasure.

Created in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, FAI Homeskills gives expert online coaching to boys and girls of all ages in a healthy and fun environment.
 
So far, Ireland WNT manager Vera Pauw, Ireland coach Keith Andrews, Ireland Under-18 Head Coach Andy Reid and international players Ruesha Littlejohn, Leanne Kiernan and Jamie Finn have joined FAI Development Officers Pearl Slattery and Marc Kenny in delivering the videos.
 
This week, Ireland WNT striker Stephanie Roche and FAI Development Officer Glen Byrne bring you another five episodes, daily from 11am
 
Each day, countless videos are sent to the FAI Grassroots social media channels, with one child winning an FAI Goody Bag at the end of each day.
 
Former Ireland striker and current FAI Deputy Interim CEO Niall Quinn says he has been blown away with the reaction so far.
 
“When FAI Homeskills began on our new FAI Grassroots social media channels, we could only have dreamed it would become this popular”, said Niall.
 
“While the schools remain closed until the Autumn, we are delighted to give the children a chance to get outside, and improve their skills.
 
“I see the videos being sent in each day, and am blown away by the creativity of the children involved. We are constantly seeing new families become involved each day, and it’s great to see.

“We’ve gone global as well, with videos sent from Britain, and as far away as India and Sri Lanka”.
 
FAI Homeskills goes live every weekday morning from 11am. You can watch the videos on the FAI Grassroots channels, on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube.

Throughout the day, there will be exclusive content released that celebrates Big Jack and the impact that he had on Irish football - 34 years on from when he was first appointed.

There will be reflections on Jack's greatest results, insights from players who featured under him during his 10-year reign, and a call for supporters to reveal their favourite memories of his time in charge of Ireland, using the hashtag #HappyBirthdayJack.

Former international Ray Houghton was involved in three major tournaments under Jack - scoring winning goals against England at EURO 88 and Italy at USA 94 - and he has plenty of highlights to recall.

Speaking to FAI TV, Houghton looked back on that famous day in 1994 at Giants Stadium where his goal against Italy added a significant chapter to the history of Irish football.

Houghton on his goal versus Italy

"I remember thinking to myself, 'just hit it, why not? If it goes over the bar, who cares? If it goes wide of the goal, it's not a problem?'.

"As I hit it my first emotion was 'it's going over'. The second emotion was 'the keeper is going to save it', then when it hit the back of the net I was off and running."

Houghton on Paul McGrath's performance

"Paul McGrath had one of his best games ever in an Ireland shirt and Paul shouldn't have played. He had a problem with his shoulder and I would say 99.9 per cent of people wouldn't have played but Paul was one of the very few who went out there and played with it.

"He was magnificent. Even Franco Baresi, one of the best centre-backs ever, turned around and said that was one the best centre-back performances he'd ever seen. When you get someone like that say how well you've played you know you've done well."

Houghton on the impact of his goal

"Wayne Rooney was asked about his first memories of a World Cup and he said Ireland in 1994. England, Scotland, Wales nor Northern Ireland were there so we were the only country representing this part of the world.

"When you score at a World Cup you're forever remembered. When you look back there's not been that many who have scored at a World Cup, it's a precious thing to do, it's a great memory to have. You're in an elite club when it comes to professional footballers."

The group met again today in relation to a potential return for football and has advised all affiliates to postpone any decisions on a return to training or football until after the FAI concludes these talks with Sport Ireland and HSE officials.

FAI Interim Deputy CEO Niall Quinn said: “We have submitted a series of questions to Sport Ireland seeking clarity on the five phases of easing the COVID-19 restrictions, as outlined in the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

“Our Medical Director Dr. Alan Byrne is liaising with the HSE and the Department of Sport on the conditions that will facilitate a safe return for our players, coaches, volunteers and referees at the earliest opportunity.

“As soon as we have that detailed information, we will issue guidelines for our leagues and clubs on a return to training and action. We thank them for their patience and understanding as we gather all information before making the best decision for all concerned.

“Football will be back when the time is right. In the meantime, we thank all our members for obeying the lockdown and urge them to continue to follow HSE guidelines.”  

Nostalgia is a thing of the present right now as Covid-19 limits those searching for the joys of sport to the thrills of the past – and nobody provided us with more thrills and national pride in the past than Jack Charlton.

Every virtual page you open these days features a throwback to tales of past glories. Some of them feature great names and deserve their second moment in the sun as Irish sport reels in the years.

Other events that barely deserved an afterthought at the time are now being recalled with tinted glasses and elevated to historic proportions way above their station. Only a few rewinds are really worth another 15 minutes of fame.

Jack Charlton, the man who turns 85 years of age today, deserves all the credit he is getting in the lockdown Hall of Fame. He didn’t just change Irish sport when the FAI appointed him in 1986, he changed Irish life.

Those who only knew of keyboards as musical instruments in their youth will know what I mean. Those who regard keyboards as tools of their democratic right to have an opinion on everything will scorn at my simplicity. But Jack changed us. He gave a nation of doubters their self-belief.

Before Jack, international football was a nearly thing as far as the Irish history books were concerned. Jack Charlton was nearly a nearly man himself. His first game, a friendly against Wales at the old Lansdowne Road, was sparsely populated. The final qualifier of the Euro ’88 campaign, a 2-0 win against Bulgaria in October ’87 with goals from Paul McGrath and Kevin Moran, was a ground half-full affair.

Us diehards – we brought a bus load of kids from Dunshaughlin Dynamoes to that Wales game and nearly lost one of them but that’s a story for another day – retained belief post Bulgaria that things might get better in the next World Cup qualifying group but optimism was as rare then as a pint in an Irish pub today.

The record books will tell you that Ireland finished Qualifying Group 7 a month ahead of their rivals. The stats bibles will also remind you that one Gary Mackay secured an improbable win for Scotland in Bulgaria that sent Joxer to Stuttgart when he least expected it.

Jack got lucky that night in Sofia. He was back in Dublin, watching the match at an event with sponsors Opel, when Gary Mackay scored but that group of Irish players and their loyal fans deserved that luck. Ireland Inc was finally up and running – on merit.

The previous February, on a freezing night at Hampden Park, this was the team that Jack sent out to try and beat Scotland – Bonner; McGrath, Moran, McCarthy, Whelan; Houghton, Lawrenson, Brady, Galvin; Stapleton, Aldridge.

Just look at the quality of that team. Paul McGrath and Ronnie Whelan at full-back just to get them into the side! Mark Lawrenson scored after six minutes and Ireland finally won a real game on the road. There were no disallowed goals, no dubious offside flags, no corrupt referees. There was belief. And hope.

Jack succeeded where others had failed – he managed to harvest the luck of the Irish and add an unfashionable doggedness that made his team hard to beat after years when they found it hard to win.

That’s why those of us who lived through the transition from nearly men to national heroes will never forget what Jack did for Irish football. Yes, there were times when it wasn’t pretty. Yes, some felt like throwing pens across television studios when the style beauty lost out to the beast. But I wouldn’t swap it for the world we traversed with Jack’s Army.

Without Jack, we may never have seen Ray Houghton put the ball in the English and Italian nets. The legendary Con Houlihan might never have kissed me in the press box when David O’Leary scored that penalty in Genoa. Jason McAteer may never have provided that perfect cross for John Aldridge’s goal against Mexico in the heat of Orlando at World Cup 1994, one of our best worked goals ever and a crucial one in terms of advancement.

Without Jack’s Army, we’d never have drunk the town dry in Stuttgart, Hanover, Valletta, Genoa or New York when the Emperor of Cool Paul McGrath cut the Italian designer suits down to size. Dublin might never have known the rare auld times of a packed Lansdowne Road, terraces heaving and the old East Stand swaying in anticipation. We’d never have bought a plastic hammer or a blow-up shamrock.

So, thank you Jack. And Happy Birthday.

Hosted by FAI Communications Manager Gareth Maher, the webinar goes through the topic set by Paul while also delving into his own coaching pathway and how he has dealt with specific challenges.

There is a lot for coaches at all levels to take from this insightful webinar, which also includes an assignment for any coach who would like to earn CPD hours (if the assignment is completed ahead of the deadline).

The FAI Steering Group met again on Monday to discuss the conditions necessary to facilitate a safe and timely return for all amateur adult and underage players, match officials and volunteers.

The latest meeting followed further consultation with stakeholders in the wake of the publication of the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FAI now awaits a response from Government as it seeks guidance on the following issues:

• A clear policy to manage all risks for volunteers around a return to play and to ensure a safe environment for all participants
   
• Clarity on the effects of social distancing on contact sport as per the phases outlined in the Government’s Roadmap
   
• Guidance on the infrastructural costs for amateur adult and underage clubs around safe return to play protocols

Steering Group Facilitator Ger McDermott said: “We await a response from Government, having submitted a series of key questions to Sport Ireland around a safe return to play for everyone involved in amateur adult and underage football.

“We again advise all affiliates to postpone any decisions on a return to training or football until the Government responds. The Steering Group will then meet to consider the outcome of that response.

“Only then can we issue clear guidelines to our clubs, leagues and all affiliates on a safe return to training and playing. We thank them all for their patience to date and for continuing to abide by HSE guidelines.”

In the last few years, there has been a considerable rise in the number of women getting involved in coaching with the introduction of the Female-Only UEFA B Licence course helping with that.

Now, on June 20th at 11:00 (Irish Time), host Gareth Maher will be joined by FAI Head of Women's Football Sue Ronan, FAI Women's Development Officer Pearl Slattery, and FAI Head of Coach Education Niall O'Regan to discuss the topic in detail on the FAI Coach Education Twitter page.

Ronan played for & managed the Republic of Ireland Women's Senior Team and became one of the first women to earn the UEFA Pro Licence in Ireland, while Slattery holds the UEFA A Licence and has enjoyed a successful career to date - still playing in the Women's National League with Shelbourne.

"The FAI Coach Education Webinars have gotten off to a fantastic start with superb knowledge being shared by our guest speakers so far that will resonate with coaches at all levels of the game. We want to continue with that and touch on every aspect of coaching," said O'Regan.

"The growth of Female Coaching has been encouraging in recent years and we are delighted to have worked closely with UEFA on delivering two rounds of the Female-Only B Licence, but there is still a lot more that we can do to get more women involved in coaching.

"We believe that this Webinar series will help more coaches to improve through the insights that will be provided by the guest speakers and that will be no different with Sue Ronan and Pearl Slattery, who are doing fantastic work in the development of women's football."

Check out the most recent Coach Education Webinars
Grassroots
Paul Osam

*All Webinars are stored on the FAI TV YouTube channel and can be watched on repeat at any time

Name: Dave Connell

Role: Republic of Ireland Women’s Under-19 Head Coach

Started the role: 2011

Coaching history
Limerick FC Head Coach
Galway United FC Head Coach
FAI Development Officer
Republic of Ireland Women’s Under-19 Assistant Coach

What is the one key attribute you need as a coach?
The player and coach relationship. There needs to be a mutual respect and mutual pursuit for your goals.

What is your favourite thing about the job?
I enjoy working on the player-coach relationship and establishing a team goal at the start of a campaign. Winning games is nice but my role is very much developing players where, hopefully, they kick on and represent our senior team.

Any pre-match rituals?
I’m not superstitions one bit. I just prepare as best as I can for the game and if we’re prepared right then there’s no need for superstitions. 

What one message would you give to a player to keep with them throughout their career? 
Never be afraid to make a mistake. Forget the mistake you’ve made and learn the lesson. We’re working with players and developing players and they will make mistakes. It’s trying to get them to forget about that and learn from it for their own progression. 

Which coach/manager – from any sport – have you taken your greatest inspiration from?
I admire different coaches from all different sports and cultures but I mainly focus on inspiring myself so I can help inspire the players. I wouldn’t have anyone in particular I look up to but I do admire top coaches from the past but I wouldn’t have a stand-out coach.

Favourite match you coached and why?
Our win over Spain in the 2014 Women’s U19 European Championship Finals. We had Spain, England and Sweden all in our group and we beat the three of them. 

Spain were the reigning champions at the time and we went into the game with a couple of weeks’ preparation. 

A reporter said to me before the game ‘is there going to be a clash of styles?’ and I said ‘wait and see’. We beat them 1-0 – Claire Shine got the goal that day- and we should have beaten them by more because we played them off the park. 

What team or match from any era do you wish you could have coached?
That’s easy for me - the 1970 Brazilian World Cup winning team. It is arguably the best team of all time and it was the first World Cup I remember. Looking at that team I was mesmerised by them and when I got older I did a lot of research into them and the team they were. People see the ‘False Nine’ as a new tactic but it was something they were using then. They were a fantastic team, I would have loved to have worked with that side.

INTRODUCTION 

The Football Association of Ireland is committed to a return to football for all players, staff, match officials, administrators, volunteers and supporters as soon as it is safe and possible under the guidance of the HSE, the Department of Health, Sport Ireland, NHPET and UEFA.

The FAI remains in communication with all Government agencies regarding protocols around a pathway for a safe return to football in the SSE Airtricity League, Women’s National League, adult amateur and underage football, incorporating all affiliates.

The health and safety of all stakeholders is at the core of all FAI decisions in relation to a safer return to football and remains subject to change on the advice of Government agencies, UEFA and the FAI Medical Team, led by Medical Director Dr Alan Byrne.

Dr Byrne has been appointed by Sport Ireland to the Medical Advisory Group, established to review the various sporting protocols for a return to action. Dr Byrne’s priority as a member of the Medical Advisory Group is to provide a pathway for a return to action for all strands of football that is acceptable to all Government agencies and regarded as safe for all participants. 

“The only certainty around a return to football during this COVID-19 pandemic is the uncertainty,” said Dr Byrne. “As Medical Director of the Football Association of Ireland, I must look at any planned return to football from a medical viewpoint, with the health and safety of everyone concerned to the forefront in any decision making.

“My advice to clubs is not to return to training when we enter Phase One of the Government Roadmap on Monday, May 18, not to open their grounds and pitches, even to groups of four, and not to consider collective training or playing football until the medical evidence suggests otherwise.

“Decisive actions by our clubs now, will improve the chances of a safer return to football for everyone. We must take small and deliberate steps before we can allow all football to return. My recommendation to the FAI is to begin with a pilot programme on June 8 for the four SSE Airtricity League teams who have qualified for European football. This will allow us to analyse every step of their journey back to football, beginning with a safe return to training.

“The information we will gather from that pilot programme will be invaluable for all players, at all levels of the game, as we look to establish a safer pathway to a return for all football, one that can be approved by all Government agencies and UEFA. We all want football back in our lives but it is not worth risking one life by rushing to get our game back.” 

DIRECTIVES TO FACILITATE A SAFER RETURN FOR ALL FOOTBALL

The Football Association of Ireland has made the following decisions:

SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE

• The cessation of all football under the jurisdiction of the FAI is extended to July 20th with the exception of SSE Airtricity League clubs and UEFA Women’s Champion’s League representatives, Peamount United.
• All clubs are advised not to facilitate any organized training, including in groups of up to four, under Phase One of the Government’s Roadmap For Reopening Society and Business.
• Four SSE Airtricity League clubs – Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Derry City and Bohemians - will be invited to return to training initially followed by a return to playing, in a behind closed doors tournament, as part of a pilot programme for a return to football for everyone.
• Players and staff from the four invited SSE Airtricity League clubs will undergo regular COVID-19 testing from May 26.
• The four invited SSE Airtricity League clubs can return to collective training on June 8th.
• These four clubs will participate in a four-team tournament at a neutral venue, ahead of their European Club competition games in late July/ early August.
• The four-team tournament will provide all stakeholders with an opportunity to learn in the current environment from these games, thus providing a safer template for SSE Airtricity League, International games and all football going forward.
• All other SSE Airtricity League squads can return to collective training on June 29th under Phase Three of the Government’s Roadmap For Reopening Society and Business, with players and staff undergoing regular COVID-19 testing.
• The FAI Medical Team will provide a detailed and transparent analysis of the testing results to stakeholders, Government agencies and UEFA on an ongoing basis.

​WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE, ADULT AMATEUR, UNDERAGE AND ALL OTHER AFFILIATED FOOTBALL

• All clubs are advised not to facilitate any organized training, including in groups of up to four, under Phase One of the Government’s Roadmap For Reopening Society and Business.
• The FAI Steering Group will monitor the pilot programme for the four invited SSE Airtricity League clubs, to be launched on June 8th, and will use all information gathered in the preparation of a protocol document for a return for all adult amateur and underage football.
• The cessation of all football activities under the jurisdiction of the FAI is extended to July 20th for all affiliates, with the exception of SSE Airtricity League clubs and UEFA Women’s Champions League representatives, Peamount United.
• A decision on Peamount United’s return to training will be made once dates are known for the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
• Under Phase Four of the Government’s Roadmap For Reopening Society and Business, all adult amateur and underage clubs can begin their return to training programmes from July 20, subject to FAI protocols to be agreed with Government agencies.
• Under Phase Five of the Government’s Roadmap For Reopening Society and Business, all adult amateur and underage clubs can return to full collective training from August 10.
• All adult amateur and underage clubs can return to playing from August 28.
• A pilot tournament for the Women’s National League, including Peamount United, will be launched once dates are known for the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
• A pilot programme for adult amateur and underage football will be launched on August 14 and run until August 28.
• Regional, provincial and national competitions in season 2019/20 can return from August 28 with FAI approval.
• Winter Leagues wishing to complete their 2019/20 season will be given the option of applying to the FAI, via their affiliates, for an extension to their season until October 11.
• Applications from Winter Leagues looking to complete the 2019/20 season must be made to the FAI by June 15 with details to be forwarded to affiliates from the Steering Group by May 22.
• Winter Leagues not wishing to complete their 2019/20 season can start their new 2020/21 season on October 16. 2020 Summer Leagues can return on August 28 and will be provided with support to create a shortened schedule to run up to December 13.
• All decisions around a return to collective training and playing for all adult amateur and underage football, will be based on the health and safety of all players, coaches, match officials, administrators and club volunteers.
• All decisions will be subject to change on the advice of Government agencies, UEFA and the FAI Medical Team, led by Medical Director Dr Alan Byrne.

Hosted by FAI Communications Manager Gareth Maher, the webinar goes through the topic set by Tom while also looking at his experiences at UEFA European Championships and his transition from playing to coaching.

There is a lot for coaches at all levels to take from this insightful webinar, which also includes an assignment for any coach who would like to earn CPD hours (if the assignment is completed ahead of the deadline).

In the course of an in-depth interview with the Association’s own media channel, Dr Byrne discusses the roadmap for football’s safer return in a manner that will satisfy the requirements of all Government agencies, including the HSE and the Department of Health, and UEFA.

Recently appointed to the Government’s ‘Return to Sport’ medical expert group, Dr Byrne is currently finalising Return to Training and Return to Football protocols which will be presented to the ‘Return to Sport’ body later this week.

Watch the full FAI TV video above.

Name: Tom Mohan

Role: Republic of Ireland Under-19 Head Coach

Began current role: 2016

Coaching history
Football, GAA and multi-sports coaching in schools and clubs
FAI Development Officer
League and Regional Emerging Talent Coach
Republic of Ireland Home Based Emerging Talent Under-17s Coach
Republic of Ireland Under-16s Coach
Republic of Ireland Under-17s Coach
Republic of Ireland Under-17s Head Coach

What is the one key attribute you need as a coach?
Knowledge of the game and knowledge of your players is key. No two players are the same and you need to know how to deal with the person as an individual and understand how they can learn most effectively to get the best from them. 

What is your favourite thing about the job?
Working with highly talented players, which is a testament to all the coaches who have worked with these players prior to coming into U19’s. Additionally working with highly skilled staff and providing people with the opportunity to represent their country – it’s a great honour.

Any pre-match rituals?
I like time to myself in the changing room while the players are doing their pre-match warm up. It allows me time to reflect and prepare. It’s important for me to do this.

What one message would you give to a player to keep with them throughout their career? 
To honestly assess your own performances and be open to learning more about the game. You’ve got to be honest with your own self-reflection and your coaches’ feedback. Reinforce the positives from what you do well and work relentlessly on your Improvement goals. 

Which coach/manager – from any sport – have you taken your greatest inspiration from?
Former Ireland underage manager Sean McCaffery. I was very fortunate to have worked with him both as a young Player and as a coach. while I was a young player at Oriel Celtic in Monaghan his training sessions were so enjoyable and delivered in such a manner that he was not only preparing us to be better players, but also future coaches due to the level of detail being explained at the time. 

I was also very fortunate to coach under Sean with the U17s and experienced this level of detail even more so at International level and especially when qualifying for the U17 Finals in 2008 from an elite group that included Germany and Portugal. 

Sean brought Oriel Celtic to tournaments in Norway, Belgium, Holland and Sweden in the early 1990s  and was doing video analysis 30 years ago. He would bring us into a meeting room to go back through a video of our previous game and do a Q&A with the players throughout the video, before we headed out onto the pitch for training sessions relevant to the analysed game. I’m very fortunate to have gained so much from his knowledge and inspiration.  

Favourite match you coached and why?
It’s toss-up between two.

The first is a 2-1 win over Netherlands in Longford in 2018 to top the qualifying group. The group of players took the information from the training ground and team meetings into the game from start to finish. It was a testament to their attitude, ability and intelligence to display such a high level of performance against a top-class Dutch side.

The second is the 2-1 win over Czech Republic in our last group game to qualify for the Semi-Finals of the European Championships in 2019. I was especially impressed with the second half as the stakes were so high and we were up against a much older and physically stronger side in extremely hot conditions. For us to get a grip of the game when under pressure and bounce back so quickly to score the winning goal immediately after conceding an equaliser showed great character, ability and maturity from such a young group of Players.

What team or match from any era do you wish you could have coached?
The Irish team of the late 80s and early 90s under Jack Charlton. The lasting imprint that team left on Irish football was amazing. Of any game from that period I wish I could have been involved in, it would be Euro ’88 and the win over England in Stuttgart. Any player who was wearing a green jersey around that time was looked up to as a hero. It can’t be understated the belief and hope that Irish team instilled in the whole country.

As a manager who worked with six graduates of the FAI-ETB course during his time with Dundalk, the national team boss happily acknowledges the benefits of the programme which runs in ten centres across Ireland.

With integral support from the Education Training Board, the FAI-ETB Course offers young male and female players an opportunity to combine their education and football development in a manner that will benefit their career choices in professional football and in the sports industry.

Graduates of the course include Ireland internationals Katie McCabe, Enda Stevens, Matt Doherty, Kevin Long, Andy Boyle and Daryl Horgan.

Dundalk stars Sean Gannon, Darren Meenan, John Mountney, and Chris Shields also credit the FAI-ETB course as a major factor in their successful careers.

Ireland manager Stephen Kenny said: “The FAI-ETB programme is hugely valuable for young Irish players in their player development pathway as they work towards a career in professional football.

“The experience of the FAI coaches and the support of the Education Training Board offers the players on the course an invaluable insight into our game as they continue their education.”

The FAI-ETB programme was established in 2004 and now operates in Dundalk, Limerick, Castlebar, Waterford, Blarney, Carrigaline, Clondalkin, Cabra, Irishtown and Tallaght with UEFA-Qualified FAI coaches guiding the players on their pathway to professional football.  

Trainees also complete the QQI Level 5 Major Award in Sport & Recreation Studies along with an ITEC Gym Instructors Diploma, Pool Lifeguard and FAI Coaching Certificates up to National D level.

The course is suitable for young players returning from the professional game in England with limited education and graduates can earn CAO points to progress to Third Level courses.

The 2020-21 FAI-ETB programme is scheduled to commence in late September and trainees may be eligible for a generous training allowance. Applications are now being accepted at www.fai.ie/fai-etb-courses and at www.fetchcourses.ie. Applications will close in August.

Pictured Below: Harry McCue (FAI-ETB Player Development Course) pictured with Dundalk FC players and FAI-ETB graduates Andy Boyle, Sean Gannon, Darren Meenan, John Mountney, Chris Shields and Daryl Horgan, in 2016. 

They were founded in 1977, and currently play in Tervoe, Clarina, Co.Limerick. 

Breska Rovers' successes include: 

• The club has recently received a Capital Sports Grant to improve playing pitches at the club with the exciting addition of an Under-12 pitch. 
• The club has a proud tradition and history within the Limerick Desmond League. 
• Former underage player Paudie O'Connor is now playing in England with Bradford City. 

The club currently has around 300 members and caters for girls and boys' teams from Under-6 (Football Nursery) to Under-16 at underage level, two Junior teams and a Ladies Team. 

The club would like to thank all the coaches who give up their time every week to help the development of all of our players at all levels.

Breska Rovers are affiliated to the Limerick Desmond Football League, Limerick Desmond Schoolboys/girls League & the Limerick Desmond Ladies League. 

The club would like to thank local FAI Development Officer Barry McGann who supports the club in all aspects from coaching to club management and was a big helping them in achieving the FAI Club Mark.

Chairman David Gee, Secretary Niall O'Connor and Treasurer Richard Smith have also been commended for their work in the running of the club and to all club committee members and coaches who have also helped to achieve this award.

Breska Rovers also thanked the league committees for their continued help and support, along with Mike McGregor who keeps the club pitch at a very high quality all year around and to PRO Tom Clancy for all the work on the social media and PR side of things.

The club finally thanked the parents and children who commit their free time and effort to make sure their children have a future in the game at whatever level they play at. 

Breska Rovers will be presented with their FAI Club Mark in the coming months, once restrictions recede.

The FAI Club Mark is an award for grassroots clubs based on best practice in the governance, management and administration of a football club.

Clubs start their journey at Entry Level and can progress onto the One Star Award. Each step challenges the club to implement policies and procedures in line with best practice.

The FAI Club Mark is free and optional for clubs and aims to:

• Improve the management of clubs ‘off the field’
• Establish and promote best practice
• Empower and support clubs
• Recognise and reward clubs for achieving high standards
• Increase a club’s capacity to operate effectively and grow football in communities throughout Ireland.

If your club is interested in learning more about the FAI Club Mark please complete this short Registration Form

Over a nine-week period, managers & staff involved with Ireland Women's international teams will host webinars on specific topics aimed at giving WNL U17 coaches more insight to areas of the game.

From creating a High Performance culture to the coaching of goalkeeping techniques, the webinars will be tailored around areas that affect all WNL U17 clubs and will provide them with superb insights ahead of the 2020 season kicking off.

FAI Head of Women's Football Sue Ronan said: "It is hugely important for all coaches to use this time to enhance their knowledge of the game. While we may not be able to get onto the training pitch just yet, we can still learn as coaches and that is the purpose of this webinar series to facilitate those working with Women's National Under-17 League clubs.

"There are some fantastic speakers lined up, including Republic of Ireland Women's Senior Team Manager Vera Pauw, and each of the coaches who participate in these webinars is bound to soak up a lot of knowledge and good tips from those who are working directly in the development of women's football."

Participants will have a deadline to submit questions to the guest speakers ahead of each webinar and they can gain up to three hours CPD from assignments that will be set out.

Plans are being made for a similar webinar series for Women's National League clubs.

Webinar Schedule
May 25: Player Identification, High Performance Culture, and Player Position Descriptions
June 1: International Match-Day - Ireland WU17 Head Coach James Scott
June 8: Pre-Season Planning, Player Loading, and Players - FAI Head of Football & Science Dan Horan
June 15: Relationship between Head Coach & Performance Analyst - Ireland WU19 Head Coach Dave Connell & Performance Analyst Keith O'Halloran
June 22: Goalkeeping - Pat Behan, Dave Rooney & Scott Gaynor
June 29: Player Pathway - Ireland WU15 Head Coach Richard Berkeley
July 6: FAI Head of Women's Football Sue Ronan
July 13: Ireland WNT Manager Vera Pauw