Keith Fahey has revealed the petty way he was treated by officials after being dropped from the Ireland squad before Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
Writing in his Irish Independent column, Fahey, who has 16 Ireland caps, tells the story of how, minutes after his Euro dreams were crushed, an unnamed bureaucrat rang him to ask for his official Ireland suit back.
I was devastated and nearly in tears as I came to terms with the news that I’d be missing out on Euro 2012... I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I was at the Tallaght bypass and almost home when my phone lit up with a number I recognised from the team hotel.
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My first thought was that word had spread about my bad luck and the call was to offer commiserations. Instead, it quickly became apparent that its purpose was to ask if I would be able to hand my official suit back.
The Tallaght native, now 33, had to leave the 23-man squad just days before the tournament started because a persistent groin injury had not cleared up. He was replaced in the squad by Paul Green. He explains how his heartache was compounded by the official's petty request.
I’d been selected for the 23-man squad so I was fitted for a suit that was eventually presented to me with my name on it. We’d received loads of gear for the month away so when I was leaving the room I’d just grabbed all of it in a rush so I could escape as quickly as possible. The suit was the last thing I was thinking of. I wasn’t robbing it... Are you joking me?” I said, before abruptly ending the short conversation."
Just in case you're wondering; Fahey still has the suit!
You can read the full Keith Fahey column in today's Irish Independent
