Michael Nugent once described the FAI as a "perpetually exploding clown car", but even their greatest fiascos haven't shown the vaulting ambition for farce that the Danish football union has this week.
A dispute over commercial rights ground to a stalemate last week, but with a double-header against Slovakia (friendly) and Wales (Nations League) this week, the players offered a truce: play the games under the old commercial agreement and then go back to the negotiating table afterward.
To this, the Danish FA went balls to the wall and told them to sling their hook, and that they would have to submit to the Association's demands if they wanted to play this week's games. The players said no, so to avoid pissing off UEFA to the point of expulsion from Euro 2020 qualifying, the Danish FA have picked a team of futsal players and '11-a-side specialists' from...the Danish third division.
They've even told manager Age Hareide to take a break, meaning that John Jensen is taking temporary charge of this merry band of amateurs.
It's an amazing mess, and ahead of tonight's friendly in Slovakia, the hosts have done the decent thing. In a statement, the Slovakian FA have said that they have "become the victims of the Danish Football Union dispute", and are selling tickets to the game for €1.
Those who have already bought tickets to the game are getting all but €1 of their outlay back, and proceeds from the game are going to charitable causes.
The Danish FA have also promised to pay Slovakia the costs associated for staging such a nonsense game.
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