Pressure is mounting on Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane to guide Ireland to the Euro 2016 finals after the revelation that the FAI have a debt of €50 million.
The governing body of Irish soccer secured a refinancing deal but still find themselves deep in the red. Accounts published recently showed that they had forked over €5 million for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road while their turnover had dropped by 19% in the last two years.
The FAI will be burdened with heavy interest payments until at least 2020 and will need to vastly increase ticket revenue in order to ease the financial situation.
Ireland will be aiming to qualify for the Euros out of a tricky group and claim a lucrative cash-cow similar to the €8 million Giovanni Trapattoni raked in by reaching the 2012 finals. The boys in green will have to get results against Germany, Poland and Scotland in order to survive Group D and qualify for the competition.
John Delaney's pledge about being debt free by 2020 will be a tough ask.
Hat tip: Irish Independent
