Trap on Croagh PatrickGiovanni Trapattoni’s departure as Irish team manager was not unexpected after the double header defeat to Sweden and Austria. Fans will now turn their thoughts to what a new manager might bring and what style of football they will play to facilitate players with the quality of Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy. For the FAI though there could be a real boost in terms of confidence ahead of the Euro 2016 Qualifiers.

CEO John Delaney confirmed yesterday that businessman Denis O’Brien would continue part funding the role of manager, as has has done throughout the reign of ‘Trap’ and this gives additional muscle in the search for a successor.

Join us for the Sport for Business Round Table on Sports Philanthropy in Dublin on November 28th.

Wage inflation in soccer, even since the last appointment five and a half years ago is an exercise in market economics with managers now earning the same stratospheric sums as the leading players.

More importantly a new manager and a potential new style will give a confidence lift around support for the Irish team and this can be translated into additional commercial partnerships.

Sectoral associations are the main trend within international sport at present. This gives the opportunity to tap into new industries and offer a range of benefits that boost the business profile of a sport and create a virtuous circle among companies looking to become ‘part of the team’.

Elsewhere today we will write about the new relationship that BNY Mellon has signed with the San Francisco 49’ers and consider the lessons that may deliver within the Irish sports market.

The FAI’s existing main partnership is with 3, whose takeover of the O2 brand in Ireland may see some consolidation in the sporting investment currently put in by both brands. The existing deal though runs to 2016 and 3 has been an active and a successful sponsor to date.

Umbro is in as the official kit sponsor and Heatons Sportsworld was recently added as official retail partner and sponsor of the Community Programme. Carlsberg, Lucozade Sport and Tipperary are involved as category sponsors while Ford are the official vehicle suppliers and Aviva the official insurance partner. McDonalds and DHL add further international credit to the list of sponsors and Airtricity are committed to support of the domestic game.

All will be looking for a rise in affinity with the team that seemed renewed in advance of the Sweden encounter but which now will need to be invigorated by a new manager and a qualification process for Euro 2016 that will deliver qualification to a 24 team tournament for nine group winners and runners up as well as one best third placed team, four play off winners from within the other eight teams to come third, and France as hosts.

A winning team, playing a more attractive blend of football will see the return of Ireland’s love affair with the irish team that can cross every boundary that a commercial partner would look to deliver on.

Take our short anonymous survey below and we will publish the results tomorrow of how you as our Sport for Business readership view the future and who you would like to see take charge.

Click below for details of the Sport for Business Events Programme 

sfb_roundtable_banner hpslider-1

Sports Sponsorship Showcase
Sports Analytics Round Table
Sports Tourism Seminar
Irish Sponsorship Awards
Sports Philanthropy Round Table
Youth Sports Conference

Daily Digest Get a daily burst of news and opinion from the commercial world of Irish sport delivered to your email before 8am. (Free to register)

sfb_subscription_banner v2