A great World Cup but, sadly, without Ireland

The FAI needs root and branch reform if we are to build a national team capable of competing at the level of Ireland’s rugby stars

France celebrating advancing to the semi-finals where they will play Belgium Pic: Getty

What a brilliant World Cup it has turned out to be. Football as a sport has received a wonderful boost after the scandals and the corruption. There are two superb semi-finals and the final to look forward to. Even a hardened cynic like me has fallen in love again.

Remember those dire warnings about choosing Russia for the World Cup? The threat of hooligans, riots and ambushes, the terrible food and hotels, the ...