FAI 5’s competition launched
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
The new Irish Sun FAI 5’s competition was launched today on a perfect morning at Aviva Stadium, in preparation for the inaugural league starting in May.
It will be the first national 5-a-side competition ever held in Ireland – an opportunity for the FAI to get closer to many of us amateur footballers. “There are 150,000 recreational footballers throughout the country who work just as hard, and love football just as much, as 11-a-side players,” according to the organisers.
The set-up is broken into 4 leagues per season, with the opportunity to play at Aviva Stadium on offer for those who progress far enough in the May-September section.
The website, www.5s.ie, contains all the relevant information for what promises to be an exciting opportunity for players of all levels to gain the recognition not usually allotted to players outside the 11-a-side setup.
Organisers claim this “will raise the standard of 5-a-side football. Futsol is obviously big, this is the chance to influence players to see the value and speed of it. There will be 30 different standalone competitions – with official FAI referees. It is good to have referees who can handle 5-a-side.”
Republic of Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli attended the launch of the league, adding that the league is “a strong thing because there is the opportunity for players to grow.”
It is difficult to explain the Aviva reward better than the organisers so, taken from 5s.ie: “Imagine this.....your team have beaten the local competition, you arrive at the Aviva Stadium, you’re welcomed in style by The Irish Sun girls, your team change and team talk in the official changing rooms, you walk the tunnel with Champions League music roaring, you play on the world-famous pitch, you meet and get advice from Irish Soccer legends, then you get the chance to lift the 5s trophy, become the 5s champions of Ireland, and travel in the Irish Sun open topped bus back to your home town for a celebration ‘footballer’ style!
All of this will be topped off with a one year season ticket for your squad, and you’re team getting immortalised at the Aviva Stadium with a Team carved stone being placed in the Aviva Walk! 5-a-side just got serious with The Irish Sun FAI 5’s.”
It will be the first national 5-a-side competition ever held in Ireland – an opportunity for the FAI to get closer to many of us amateur footballers. “There are 150,000 recreational footballers throughout the country who work just as hard, and love football just as much, as 11-a-side players,” according to the organisers.
The set-up is broken into 4 leagues per season, with the opportunity to play at Aviva Stadium on offer for those who progress far enough in the May-September section.
The website, www.5s.ie, contains all the relevant information for what promises to be an exciting opportunity for players of all levels to gain the recognition not usually allotted to players outside the 11-a-side setup.
Organisers claim this “will raise the standard of 5-a-side football. Futsol is obviously big, this is the chance to influence players to see the value and speed of it. There will be 30 different standalone competitions – with official FAI referees. It is good to have referees who can handle 5-a-side.”
Republic of Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli attended the launch of the league, adding that the league is “a strong thing because there is the opportunity for players to grow.”
It is difficult to explain the Aviva reward better than the organisers so, taken from 5s.ie: “Imagine this.....your team have beaten the local competition, you arrive at the Aviva Stadium, you’re welcomed in style by The Irish Sun girls, your team change and team talk in the official changing rooms, you walk the tunnel with Champions League music roaring, you play on the world-famous pitch, you meet and get advice from Irish Soccer legends, then you get the chance to lift the 5s trophy, become the 5s champions of Ireland, and travel in the Irish Sun open topped bus back to your home town for a celebration ‘footballer’ style!
All of this will be topped off with a one year season ticket for your squad, and you’re team getting immortalised at the Aviva Stadium with a Team carved stone being placed in the Aviva Walk! 5-a-side just got serious with The Irish Sun FAI 5’s.”
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