LAST UPDATE | 23 Jul 2020
WOLVES AND REPUBLIC of Ireland defender Matt Doherty has made a significant donation to the FAI-ETB course in Cabra that helped to launch his career.
The course – previously known as a Fás course - gives young players an opportunity to train full time while also pursuing educational qualifications to fall back on should their dream of a professional football contract not materialise.
Doherty is a graduate of the Cabra course, where he trained under Harry McCue and Gino Brazil, both of whom are former League of Ireland professionals.
Along with representatives Gestifute (the agency founded by superagent Jorge Mendes) and Polaris Sports, Doherty today announced a donation of 24 laptops, 24 GPS systems and a motion camera, at a cost understood to be around €15,000.
“I was 16 at the time and out of school and not up to much, and [the course] gave me the opportunity to train full-time for a year, to get more education and the gym work that went with it that benefitted me a lot”, said Doherty.
“To Harry, Gino, and the course, I am hugely appreciative for what you were able to do for me in those 12 months, and I advise anyone who gets the opportunity to go into that course, to take it with both hands.
“Myself, along with Polaris and Gestifute have decided to donate 24 laptops, 24 GPS systems with a motion camera to take the course to the next level on and off the pitch. We hope you enjoy it and I’m sure Harry and the crew will put it to good use.”
Doherty’s fellow Irish internationals Enda Stevens and Kevin Long are also graduates of an FAI-ETB course.
Fair play
A very decent gesture. Well done.
Great stuff Matt
Thats an outstanding gesture, practical, straight to the players and coaches at the coal face and no way that administrators can waste it (he says hopefully)
@Rochey77: yeah imagine the money went to Delaney instead, he’d have spent it on a ice sculpture of himself
Well done.
On a related note Robbie Keane needs to take note, as a multi millionaire he should step down from his FAI role and stop waiting around for a payout from our bankrupt soccer association which will ultimately mean funds go into his large bank account instead of grass roots football
@stoned.walled: totally agree – can you make any sense of giving him a 5 year assistant manager role when McCarthy was only on a 2.5 year contract ? Keane is holding out for the big payout and from reading media reports he seems to feel he is entitled to it as a “Irish footballing legend “……. he looks to join a list who have taken millions from FAI in termination settlements (MO’N – €4m apparently – Roy Keane €1M apparently. ) Now when FAI ask the Irish government for bailouts this becomes all of our business ….
@Fred Frederickson: Robbie Keane signed the deal he negotiated with the FAI and should be paid up. Robbie is a legend and has given everything in the green Jersey. Have some respect for the man. A deal is a deal. Just because the FAI are bad negotiatiors and incompetent
@padar: he is no longer a legend in my eyes.
Question who needs the money / will benefit more, Robbie Keane to piss away (as it’s buttons to him) or grass roots soccer (ie kids playing)
FairPlay, I’m aware of that course and the work they do with disadvantaged communities. Great gesture by Matt Doherty.
RoyKeane is all piss and wind should have had his Irish Passport taken away after the Saipan incident. I remember the Evening Herald running a front page fundraiser for Robbie Keane father to go and see him play in the U.18 Euro finals, Robbie has pocketed over €10M as his cut from transfers alone, so come on Robbie let’s see what your made of.
Soccer just reflects society – some give to their communities & some have a sense of entitlement & don’t give anything back. The latter usually give out about everything & everybody also
24 laptops, 24 GPS systems and a motion camera for 15k? Can you find out where he shops? Fair play to him.
Good man!