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IRISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 Northern Ireland’s senior men’s team began points. the 2019-2020 season firmly focused on An international challenge match against reaching the European Championship Finals in Czech Republic in Prague days after the the summer of 2020. Netherlands match provided a boost to Automatic qualification was not attained, morale, Northern Ireland winning the game however the team are still in there challenging 3-2. Paddy McNair struck twice with Jonny for a place at Euro 2020, which has been put Evans grabbing the other goal. back a year due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Before the final two Euro 2020 qualifiers in UEFA, however, has decided that next November it was confirmed that Michael summer’s final tournament will still be known O’Neill had accepted the manager’s job at EFL as UEFA Euro 2020 to honour the event’s Championship club Stoke City. original vision, including celebrating the 60th anniversary of the European Football The Irish FA, who had reluctantly agreed Championship. to allow Stoke to enter negotiations with Michael, subsequently secured a deal which Following wins home and away against Estonia allowed him to stay in charge of the Northern and Belarus in the first half of 2019, the boys Ireland senior men’s team for the remaining in green and white approached the four qualifiers and any Euro 2020 play-off matches remaining Qualifying Group C fixtures with a in March 2020. spring in their step – despite the fact European heavyweights Germany and the Netherlands The home game against the Dutch was a tight would be providing the opposition. affair. Dutch forward Steven Berghuis clipped the bar before Northern Ireland captain At the start of September a 1-0 success at Steven Davis missed a first half penalty, while home in a friendly against Luxembourg - after the break chances were few and far thanks to an own goal – was the hors d’oeuvres between. for the first Group C clash against Germany. The scoreless draw confirmed Northern Northern Ireland made the early running at Ireland’s hopes of automatic qualification were the National Football Stadium at Windsor over, however they went into the final group Park, with Conor Washington forcing a fine game against the Germans with a play-offs save from German keeper Manuel Neuer, berth secured. however the visitors eventually prevailed on a 2-0 scoreline with Marcel Halstenberg and An understrength side – they were without key the lively Serge Gnabry grabbing the decisive regulars Jonny Evans, Stuart Dallas and Jamal goals. Lewis – took the lead at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt in mid-November but it was That defeat was followed by a heartbreaking the only highlight for Michael O’Neill’s side. 3-1 reverse against the Dutch in Rotterdam in October. Northern Ireland produced a That seventh minute wonder strike from dogged defensive performance before Josh Michael Smith merely sparked the Germans Magennis scored the opener with a header on into life and they were ruthless and clinical as 75 minutes. Ronald Koeman’s side drew level they ran out 6-1 winners. on 80 minutes through Memphis Depay before The electric Gnabry helped himself to a hat- late goals from Luuk de Jong and Depay, both trick and Leon Goretzka netted a double in injury time, gave the Netherlands all three before Julian Brandt provided the icing on Irish Football Association Annual Report 2019-2020 CONTENTS President’s Introduction 3 Chief Executive’s Report 6 Stadium Report 8 International Men’s Teams 11 Michael O’Neill – A Farewell 17 International Women’s Teams 19 Elite Performance – Boys 25 Elite Performance – Girls 28 The International Football Association Board 29 Domestic Football – Men’s 30 Domestic Football – Women’s 31 Club Licensing 33 Refereeing 34 Coach Education 35 Covid-19 Response – Special Report 36 Football Development Activity 40-52 Football Community Hubs 40 Programmes 41 Disability Football 43 Futsal 45 Coaching in Schools 47 Education and Employability 48 Club and Volunteer Development 49 Community Relations/Peace Work 50 Schools’ Football 52 Commercial 54 Finance 55 Communications 58 Craig Stanfield – A Tribute 59 The Irish Football Association’s Annual Report 2019-20 was compiled, edited and written by Nigel Tilson. It was designed by Norman Boyd. 2 Irish Football Association Annual Report 2019-2020 PRESIDENT’S INTRODUCTION By this stage of a season all leagues and cup competitions are normally done and dusted. However, we are living in unprecedented times. It now appears unlikely that our 2019-20 The coronavirus pandemic has turned normal domestic season will be completed given the life on its head and has wreaked havoc globally. Northern Ireland Executive’s five-step plan for easing the Covid-19 lockdown and social Football is not immune from Covid-19, far from distancing rules. it, so everyone involved in the game we love must continue to do everything in their power However, as an association we will continue to to thwart the spread of this terrible disease. lobby various organisations so that football at all levels, in particular at senior level, can be I’ve been heartened by football’s response to sustained going forward. the pandemic. Clubs across Northern Ireland, at senior, intermediate and junior level, have not Four of the association’s annual cup been found wanting in helping their respective competitions – Irish Cup, Intermediate Cup, communities to cope in these difficult times. Junior Cup and Harry Cavan Youth Cup – have They have been rolling their sleeves up and been affected by the pandemic. They have all helping out with food distribution, medicine reached either the final or semi-final stage so deliveries and much more. we would hope to complete them in due course. And I would also like to thank association It means we have had only one Irish FA staff who have answered the call to provide competition winner in the past nine months. support to isolated and vulnerable people in We have to go all the way back to September their communities. when Glentoran Women lifted the Electric Ireland Women’s Challenge Cup. And congratulations to them on their cup success. Northern Ireland legend Aaron Hughes is presented with a commemorative plate by Irish FA President David Martin as a thank-you for the defender’s incredible service in a Northern Ireland shirt. Irish Football Association Annual Report 2019-2020 3 PRESIDENT’S INTRODUCTION On the international front we were all sad to I am also pleased with the progress of our see Michael O’Neill leave his role as senior senior women’s team under the guidance of men’s international manager in April. Kenny Shiels. We are playing a more effective style of football and there’s a good chance We have had an incredible journey with we might secure a play-off berth for the next Michael over the past eight years or so. The Women’s Euro final tournament. highlight of his tenure was Northern Ireland’s appearance at UEFA EURO 2016 in France, Northern Ireland was, of course, due to host however he has left us with many more this year’s Men’s U19 Euro final tournament in memorable moments. July. It’s disappointing it has been postponed due to Covid-19, although perhaps an autumn In our latest qualification campaign we again or spring 2020 completion may yet happen. challenged strongly in our group - we were in contention up to the last double header - and Looking back on what has been a strange secured a Euro 2020 play-off semi-final berth season, for obvious reasons, I unearthed a few against Bosnia and Herzegovina. personal highlights. That match against the Bosnians and the In September it was exciting to report that subsequent Path B final have, of course, been Belfast had been selected to host the UEFA postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, Super Cup Final in 2021. Mind you, it will be a but I look forward to the games being played somewhat nervous wait to see how Northern at some point in the autumn. Ireland exits coronavirus and if the restrictions that prevail going forward will have an impact on our staging of that event. The President with Pat Jennings and Fran Gavin (FAI) at the launch of the Unite the Union Champions Cup. 4 Irish Football Association Annual Report 2019-2020 PRESIDENT’S INTRODUCTION The President presenting Ashley Hutton with a commemorative cap to mark her 100 appearances for the Northern Ireland senior women’s international team. The following month I was delighted to launch Referees play an important role in football. the Unite the Union Champions Cup, a new The sport could simply not function without competition to be contested annually by them, so I was pleased to be able to host a the champions of Northern Ireland and the special ceremony at the start of this year champions of the Republic of Ireland. It’s yet to give recognition to the growing band of another collaborative project with our friends referees here who are now on the FIFA list. and neighbours at the Football Association Another highlight for me was chairing the of Ireland and it sits nicely alongside the AGM of IFAB, the game’s law-making body. It Presidents’ Cup competition for the Junior was a pleasure to host FIFA President Gianni Cup winners on both sides of the border. Infantino and several other well-known faces The inaugural Unite the Union Champions Cup from the world of football. was won by Dundalk, who defeated Linfield Finally, my wish is that a cure is found for 7-1 on aggregate over two legs in November.

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