The decision not play the Ireland versus Brazil match in London at Arsenal's grounds while Croke Park was available to Irish fans has angered sports followers in Ireland.

Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief John Delaney was unable to explain why the organization did not keep the game in Ireland rather than play it in London where there will be fewer fans to attend it.

The Brazil-Ireland fixture, to be played on March 3rd, is a huge bonus for the FAI as the five-times world champions prepare for World Cup action.

Delaney has also been criticized for backtracking on whether he would ever use Croke Park as a venue again, now that the new rugby stadium at Landsdowne Road is almost completed.

Delaney stated that the FAI were told by the GAA that Croke Park would no longer be available and that it would be at least ten years before another soccer game was played there.

However the GAA strongly disagrees. "Go back to the start of all this. Croke Park was only opened on a temporary basis once the FAI and IRFU confirmed that Landsdowne was closed for redevelopment.

"So regardless of what they say now, the FAI was always rebuilding and pressing ahead for their own stadium," a GAA source told the Sunday Independent.