Damien Duff’s Scathing Criticism of Abbotstown Training Ground Former Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff has unleashed a scathing attack on the FAI’s Abbotstown training ground, calling for its complete demolition. In an interview with The Irish Times, Duff expressed his disgust at the facility’s dilapidated state. He described it as “a disgrace” and claimed that it is “not fit for purpose.” “I would raze Abbotstown to the ground,” Duff said. “It’s a joke. It’s an embarrassment to Irish football.” Duff, who played 100 times for Ireland, highlighted the poor quality of the pitches, the lack of adequate facilities, and the general neglect of the site. “The pitches are shocking. There’s no drainage. The goalposts are rusty. The dressing rooms are awful,” he said. “It’s a disgrace that our national teams have to train in these conditions.” Duff’s criticisms echo those of many other former players and coaches who have expressed concerns about Abbotstown. Former Ireland manager Mick McCarthy called it “a dump” in 2018, while Roy Keane labeled it “a shambles” in 2013. The FAI has defended Abbotstown, arguing that it is a “valuable asset” to Irish football. However, it has acknowledged that the facility needs investment. In 2020, the FAI announced plans for a €45 million redevelopment of Abbotstown. The project is expected to include the construction of a new pitch, dressing rooms, and other facilities. Duff welcomed the plans but emphasized the need for urgent action. “It’s all well and good announcing this redevelopment, but we need to get on with it,” he said. “Our teams deserve better than this. It’s about time Abbotstown was brought into the 21st century.” The FAI has targeted 2023 for the completion of the Abbotstown redevelopment. It remains to be seen whether the project will meet Duff’s expectations and finally provide Irish football with a world-class training facility.Parliament Approves Herbert Krapa as State Minister for EnergyParliament Approves Herbert Krapa as State Minister for Energy Parliament has granted its approval to Herbert Krapa as State Minister-designate for the Ministry of Energy. The decision comes after a minority-led effort to expedite the vetting and approval process had been rejected. Previously, President Akufo-Addo had nominated Deputy Energy Minister Herbert Krapa to fill the vacant position of Minister of State in the Ministry of Power. The vacancy arose after Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the serving Minister of Power, was selected as the running mate for the New Patriotic Party’s presidential candidate, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, had urged the House to expedite certain established procedures to avoid a vacuum in the ministry. However, the minority opposed this move, arguing that the current Energy Minister was still in office. Today, the Appointments Committee recommended the approval of Herbert Krapa as State Minister-designate for the Ministry of Energy. The minority members of the committee withdrew in disapproval, but the report was nonetheless approved. In addition, Kofi Ahenkora Marfo was also approved by Parliament to serve as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.Former Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff has said he would “razed Abbotstown to the ground” if he was in charge of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). Duff was speaking on the Off the Ball podcast about the state of Irish football, and he was particularly critical of the FAI’s headquarters in Abbotstown. “I would raze Abbotstown to the ground,” Duff said. “I would start again. It’s not fit for purpose. It’s a disgrace.” Duff’s comments come after the FAI was heavily criticized for its handling of the underage international teams scandal. The scandal saw the FAI admit that it had fielded overage players in underage international matches. The FAI was subsequently fined by UEFA. Duff said that the scandal was a “disgrace” and that the FAI needed to be “cleaned up.” “The whole thing needs to be cleaned up,” Duff said. “It’s a disgrace. The people at the top need to be held accountable.” The FAI has since appointed a new CEO, Jonathan Hill. Hill has said that he is committed to reforming the FAI and making it more transparent. However, Duff said that he is not convinced that Hill is the right man for the job. “I don’t know if he’s the right man for the job,” Duff said. “He’s come from a different world. He’s not from football.” Duff said that he would like to see someone with experience in football appointed as CEO of the FAI. “I would like to see someone with football experience come in,” Duff said. “Someone who knows the game and who knows what it takes to succeed.”