FAI Giovanni Trapattoni Hotel Row

A TOP Irish soccer star was decked in the team hotel after a row broke out when a young woman was thrown out of a player's room before last weekend's crunch Macedonia tie.


The household name was knocked to the floor by a member of Giovanni Trapattoni's Irish camp after he objected to the rough treatment of the woman.

He and a fellow player had been out on the town and broke their curfew when the furious bust-up developed. He was punched in the face and the pair had to be separated.

They have since made up but the FAI has tried desperately to keep the bust-up out under wraps.

A SENIOR Irish soccer international was knocked to the ground after being punched in the face during a row at the team hotel.

The high-profile star was decked after angry words were exchanged when a female member of the public was thrown out of the hotel.

Sources say that the highly-paid footballer came home late with another international to the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links in the days before last week's crunch Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia in Skojpe.

Invited

When the duo arrived back at the team's base, words were exchanged with another person in the Ireland camp over an incident that had taken place nearly a week before.

There was unhappiness among some players after a female member of the public was removed from the hotel after she was found in one of the rooms, engaged in a party with several of the Irish players.
The woman had earlier met several of Giovanni Trapattoni's squad during a night out and was invited back to the official team residence to continue with the festivities.

However, when a member of the team camp heard noise coming from the room, the woman was abruptly asked to leave the hotel.

Angry words were exchanged between the players and the staff member and the woman became very upset and had to be consoled over her treatment.

Then, the following morning, discussions took place between the players and management, because some of the footballers were unhappy with the way they had been spoken to the night before.

Furious

Team management were also said to be furious that the players had been socialising late into the night. They had been involved in the 2011 Nations Cup at the Aviva Stadium, but it was nearly two weeks before the Macedonia fixture.

All the issues were resolved but tensions again surfaced six days later when the two players broke their curfew and returned late to the hotel after another night out.

When they got back they were confronted by the same member of the camp who had thrown out the female guest the week before.

This individual was angry with the players for arriving back late and cross words were exchanged between him and the senior international, who is a very well-known member of the squad.

It is alleged that the member of the camp lost his temper and punched the footballer in the face, knocking him to the ground.

The pair were then separated and went to their respective bedrooms. The football ace was left shaken after the ugly incident but otherwise did not suffer serious injury.

Sources say that the two people involved in the row have now shaken hands and moved on and that the association has swept the nasty incident under the carpet and has denied that it occurred at all.

However, several sources have said the shameful scenes of violence and confirmed that it did indeed take place.

One said: "The players were together for nearly three weeks because of the Mickey Mouse tournament at the Aviva and preparations for the Macedonia away qualifier and then the game against Italy in Belgium three days later.

Harm

"A few of the lads were out, having been given permission to let their hair down after a long season.

"They might have gone over the top bringing a girl back to the hotel, but they way she was asked to leave seemed to be over the top because there was no real harm done.

"There was bad blood the following week and when words were exchanged between the player and member of the camp it just got

out of hand and a punch was thrown.

"It is safe to say that nobody wants to talk about it let alone admit that the row took place but it did and there is still bad feelings between a lot of people here".