ONE of the perceived key players in the Wimbledon-for-Dublin story is Sky Television. Their head of sport is Vic Wakeling. His views on the proposals have not previously been made public, and although he is well disposed to the proposal, he maintains Sky have a hands-off role. He also says their oft-mooted coverage of proposed National League summer football is along way down the road.

Wakeling maintains he has spoken once, in passing, to Sam Hammam since he was informally approached by the Wimbledon owner "four or five" months ago. "I told him we couldn't help because it was up to the Premier League where they wanted their clubs to play. We wouldn't really get involved, but as far as the Premier League is concerned, certainly we would have no objection to it."

Wakeling is not unduly concerned by the additional cost of transporting Sky's television equipment over to Dublin every second week-end or so, and he "expressed a personal view (to Hammam) that it would be marvellous to see a Premiership club based in Dublin because I thought the public over there would get really behind it. But, really, whether it happened was down to the Premier League and the FA of Ireland."

As regards Sky's possible coverage of the National League were it moved to the summer, Wakeling confirmed that no progress has been made since he had a meeting with Michael Hyland and Joe Delaney last January. "They invited me to a meeting at a hotel near Heathrow. I didn't really know what to expect and they were trying to sell us Irish football."

In response to the suggestion that Sky might cover the National League during the summer, Wakeling pleaded ignorance about the Irish domestic game. "I would need to come across and have a look at a couple of stadiums and get a feel for the game before I could say whether it would work, broadcast live on television."

To date, Wakeling has been unable to do so. "Summer football would probably work on Sky", but we're a long way off moving anywhere on the issue and that has really been the extent of our involvement. I think I had one other conversation with Sam Hammam which was basically him keeping me up to date.

"It's very unfair of me to judge because I'm sitting here in London. I don't know the country. I think the people over there hold the key. They've got to make a valid judgment as to whether having a big club in Dublin would benefit the whole country. It shouldn't come from here. The FAI must decide whether it's good for the game at all levels, at the grassroots." Wakeling's criteria when assessing the feasibility of covering the National League would focus on atmosphere and facilities as much as playing standards. "I plan to look at the grounds, the floodlights, the crowds and the atmosphere."