The history of Casement Park stadium in west Belfast proves that in some parts of the world it is impossible to separate sport and politics.
Sporting and political leaders are working hand-in-hand to try to deliver international football to a rebuilt Casement Park as part of the Euros in 2028.
The British and Irish governments, plus the main sporting bodies, are together hoping the new stadium will be up and running two years before the tournament starts.
If it happens, it would be a historic moment in post-conflict Northern Ireland.
Outside of the island of Ireland, some may wonder what the fuss is all about?
What is the big deal about playing soccer matches at a gaelic football venue in west Belfast?
The simple answer is that it would turn a lot of Belfast history on its head.
West Belfast is a predominantly Irish nationalist area, where the main sports are those organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
It used to be that only GAA games were allowed on their pitches.
In the past 20 years, that old rule has been relaxed, and now there is a realistic possibility of international soccer being played on a gaelic pitch in west Belfast.
The Northern Ireland football authority, the IFA (Irish Football Association), is fully behind the idea. The Northern Ireland team plays at the 18,500-capacity Windsor Park in a predominantly unionist part of south Belfast.
The capacity is well below the 30,000 minimum to host matches at the Euros, hence the reason Casement Park was picked instead.
The distance between Windsor and Casement is only 2.5 miles. They are separated only by a motorway.
However, historically, very few fans have frequented both grounds.
The expression ‘crossing to the other side’ springs to mind. The historical divisions in Belfast mean communities can live side-by-side with very little interaction.
It is part of what the Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume called ‘an accident of birth’.
Not many people growing up near Casement Park would have gone to Windsor Park, and vice versa.
Efforts continue to break down the social barriers between divided communities in Belfast. It is a very slow process.
The rebuilding of Casement Park might help, and that is one of the reasons why the British and Irish governments are both willing to help pay for it.
An eye-watering amount of money will be needed, at a time when cash is scarce, but it says a lot about the wider importance of the new stadium that political leaders in London and Dublin are so invested in the project.
Sporting bodies are often wary of politicians but when they are prepared to sign big cheques, it is amazing what can happen.
It is clear that the two governments and the sporting authorities share the same vision for a new Casement Park.
It would not just be a state-of-the-art stadium but a powerful symbol of collaboration.
Twenty-five years after the signing of the Good Friday peace deal, it would be a physical manifestation of a new era.
At the same time, it is also worth remembering that it will primarily be a GAA stadium, and the home of the County Antrim team.
Before and after the Euros, the focus will be gaelic sports. Soccer and rugby may borrow it from time to time, and there might be some pop concerts, but the pitch will usually be used by gaelic players.
The original ground was built just after the Second World War. Reclaimed steel from abandoned American aircraft hangers was sourced from Fermanagh and transported to Belfast to build the main stand. The stadium opened in June 1953.
There is no escape from politics – it was named after Sir Roger Casement, an Irish revolutionary who was executed in England in 1916.
Some unionist politicians have called for the rebuilt stadium to be given a different name. That is an argument for another day, and it is unlikely to be the last squabble over the planned redevelopment.
The truth is the project does not enjoy universal support.
There is opposition by a group of residents who object to such a large construction in a heavily built-up area.
The question of exactly how the stadium is going to be funded has still not been answered. It will cost at least £110m, and probably much, much more.
With public services under pressure, and a health service in need of reform, some believe a glittering new sports facility is a luxury Northern Ireland cannot afford.
Whatever the obstacles in the way, there is a feeling in Belfast that if there is a political will to build the stadium, a way will somehow be found.
So would people from all corners of Belfast and beyond visit the new stadium?
‘Build it and they will come’ is the cry of supporters of the project.
Given the many setbacks and delays the proposed new stadium has faced in the past decade, the other cry often heard is ‘I will believe it when I see it’.
Back in 2009, it seemed a ground-breaking new 40,000-capacity multi-sport super-stadium accommodating GAA, rugby and soccer was going to be built on the site of the former Maze prison.
However, the project unravelled before a spade could hit the ground.
What is different with the Casement rebuild is that it is tied into an international event, after being selected as a chosen venue for Euro 2028.
The stakes are high.
The various stakeholders are working hard to make it happen, and they know the sporting world will be watching.
At the same time, historians will be watching too.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says that injuries to England duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice “don’t look good” after they were taken off injured during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
Rice, who was playing with a broken toe, was withdrawn in the 71st minute before Saka was taken off after receiving treatment on a leg injury 10 minutes later.
“It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, it’s not good news.” said Arteta.
Arsenal have had to deal with a number of injuries to key players this season and Saka also missed two games after picking up an injury playing for England in the last international break.
Both Saka and Rice are in interim head coach Lee Carsley’s England squad for next week’s Nations League games. England play away in Greece on Thursday, 14 November before hosting the Republic of Ireland three days later at Wembley.
But Arteta is unsure if the pair will be able to join up with the national side.
“I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit because if not they don’t come off,” he said.
“What I’m praying for is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped, that they are available and that they are fit, because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks.”
Martin Odegaard started his first match for two months for Arsenal and played the whole match. Arteta said he will speak to his captain about a potential international call-up for Norway.
Arsenal go into the international break nine points off the top of the Premier League table and are without a win in five matches in all competitions.
A combination of the number of players leaving for international duty this week, and some of those not called up being given time off, means that it will be largely those who are injured that Amorim first gets to see when he reports for duty at United’s Carrington training complex.
It means the fact United need a couple of days to secure his work visa is not too much of an inconvenience.
It also allows the club to tie up all the loose ends around Amorim’s coaching team, with interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy stating after the Leicester game he expects to hear either on Sunday or Monday whether he and the remainder of Ten Hag’s team who stayed on following the Dutchman’s dismissal last month are to stay.
When he gets round to assessing this latest performance, aside from Fernandes’ efforts, Amorim will see a largely solid defensive display, which secured a first Premier League clean sheet for over a month, a decent first-half from Amad Diallo, and a goalscoring second-half from Alejandro Garnacho, even if the Argentine was too fed up at being criticised for his recent displays to celebrate.
Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro were decent in central midfield without being spectacular against a Leicester side their manager Steve Cooper admitted had not been good enough in both boxes.
And United won. Depending on how you choose to assess the Premier League table, Amorim arrives with United either 13th, way below expectations, or only four points off a Champions League place, for which fifth might be good enough.
BBC Sport asked Van Nistelrooy after the match whether the current United squad could excel in Amorim’s new style.
His answer didn’t entirely fill anyone with confidence.
“That is a very good question,” he said. “When I started at the beginning of this four game period I decided to continue by 85% playing what the players are used and just put in little tweaks by changing players or resting players to try get the confidence back. We were looking for results and we got four.
“But the wing backs and inside forwards, it is a lot to analyse. I can’t comment on that.”
Presumably if Van Nistelrooy were entirely confident about the flexibility of players he has been working with since the start of the season, a straightforward ‘yes’ would have come into his head.
And the secondary – but very important – point is the chance for Amorim to do any meaningful work on the training ground will be virtually non-existent.
If United progress in the EFL Cup, he might have one spare midweek in his first three months in charge. Amorim is acutely aware of this which is why he is playing down the expectations that rose so dramatically in the wake of Sporting’s defeat of Manchester City last week.
Amorim will need to find a trio of defenders that fit his back three brief, knowing his quickest option, Leny Yoro, is among those coming back from injury. Presumably Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui will fill the wing back slots, with Ugarte, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen the midfield berths, at least until Kobbie Mainoo is available again.
But Fernandes is the crucial element.
Portugal’s second Nations League game doesn’t take place until Monday, 18 November, even further limiting the new head coach’s time with the Fernandes before the Premier League trip to Ipswich on 24 November.
Van Nistelrooy has stabilised the situation at Old Trafford. But if United are to move on under Amorim, he needs to find the best way of getting the most out of Fernandes as the captain moves back into form.
The goals are flowing again for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, but could the Magpies soon face a fight to keep him at St James’ Park?
The 25-year-old Sweden forward scored for the fourth time in four games to help his side fight back to beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 on Sunday, and his all-round display impressed former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, who was watching for BBC MOTD2.
“When you talk about the mould for the ultimate build of a perfect striker, Isak has got all of those elements,” Walcott told BBC Sport.
“I am not saying he is perfect yet, but he has got all the attributes he needs to become perfect.
“Whether that will happen at Newcastle, I don’t know. But they need to tie him down pretty quickly otherwise they are going to lose him.
“Isak is the sort of player Arsenal genuinely need, but you would say everyone needs a player like him in their team right now, even Liverpool, and it is not just Premier League teams who will be trying to get hold of him either.
“Look at Real Madrid’s line-up at this moment in time. They go for these Galacticos and buy these incredible talents, but they sometimes put them in positions where they can’t quite do it.
“I would say that if you put Isak in that Real team then he moulds them together in a different way, where you might think they now look like a very well-balanced team.
“That’s the level he’s at, and I can absolutely understand why all the very top teams would want him.
“As well as his all-round forward play, he scores goals as well – all kinds of different goals. As I said on MOTD2, his finish against Forest when the ball dropped for him in the box was pure class, after the brilliant header he put away against Arsenal last week.
“There is more to come from him as well. Newcastle are a good team, but put him in a better team and he would get better too.”
Before Ruben Amorim takes over as Manchester United manager, Match of the Day 2’s Theo Walcott explains why some of their attacking players will need to adapt their game under the new boss.
A bizarre throw in from Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber, and a goal of the season contender from Brentford’s Yoane Wissa feature in this week’s ‘2 Good, 2 Bad’ from Match of the Day 2.