It says the decision was made to facilitate the signing-off of the accounts and to ensure that the entire board can be present.

Paul Cooke, newly installed as Executive Lead – effectively now the Association’s acting CEO – gave ample warning at October’s AGM that the figures “won’t be pretty and will shock people”.

The embattled FAI have been hit by yet another blow with the news that Three Ireland will not be renewing their flagship sponsorship next year, a deal which the company says has seen it invest €30 million in Irish football over the past ten years.

Lennart Johansson has expressed controversial views on how women’s football should be promoted.