Declan McBennett, RTE’s head of sport, spoke earlier this week about the national station’s coverage of last year’s Women World Cup and his sense that the tournament had proven to be a Rubicon moment for female sport around the globe.

As the newly elected President of the FAI, Gerry McAnaney has a six-month term of office in which to play his part in taking the Association from what he calls ‘a very dark place’. In this exclusive interview, the former League of Ireland goalkeeper and Army commandant takes us through his colourful life and times in football.

Newly elected FAI president Gerry McAnaney believes that, in contrast to false dawns in the past, a genuinely transformed Association can emerge from the worst crisis in its history.

“I'm open to talk to anybody who has got constructive suggestions about the FAI, because the FAI is a complete and utter basketcase."

The Sports Minister says he is willing to talk to those behind a proposal suggesting splitting the FAI to secure Government funding.

Shots fired. A fresh round in an ancient war: big-time pro from across the water versus small-time Chicken Leaguer.

The group behind plans for an All-Island League has restated its intention to continue working on its game-changing proposals for Irish club football, despite the IFA in Belfast saying last week that the participation of its clubs in such a cross-border league would not be sanctioned.

Noel Mooney has said that he would love to have Brian Kerr back working with the FAI but, having described him as “bitter” in a recent podcast, reiterated his dismay that the former Ireland manager chose to make public an email from the association’s general manager, in which the suggestion that he take up the role of ‘media watchdog’ was subsequently witheringly dismissed by Kerr.

Working on the Irish TV coverage of Bulgaria v England on Monday night acted as another reminder of how silly a job it can be at times.

The FAI’s caretaker general, manager Noel Mooney, says he could not understand John Delaney’s focus on having the association debt-free by 2020.

Sometimes when someone comes out with a Big Reveal or a Hot Issue in a Big Interview promoting their New Book like Richie Sadlier did on The Late Late Show last Friday, there’s a chance that’s all the book could be reduced to.

Is it a poisoned chalice or an opportunity of a lifetime?

In spite of the tumultuous events of our time, be sure life will go on regardless.

Relations between the FAI and Brian Kerr have been strained further after the former Ireland manager angrily rejected an offer to become a “media watchdog” for the association.

Brian Kerr believes that even a modest increase in the recruitment of foreign players would help brighten up the League of Ireland.

They were known as the superb six, a cohort ready-made to complement Ireland’s golden generation of Robbie Keane and Damien Duff, but the tribulations of those bright young things should temper the hype attaching to the latest sextet.

In the interests of generating nuggets of shareable online content, as is the modern parlance, the Virgin Media Sport Twitter feed regularly puts out little chunks of video — goals, bizarre incidents, dollops of punditry, etc.

Dear John,

Brian Kerr has called for people in the FAI to be there for the right reasons and not for "a bigger fancier blazer".

From Saipan to the sports committee, Joe Leogue looks at the former CEO’s career in the FAI

Former Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn has said he was embarrassed by the FAI's response to politicians' questions at an Oireachtas committee meeting yesterday.

Spurs, for many, has long been a byword for a particular sort of flaky flashiness, a sense of style over substance, of glamorous underachievement.

When the FAI — or rather John Delaney, since they remain one and the same thing, at least for now — declared on Saturday night that they were creating a new position for him, it transformed a mere theory we had last November into an obvious truth.

Balancing the highs and lows of John Delaney's tenure as FAI CEO.

To mark World Book Day, we asked Irish sports stars for their favourite reads.

Reid is currently undertaking his UEFA Pro Licence alongside the likes of Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Keith Andrews, and Jim McGuinness.

Niall Quinn has described his recent meeting with League of Ireland Director Fran Gavin as “very positive” but insisted that the FAI need to be open to alternative ideas about the future shape of the domestic game.

“My favourite player when I was growing up was Niall Quinn so me first-born son I decided to call Niall, after Niall Quinn.”

Brian Kerr expects to see Mick McCarthy leading Ireland to the expanded Euro Finals in 2020, especially if tomorrow’s draw in Dublin offers the hosts one of the more

Quinn said he'd be happy to work for an independent league, but not for the FAI.

Who is the best fit for the role?

We are the rats, the Aviva Stadium is our lab, and we’re going to get our arses electrocuted no matter what happens, writes Tommy Martin

Theo Foley smiled from the pages of other people’s books, had cameos in other people’s stories.

Brian Kerr expects the Republic of Ireland side will do enough next month for Martin O’Neill to ride out the remnants of the storm that has engulfed the Derryman in the last week.

Whatever this was, friendly or competitive fare, it was carnage. And who’s to say it will get any better?

Ireland return to the familiar surroundings of the Stade de France this evening, caught between feelings of what might have been and what they hope is to come.