I knew it was time to quit Ireland, says Muller

Gene Muller didn’t stay around long enough to survey the damage after Ireland’s Olympic qualification near miss, after yesterday announcing he has stepped down from the post of senior women’s coach.

The South African had batted away questions about his future following Sunday’s 4-1 defeat to Belgium which dashed hopes of the girls in green making it to London 2012.

But yesterday’s announcement of the end of his six-year tenure came as little surprise, and Muller admitted it wasn’t a snap decision.