Only one FAI board member backed Vera Pauw to stay

EXITING THE STAGE: Vera Pauw's historic achievement in qualifying for the World Cup was not enough to keep her in the job. Picture: Inpho/Dan Sheridan

They belatedly got around to applying a lick of paint to the FAI headquarters in Abbotstown, white dash covering the exterior greyness that gave the single-story premises the look of a soviet building from the communist era.

It had been in the same state since Michel Platini graced his friend John Delaney for the official opening in 2007, save for the odd letter of the association name dropping off as a metaphor for the dereliction inside too.

Those hearing the tidings of the executive leads within the walls of the boardroom on Tuesday night could testify to the past being left behind.

Just like that bright, shiny exterior, Delaney’s permanent successor Jonathan Hill and Marc Canham, effectively the replacement for Ruud Dokter, spoke of a clean slate with a new women’s team manager.

Vera Pauw had her time, almost four years of it, and the junction of a new campaign was opportune to embrace the modernity of what the current FAI values.

Philosophy, and similar words to that effect, were espoused to validate this change of direction for the Nations League campaign kicking off in three weeks and the Euro qualifiers that follow early next year.

That Pauw had made history by steering Ireland to a first tournament was acknowledged during the World Cup review presentation but not worthy of the automatic extension floated in the joyous weeks within the afterglow of the Hampden Park heroics that sealed qualification.

For the FAI to optimise the female game, stitching the structure from U15s up to senior level, an alternative leader was essential in their view.

The recommendation for change delivered by the duo was then put to the 11-person, some of whom participated remotely, and all bar one kept their hands down when asked individually if they felt the rap sheet didn’t warrant dispensing with the Dutchwoman.

If this culling has been ridiculed as the tail wagging the dog, then it was because of it moving frantically.

All the senior players, not necessarily those facing a retirement dilemma, spoke negatively about Pauw’s management style, especially when cabin fever is an occupational hazard of a camp longer than ever before.

The controlling streak that a select group of her former players and staff at US club Houston Dash cited as detrimental was touched upon, creating an atmosphere of treading awkwardly within the environment for fear of being micromanaged.

Training became a chore. Her insistence on bringing a fourth goalkeeper to Oz fed into the creed of emphasising drills within the confines of 11v11 format that several players felt alien to, compared to their professional club settings.

Goalkeeping coach Jan Willem van Ede had quit before the guillotine lowered, as did fellow Dutch native Kim Van Wijk, the physio, by moving to her homeland’s U21 set-up.

Pauw was meanwhile left waiting by the phone on Tuesday night for Hill to make contact after a six-hour board meeting relaying endgame.

She was technically out of contract and so compensation isn’t relevant but the upbeat indications she heard from her employers about an extension in the first half of the year could lead to Pauw feeling harshly treated.

Hill had a few calls to make upon returning to his office on one of the four office sides, sponsors included, but the fact Katie McCabe received one directly highlighted the bond between CEO and captain. This parting had been brewing since before they returned from the southern hemisphere.

Had Pauw kept Ireland in the mix for progression by the final game against Nigeria, then her case for retention was stronger.

Rather, what the dead rubber will be remembered for was undercurrents of discord expanding into a powder-keg of a spat that a global audience saw for themselves.

Canham’s trawl into feedback from players and staff led him to the conclusion that Pauw’s position was untenable.

All it needed was rubberstamping by the directors and, once they were informed of the deterioration, the vast majority endorsed the proposal.

Not even a silver bullet of an incident was tabled to sway them, despite the annoyance of players snowballing into a situation one day where they held off assembling for dinner.

A distasteful end to what was an era of sustenance for a team wounded by a qualification drought for years but what’s a few splashes of misdirected paint when the room has a completely different complexion?