"Roy Keane's grievances about the Republic's World Cup preparations will result in significant changes after the Football Association of Ireland admitted for the first time that it had made serious errors of judgment before and during the summer tournament.
An independent inquiry commissioned by the FAI to investigate the circumstances surrounding Keane's walk-out from the squad will recommend that the association adopts a more professional approach. The general secretary Brendan Menton is likely to be heavily criticised and, as the FAI's highest-ranking official, may find his position under increasing scrutiny.
Keane had been scathing about the training facilities on Saipan, the Pacific island where the players were based before the tournament, and accused the FAI of undermining their chances, saying it was like "playing for the Dog and Duck".
Declan Conroy, speaking before this evening's friendly with Finland, said: "We have to hold up our hands and say we got things wrong."
Keane's sympathisers will consider that as an acknowledgement that the former captain raised justifiable points before his argument with the manager Mick McCarthy that led to him going home and effectively ending his Ireland career.
Menton also conceded that there would be significant changes to the FAI's preparations.
"There are things to improve on. I think you will find the organisation is structured very differently in 12 months," he said. "We don't want to be jeopardising the success of our national team."
The FAI has appointed Genesis, a Glasgow-based sports consultancy, to oversee the inquiry. Morris O'Connell, a former Bank of Ireland governor, and David Whitaker, a former coach of the Great Britain hockey team, will be used as consultants and the 23 squad members, including Keane, will be invited to make statements.
McCarthy was interviewed at the weekend but Keane has yet to indicate whether he will cooperate. The midfielder had complained about "dangerous" training facilities, that the skips carrying the players' kits had not arrived on time and that they were not given sensible food.
Keane was also critical about the FAI's reluctance to allow the players to fly first-class and questioned the wisdom of choosing a pre-tournament base which was a 23-hour flight from Dublin.
Although the FAI believes the manner in which Keane expressed his complaints was reprehensible, it is apparent that the association accepts part of the blame. A dietitian may now be employed and Eddie Cox, the FAI official responsible for the players' kits, faces awkward questions.
Menton's decision not to travel to Saipan will be scrutinised, as will his decision to fly to Seoul for the Fifa congress when talks were continuing to bring Keane back.
The inquiry team will also point out that the FAI should have begun preparations much earlier rather than waiting until after they qualified. Doing so would have helped secure the best facilities, distinctly not the case when Ireland arrived in Seoul for their match against Spain.
An interim report will be published next month - the full findings in October - but some changes are already being implemented. Players are now taken straight through airport check-ins to save them from being mobbed by fans. And the FAI has taken on two more press officers to join Brendan McKenna.
The FAI expects the review to recommend employing more specialist staff and, as such, the association intends to leave its headquarters in Dublin's Merrion Square for larger premises.
But it will be a major embarrassment, for both Menton and McCarthy, that Keane's criticisms will be the catalyst for widespread changes. "
<a href="http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,778216,00.html" target="_blank">http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,778216,00.html</a>
An independent inquiry commissioned by the FAI to investigate the circumstances surrounding Keane's walk-out from the squad will recommend that the association adopts a more professional approach. The general secretary Brendan Menton is likely to be heavily criticised and, as the FAI's highest-ranking official, may find his position under increasing scrutiny.
Keane had been scathing about the training facilities on Saipan, the Pacific island where the players were based before the tournament, and accused the FAI of undermining their chances, saying it was like "playing for the Dog and Duck".
Declan Conroy, speaking before this evening's friendly with Finland, said: "We have to hold up our hands and say we got things wrong."
Keane's sympathisers will consider that as an acknowledgement that the former captain raised justifiable points before his argument with the manager Mick McCarthy that led to him going home and effectively ending his Ireland career.
Menton also conceded that there would be significant changes to the FAI's preparations.
"There are things to improve on. I think you will find the organisation is structured very differently in 12 months," he said. "We don't want to be jeopardising the success of our national team."
The FAI has appointed Genesis, a Glasgow-based sports consultancy, to oversee the inquiry. Morris O'Connell, a former Bank of Ireland governor, and David Whitaker, a former coach of the Great Britain hockey team, will be used as consultants and the 23 squad members, including Keane, will be invited to make statements.
McCarthy was interviewed at the weekend but Keane has yet to indicate whether he will cooperate. The midfielder had complained about "dangerous" training facilities, that the skips carrying the players' kits had not arrived on time and that they were not given sensible food.
Keane was also critical about the FAI's reluctance to allow the players to fly first-class and questioned the wisdom of choosing a pre-tournament base which was a 23-hour flight from Dublin.
Although the FAI believes the manner in which Keane expressed his complaints was reprehensible, it is apparent that the association accepts part of the blame. A dietitian may now be employed and Eddie Cox, the FAI official responsible for the players' kits, faces awkward questions.
Menton's decision not to travel to Saipan will be scrutinised, as will his decision to fly to Seoul for the Fifa congress when talks were continuing to bring Keane back.
The inquiry team will also point out that the FAI should have begun preparations much earlier rather than waiting until after they qualified. Doing so would have helped secure the best facilities, distinctly not the case when Ireland arrived in Seoul for their match against Spain.
An interim report will be published next month - the full findings in October - but some changes are already being implemented. Players are now taken straight through airport check-ins to save them from being mobbed by fans. And the FAI has taken on two more press officers to join Brendan McKenna.
The FAI expects the review to recommend employing more specialist staff and, as such, the association intends to leave its headquarters in Dublin's Merrion Square for larger premises.
But it will be a major embarrassment, for both Menton and McCarthy, that Keane's criticisms will be the catalyst for widespread changes. "
<a href="http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,778216,00.html" target="_blank">http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,778216,00.html</a>
