Martin O'Neill has resigned as Republic of Ireland manager, with Roy Keane also stepping down from his position as assistant manager.
The FAI says its mutually agreed with O’Neill to part ways.
O’Neill was first appointed to the position on November 5, 2013.
He had won just a single game in his last 10 in charge.
The management team of Roy Keane (assistant manager), Seamus McDonagh (goalkeeping coach), and Steve Guppy (assistant coach) have also parted company with the FAI.
Paul Collins had only written this op-ed this morning:
Are we looking at the wind down of Martin O’Neill’s five-year reign as Republic of Ireland manager?
The mood music in Irish soccer has drastically changed in recent days.
The London Telegraph is reporting that a meeting between the Derryman and the FAI chief John Delaney has already taken place.
The Irish boss was apparantly summoned to an emergency meeting with Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney to discuss team matters.
O’Neill, who led Ireland out of the group stage of the European Championships for the first time and was just one game away from qualifying for their first World Cup since 2002 this time last year, has endured a torrid 2018.
The Derryman and his assistant Roy Keane have been on the receiving end of mounting criticism in recent months, after failing to score in the last 4 games and with just one victory in 11 matches.
Attacks on both the style of football and their coaching methods reached a crescendo following the goalless draw with Northern Ireland in Dublin last week.
Obviously the London newspaper has good sources on the Emerald Isle, or a contact at FAI HQ as Telegraph Sport understands that Delaney was alarmed by the fact only 31,000 people attended last week’s friendly match against Northern Ireland and hopes to avoid prolonged attacks on the competency of the FAI by changing the management team.
O’Neill had vowed to regroup over the winter and was confident he would be able to secure qualification for the European Championships in 2020, but the FAI is worried he is no longer getting the best out of his players and ordered him to attend the meeting at a hotel in England on Tuesday night to discuss his future.
There could be imminent news with reports that an exit deal could be in place before Sunday weeks Euro 2020 Qualifier draw in Dublin.
Watch this space!
