The Republic of Ireland's double Dutch appointment will be lost in translation unless there's fluency from the bottom to the top.
That's the message from Stephen Hunt, the former Reading Hull, Wolves and Ireland winger, who warned that Ruud Dokter's work as High Performance Director will prove in vain unless his methods are backed right up to senior level.
Dokter took over the role from his compatriot Wim Koevermans in 2013, joining from the Dutch Football Association and penning a fresh deal last year that will see him remain in his current role until 2020.
He continues to work with the Player Development and Emerging Talent programmes - launched in 2015 and 2006 respectively - as the FAI looks to achieve long-term success with Ireland's most promising players.
"We can’t change our genes, we are what we are."
Hunt said whether the appointment pays off will only be learned in time, but said commitment to the strategy is paramount.
"I don’t know if it is going to be a success or not. I am not that bright as a football coach just yet, or an agent," he told RTÉ Sport's Ed Leahy.
"But if you don’t do it at senior level, then what is the point of doing it all the way up from U15s to U21s at international level, to then change it when they get there?
"There is going to have to be a time when [you have to make the decision] and go with it. That has to come from above, I think, and say ‘this is the way we are going to play’ and go from there.
"There is also the fact that you have to take the consideration of our history, how we’ve had success over the years and bring that into play as well. We can’t change our genes, we are what we are, but it needs time to change and we need to go from there.
"That might not bring success for two years and are we patient enough? Have we got the right environment for that success? Can we wait two or three years to see that come through. Maybe we will have to wait for the players to come through to be successful.
"So maybe you can get the players and then adapt to that."
Soccer tends to move in cycles, and after Chelsea's impressive march to the Premier League this year with a rigid, 3-5-2 airtight Italian style system, Hunt sees the landscape changing again.
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Hunt believes following "fashion" is a dangerous game, and stressed the importance of playing to the strengths of the players you have at your disposal.
"Football is a fashion. Klopp was the right way to play, now Conte is the right way to play. So when Klopp came in at the start of the year it was all about closing down the space and then Conte had success with playing three at the back.
"And now Martin is playing it. Martin played three at the back years ago, 3-5-2, but this is different, now it’s more 3-4-3, there’s two wingers, or number tens if that’s what you want to call them. We’ve got good players and it might take a little bit of adapting to do it.
"And you need pace as well. Hazard and Pedro who are lightning quick on the counter, so if you can get that right, we’ll have a chance."
