Republic of Ireland boss Vera Pauw said she will consider the possibility of legal action as she strongly denied all allegations made against her in a report by the US National Women's Soccer League [NWSL] that was published on Wednesday.
Pauw was named among several managers and coaches in a report by the NWSL that discovered widespread, ongoing misconduct in the NWSL.
The investigation unit received reports of ongoing misconduct at "more than half" of the NWSL clubs during the 14-month inquiry.
The report claimed Pauw - who was in charge at Houston Dash in 2018 - attempted to "exert excessive control" over her players' "eating habits" and that it was not in "best practice".
Players interviewed in the report claimed Pauw had negatively "affected a team-mate struggling with an eating disorder" and had criticised the appearance of players.
Pauw issued a statement on Friday denying all allegations made against her from her time at Houston Dash and describing them as "an insult to my personal values and to my behaviour as coach".
She later spoke to the media in a lengthy press conference at the FAI's headquarters in Abbotstown.
Pauw is deeply frustrated over suggestions she refused to cooperate with investigators and instead submitted a written letter denying the allegations.
"I was asked [by] a committee if I would like to participate into this inquiry," she said.
"I immediately reacted. Within five minutes they had a reaction, and I said 'I want to have it very, very quickly because I want to know what's going on and I want to know what I am accused of’."
"Until the moment of two days ago, I did not know what I was accused of."
Pauw claims that a video call was arranged but when she requested permission to record it, the committee denied her request and abruptly ended the call.
Pauw said she subsequently tried to contact the committee through a phone call and email but got no response, leading her to instead submit a 13-page letter detailing her experiences of managing at Houston Dash.
When asked what her next course of action will be with regards to the allegations made against her in the report, Pauw replied: "Well, we made a statement that is really out of my heart. I'm sure you have seen. That is the first thing that I could do. There has been players contacting me like, 'where is this coming from?'.
"We are looking into if legal actions are necessary. But who would you bring forward? The players? The investigators? NWSL? I don't know. Because the things that are written can be seen as an opinion, but [whether] it ruins your life, or at least your profession, is something that maybe a judge would not really take care of.
"But if so, if there is an opening, and if the way that the investigators have treated is out of the lines of legality, then I will take action. I have to take action, I have to protect myself if I can protect myself."
Pauw detailed a meeting she had with FAI CEO on Jonathan Hill on Thursday night. She said she insisted on facing the press "because I'm always open and I'm always honest".
She added: "Until the moment of two days ago, I did not know what I was accused of. There's especially anger in me that they say that I did not cooperate.
"I was the one who suggested to have a video call. I was the one to say, 'I want you to look me in the face'. I was the one to say, 'I want to be honest and open. You can ask me anything'. I'm angry. I'm really angry."
Pauw also had a discussion with Ireland captain Katie McCabe, and says she has received a number of messages from support from other players.
"I had a meeting with Katie McCabe yesterday and I asked her, 'please be open and tell me is there any moment where in those three years that you feel I have behaved in way that you could interpret it this way?'
"Her reaction was – you’d need to ask her – but she said, ‘Oh no, no, if anything you encourage us to eat’.
"[FAI director of football] Marc Canham said to me in a meeting this morning where I said I wanted to face the press, he said, ‘I’ve been there in Marbella and I’ve seen you encourage the players to eat more as they need more than what they have eating. I’ve seen you discuss it with the doctor to address it'.
"It is so hard and difficult when people put it on you. It is the opposite of how I approach it. The opposite."
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