It was an overdue briefing with the media, and the FAI's CEO Jonathan Hill and director of football Marc Canham both acknowledged that when they sat down at the association's HQ in Blanchardstown.
Time, finally, to address the herd of elephants that's been grazing in the room for the last month.
Since Hill last spoke on the record in June to unveil the FAI's long-term strategic vision, Ireland have played in their first ever Women's World Cup, parted ways with the manager who got them there, and lost three crucial games in the men's Euros qualification campaign. There was an awful lot to unpack.
On top of that, Ireland will soon find out if their joint bid with the UK to host Euro 2028 has been successful, with the Aviva Stadium and a redeveloped Casement Park mooted to host games.
So where to start?
Hill used a chunk of his opening address to deal with some of the claims made by Vera Pauw following the FAI's decision not to renew her contract last month.
"There was absolutely no interference in the technical affairs of this team, we did not present a formal contract offer pre the World Cup, we did conduct a full and through review of the campaign, the outcome of which was not pre-determined," said Hill.
"The manager had her views and believed in her approach. A number of players, and indeed Marc, simply had a different position. And what we are saying then in simple terms is that we genuinely believe that in order to propel the next phase of growth for this team, and women's and girls' football in Ireland more broadly, we feel we need a different and fresh approach."
He would later answer questions around one of the more alarming allegations Pauw made; that she'd been asked if she was fully Garda vetted during her meeting with FAI executives as part of the World Cup review.
Hill said he'd been taken aback by Pauw's remarks, stressing: "She was Garda vetted. All staff and all coaches within the FAI are Garda vetted.
"To be honest we're slightly confused about that in relation to where it came from. Just to be absolutely clear, there was no issue whatsoever in relation to Vera's status in relation being Garda vetted. There was no need to ask her the question on behalf of the FAI because we knew that she was Garda vetted."
The process of finding Pauw's permanent successor is under way, with Canham airing his hope that the position is filled before the Nations League campaign ends in December. In the meantime, interim boss Eileen Gleeson will look after the team.
As for Stephen Kenny, he'll stay on for the rest of the men's team's Euros qualifiers this year, but there'll be a review of the campaign after November's friendly against New Zealand.
Hill wouldn't confirm if the Dubliner will remain even if the team squeezes into the play-offs via their UEFA Nations League performance, and also admitted the manager's future will be discussed at the FAI's board meeting later this month.
"If the board felt they wanted to take a different route then we'd discuss that different route, and that actually has defined the level and degree and quality of discussion that I think we've had at board level over the last two and half a years. That never happened before.
"The board will discuss this. I will give my report as chief executive and then we'll have a broader review and discussion on all of those issues. We'll await to see, as we always do, what comes out of those meetings, but the opportunity is there for all the board members to give their view.
"[Kenny's contract] runs until the end of our involvement, active involvement, in the tournament."
And then there is Euro 2028. On 10 October, the FAI will learn if their joint bid to host the tournament with the UK has been successful.
Hill said he'd expect the Aviva Stadium to host six games if the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England get the nod.
But what if Ireland fail to qualify? When asked if there'd be an automatic spot reserved for the host countries, Hill said: "That is a decision for UEFA. Depending on whether or not we are successful with our bid... we will then find out what the qualification process will be.
"My guess will be that for a tournament that may be hosted by five nations, all the teams will be part of the qualification process. This is my personal view. I think that's important from a commercial perspective, that for example England are part of the qualification process.
"I hope, and I believe that two teams will automatically qualify, but then it becomes part of the conversation with UEFA as to how that works when all five teams have gone into the qualification process."
'We still want success here and now but we also have to look into the [long-term]' - FAI Director of Football Marc Canham and CEO Jonathan Hill touch on the long-term vision for the game and the review into the Euro 2024 campaign pic.twitter.com/SFeyF8Msou
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) September 14, 2023
This was Canham's first time speaking to the media since he took up the director of football position in June 2022. Last April he announced his football pathways plan, a strategy to streamline and improve players' development from grassroots level up.
Having spent well over an hour batting away various queries about some stinging criticism from Pauw - who questioned whether he had the relevant experience to conduct the World Cup review - he did get a chance to lay out his long-term vision.
"Not everything that we need to do in Irish football means that we have to have millions and millions of euros to change," said Canham, who spent five years working with the English FA and nine years with the Premier League, for whom he implemented a successful Elite Player Performance Plan.
"Having a clear philosophy of how we want to play, how we want to coach, grassroots level to League of Ireland to academies to international teams, yes of course that costs a level of money, but having a really clear vision of what that looks like and then educating and supporting the workforce we have in the game... it doesn't cost millions and millions of euros.
"Yes we need investment to deliver on this but we also have to have a clear philosophy that doesn't cost loads of money."
