Vera Pauw knew her time as Republic of Ireland's women's manager was up before she departed for last summer's World Cup, stating again that FAI CEO Jonathan Hill undermined her role in his communication with the players.
Just weeks after guiding the Girls in Green to the tournament in Australia, Pauw was told that her contract with the FAI would not be renewed, this after a review of the World Cup sought input from players, staff and the Dutch native.
Speaking exclusively to RTÉ at the time, Pauw also said she turned down two job offers as she believed she'd be staying on as Ireland manager.
She accused FAI executives of undermining her role as manager by speaking to staff members and players regarding their roles in the team before and after the tournament in Australia.
She accused the FAI executive, led by Hill, of reneging on a promised contract offer, claiming that she was told that an offer for a new contract would be made before the squad flew to Australia ahead of the tournament.
Pauw says that trust broke down between her and senior figures at the FAI and that she offered the FAI a way out by concluding that The Athletic report into her time in charge of Houston Dash based on anonymous allegations had a major influence and that those issues would not disappear. She denied allegations of excessive control over her players during her time there.
Months on from her departure, Pauw, speaking to Second Captains' Episode with Richie Sadlier, when asked whether she knew she would not be offered a new contract prior to her leaving for Australia, she said: "Yes".
She continued: "Because of the way Jonathan Hill was treating the situation, talking with players, meeting with players, instigating an atmosphere that is not part of top sport."
Hill subsequently denied that he was intrusive, for which Pauw replied: "What else do you think he would say?"
The now former Irish boss also took issue with the post-World Cup review, stating that the "process was flawed, outcome was pre-determined", and criticised Jonathan Hill's comment that the "players did their own scouting".
Pauw, in a further defence of her time as boss, added: "Why did Jonathan throw on the table 'the players did their own scouting', I mean that's what we agreed, they can get it on Huddle (a digital coaching app). I didn't want to overload, the art is to keep things simple, to get players exactly right, all the other stuff is known."
In the course of the interview, Sadlier also brought up Diane Caldwell, who slammed the management of Pauw, insisting that Ireland's historic run to a first-ever Women's World Cup was due to the players.
Speaking ahead of last October's Nations League clash with Northern Ireland, Caldwell said: "I think there were many areas that could have been better, yes, under her tenure," Caldwell replied when asked about the professionalism of the set-up under Pauw.
"I think our preparations for games could have been better, physical preparation, opponent analysis, match tactics, in-game match tactics, changes, systems of play.
"I think a group of players that were destined for success came together at the right time," she added.
Eight months on and Pauw articulated her view, when saying: "I was angry, I was destroyed; I was probably everything she wanted me to feel."
She went on to take issue with the manner in which her successor Eileen Gleeson, who worked as an assistant under Pauw for two years, responded to Caldwell's comments.
Asked what she would as manager do if somebody spoke about your predecessor in that way, Pauw gave a sharp response: "I would have said, 'you can go up to your room, pack your bag, and leave the camp.'
"I'm disappointed [with Eileen] because two weeks earlier we said nothing comes between us. I said we love each other and we spoke it out: nothing comes between us. And the first thing she says is that Diane has a right to say things because everybody can have an open opinion."
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