John Fallon: Portents for women's Euro failure visible from start
Of No Euros: Patten, Left, Pic: Coach And Gleeson, With From Players Head Eileen Second Denise Stephen Fahey Mccarthy/sportsfile O'sullivan Republic Niamh Anna Ireland From
Even by his standards, Roy Keane's precedence of failure above success in his memory bank stopped the masses in their tracks.
"You don't look back and think of wins," he reflected after moving from playing into management.
"I read and hear players talking about when they won titles and cups, but I haven't got a clue what year I won anything.
"But I do know when I got relegated with Nottingham Forest. I do know when I lost Cup finals and leagues. I also remember getting knocked out of the Scottish Cup against Clyde on my Celtic debut."
A chapter also ended for a generation of Irish women's players last week. One tournament qualification against the odds followed by another missed out on despite being favourites.
Many of those part of both campaigns won't be around for the next one starting in February 2026, the quest to reach the World Cup in Brazil.
In the aftermath of last week's Euro playoff defeat to Wales, in these pages we set out the squad's age-profile necessitating a Rebuild.
They became the history girls by reaching Australia last year but pressure accompanies progress and they couldn't cope with it when their fate rested on a final weighted to their advantage.
Recency bias applies too. Cries of elation at Hampden Park in 2022 have been overtaken by tears of deflation on their home patch when they simply blew their Euros ticket.
Scotland had the tournament experience behind them two years ago whereas this time it was Ireland being hunted by the wannabe ground-breakers.
Like many sporting spheres, jubilation at front of house often disguises chaos beneath. If veteran Diane Caldwell is to be believed, player dissent against manager Vera Pauw was raging before that qualification.
A convenient public truce couldn't conceal the undercurrent of rancour in the ensuing months, hinted at through the players collectively declining to back the manager's new contract plea, and finally spilling over with Katie McCabe demanding a substitution in the final World Cup game.
Roll back a few more years and the squad's dissatisfaction, not with their manager but the FAI, was hidden until an explosion into the infamous 2017 strike.
No similar eruption is anticipated this time but casualties are certain. Eileen Gleeson is first in the firing line and justifiably so.
For her to overcome her deficiencies – specifically zero media presence and lack of international experience – only qualification would suffice. That's why the FAI tied her contract to one campaign and, on that criteria, she's underachieved.
True, Marcelo Bielsa was hardly a polished performer in the press but so guarded and anaemic were Gleeson's replies to questions that she had to deliver on the pitch.
Although Heimir Hallgrímsson arrived into his role eight months later, it seems the Irish public know more about Ireland's men's team manager.
Replies were curt at times and on occasion greeted with a question back. The opportunity of revealing a Christmas gathering for players between the two legs was passed up after a direct query about replicating the festive gesture Wales proudly opened up on.
It could have painted a picture of happiness within camp. Not that it was without upheaval.
Equipment officer Jess Turner and video analyst Martin Doyle – highly rated from his work with the men's team – both departed abruptly early in the Nations League series.
Neither did it take much for Gleeson to be rattled. League-winning manager Ciarán Kilduff highlighting the absence of fundamental courtesy contact smacked of stubbornness by an Ireland manager, while she eventually succumbed to the psychological tactics of Wales manager post-match.
That she didn't make it her business at full-time to offer personal congratulations to Rhian Wilkinson for their victory again brought into question basic values not confined to sport.
Much of what imploded can be traced back to the first window of the year. A pair of friendlies were low-key compared to the ten competitive matches thereafter and yet alarm bells sounded.
For the first against Italy, Gleeson's debut match as permanent boss, she dispensed with the tradition of a press conference squad announcement.
Controversy about her 'fallback' arrangement with the FAI into another role, should the manager's job cease, had surfaced.
Her reaction of going to ground delayed the inevitable question until they arrived in Florence, by which time tunnel-vision was introduced as an excuse. "I am not going to discuss any other roles."
Four days after that scoreless draw, Ireland were schooled by Wales at Tallaght. The opponents Ireland would eventually meet again at the conclusion of the year extracted two main takeaways from that 2-0 win – both involving McCabe.
One was their anger at a late challenge by the Irish captain, an incident they considered elevating above their association, but secondly the power McCabe wielded in Ireland's tactics.
The Arsenal regular certainly dominated the joint pre-match press conference with Gleeson, her interjections branded "rude" by recent FAI chief executive candidate Sarah Keane on Newstalk over the weekend.
McCabe was again centrestage on the pitch a day later, yet her zealousness manifested in two challenges that ought to have had her dismissed by the interval. A free spirit she may well be but channelling the skipper's energies the correct direction was a managerial function.
The sole emotion left at full-time was regret at how this was allowed to slip away. There'll be a long time for that hurt to endure.
Transfer window fever on the League of Ireland beat is up and running but negotiations for the major targets continue.
Higher prevalence of multi-year contracts in recent years has curbed the perennial overhaul of squads, as has the guaranteed payment until November 30 under standard contract terms.
Free agents must balance their desire for resumed wages against being patient and the fact Shamrock Rovers have extended their season until tomorrow week against Chelsea complicates the situation for their cohort reaching the end of their deals.
Neil Farrugia is the player Rovers are trying to persuade to stay put. Yet Richie Towell and likely Seán Kavanagh are likely to move on, with the latter duo attracting Shelbourne.
Damien Duff's assistant Joey O'Brien played alongside both at Tallaght and, using the example of Seán Gannon, can prove they're still title-winning calibre into their thirties.
Goalscorers remain the golden commodity. League winners Shels would like to reinforce and are interested in Mipo Odubeko, the Ireland U21 striker currently at English League One outfit Fleetwood Town. He's under contract until June, with Fleetwood holding an extension option.
Will Jarvis made his mark in two loan spells at Tolka and is also in the final months of his deal at Hull City. He has options but none carrying the allure of Champions League exposure.
FAI Cup winners Drogheda United have most work to do, given their heretofore part-time status, and are at risk of losing forward Frantz Pierrot to Bohemians.
Newly-promoted Cork City's capture of two goalkeepers in recent days paves the way for further additions, most of which Tim Clancy expects to have enlisted when they begin full pre-season on January 2.
Football and politics regularly collide and in Ireland off-field strife is bedevilling a cluster of clubs, foremost Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk.
A long-running chasm has threatened to overshadow the final stages of a stellar Conference League campaign for Rovers. One half of the club is controlled by Dermot Desmond and Ray Wilson, both businessmen but the latter’s family is lifelong connected to Rovers. Club members own the remaining 50% and allegations from their side of Wilson attempting to dilute that shareholding to minority have been denied.
He's back in Ireland for tomorrow’s penultimate European group game against FK Boruc at Tallaght but the sparkier event is threatening to be Saturday’s club annual general meeting.
Details contained in the information circulated to members of a €700,000 loan taken out last when their European income was 80% less than this year’s €5.5m have caused shock.
Meanwhile, Dundalk’s new owner John Temple is gearing up for a battle with a couple of local parties. On foot of absolving Brian Ainscough and blaming Statsports for the club teetering on extinction in September, the legal threats have been flying. Equally sensitive is his relationship with Dundalk’s Supporters Trust.
Temple insists he’ll only include them as part of fan group dialogue when he receives an apology. Matches are three months away but the games have begun.