He stressed that all involved with the Republic, now want to concentrate not on this issue but on the opening Group E game, which is less than a week away: “There is always hope at any given stage but I can’t see it given the circumstances, Mick has made his decision, we need closure on this one for sure at this stage.

“It is now Monday, the game is Saturday, there are 22 players and a manager waiting to play Cameroon and really the controversy must end now.”

He added that the FAI continue fully to back the actions of McCarthy and his players: “The FAI fully support Mick McCarthy, and his decision in this case, and the players, let’s not forget the players. There has been a lot of comment by Roy in relation to some of the players and by the players as well, be it Niall Quinn, Steve Staunton, Alan Kelly, so you know I don’t think have changed at all to be honest.”

Delaney added that a number of players continued to be upset by the Keane outburst at the team meeting last week, making the chance of resolution more unlikely: “From speaking to people in the hotel in Japan, the players the management, everyone is hurt by this situation.

“Let’s not forget that the meeting in Saipan was emotionally charged, there was a lot of comment made which we all read in the papers.”

‘‘Roy is obviously hurt. He sounds emotional but we all are. From speaking to everyone, everyone is hurt. The decision was made by Mick McCarthy and his players and I don’t see any change.’’

He revealed that McCarthy would be given a transcript of Keane’s interview: ‘‘It’s the middle of the night. FAI officials and Mick are waiting to see a transcript. But there doesn’t seem to be any change in Roy’s attitude.

‘‘The FAI fully support Mick and his decision. There has been a lot of comment from and about Roy in relation to players. And I don’t think things have changed at all.

‘‘There’s always hope at any given stage but I can’t see it happening given the circumstances. We need closure. This is Monday, the game is on Saturday for which he have 22 players. The controversy must end now.

‘‘Of course, Roy would love to play in the World Cup but we all know the circumstances why he can’t play.

‘‘We have worked hard behind the scenes. We have kept in contact with people close to Roy, with Mick and people close to him. It does not seem possible to reach a resolution. ‘‘The meeting in Saipan was emotionally charged. I don’t think an agreement is achievable. The transcript in full will go to the team hotel but I don’t see it changing anything.’’

Meanwhile, Mick McCarthy believed he had said goodbye to the Roy Keane affair two or three days ago but he was asked to address it one more time at Ireland's press conference after training yesterday.

McCarthy is on record as saying that he would not accept any attempt to bring Keane back into the World Cup squad and, when he was asked yesterday whether he had put the issue behind him, he said: “Yes, I did it two or three days ago I think but it is time to put a full stop after that story now. Even more so now because we've got the game on Saturday and the players need to be concentrated on that, on football, and especially as well for them as well.”

Earlier, it was suggested to him that he had set out initially with the intended ambition of enjoying the World Cup and he was asked how the events of the past week had affected him and his preparations.

“My preparations?” he replied. “It (the Keane row) has not affected it now at all but it’s not what I wanted, it’s not the preparation I came to have, it’s not what I would have chosen, but I think our preparations have been fine, we’ve just got on with it and will continue to do so.”

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the nation would ‘‘sleep happier in their beds’’ if Keane was recalled to the squad. Although he stressed he could not cross the line between politics and sport, Mr Ahern said there had been an ‘‘enormous amount of pressure’’ for him to intervene in the row.

‘‘There is no doubt there is a passionate feeling by the people in this country.’’

He said everyone would be ‘‘happier, and probably sleeping happier’’ if Keane were to rejoin his team-mates.

‘‘It would be just great if it can be reconciled, I do not know if it can, that is really a matter for the FAI, Mick McCarthy, it’s a matter for Roy Keane.

‘‘Quite frankly, I will be far happier next Saturday morning if Roy Keane was playing but I wasn’t party to all of the things that happened, I just think that’s all very sad and if it can be resolved it would be great,’’ said Mr Ahern.