The dispute resulted in Keane being sent home before the tournament in Korea and Japan had even started. Ireland went on to reach the last 16 – but the report, undertaken by strategic management consultants Genesis, suggested this “was more a matter of luck than effective management practice”.

Menton admitted the FAI had been ‘crisis prone’ his 18-month tenure as general secretary but he feels his decision to resign represents a new opportunity for the association.

He said: “My decision was made on the future needs of the association.

“I felt for personal and professional reasons this was a job for someone else and not for me.

“If I can go back 18 months to when I took the job I said if the situation was not working I would walk away. The timing is opportune.

“It was my decision. I think it is an excellent time to go.

“We are crisis prone. We do seem to have gone from one crisis to the next. The structures have to change. I believe my decision will help accelerate the process of change.

“We see this as a new beginning and a new opportunity for us to put the FAI on the map for the next 100 years.”

The fall-out from the Keane affair began last week when McCarthy resigned following defeats in his side’s opening two Euro 2004 qualifiers.

Menton’s post is now likely to be scrapped, with the report recommending the creation of five new senior administrative positions including chief executive.

The report was highly critical of Ireland’s World Cup preparation, particularly their chosen training base in Saipan.

Management structure was also criticised, with the report finding: “In general there is not a culture of discipline in the management of the FAI, with most basic management principles non-existent.

“The management of the crises which emerged before and during the 2002 World Cup left a lot to be desired.”

In their report Genesis do, however, admit that on their own the criticisms of the training pitch and late delivery of equipment which led to the Keane incident were of lesser importance.

The report adds: “The seeds which culminated in the captain’s withdrawal from the squad had been sown many years before and well nurtured over an extended period of time.”

The report outlined an investment of £250,000 must be made in the appointment of key new executives. Although there is the possibility to make £127,000 of savings, the FAI must look to increase annual subscriptions to raise an additional £63,000 for each of the next four years to pay for the radical changes.

FAI president Milo Corcoran said: “We need a fresh start. I can assure you that we have the commitment to put that report into operation.

“We have a meeting scheduled for November 29 when we have to set up means of delivering that report.

“It is a shock to us, but we have a lot to learn. We will commit that report into action.

“Costs don’t come into it. We will put the football first.”