SOCCER: The Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, John O'Donoghue, yesterday warned the FAI it needs to take swift action to restore Government and public confidence in the organisation after Fran Rooney became the latest in a along line of senior executives to leave Merrion Square with a substantial pay-off.

O'Donoghue summoned representatives of the embattled organisation to his offices upon hearing of Rooney's departure and warned them they must appoint a replacement quickly, fill the other four senior management posts recommended in the Genesis report in "an open and transparent manner" without undue delay, and put their internal troubles behind them if they are to retain the support of the Government.

The Minister made it clear the €300,000 currently being withheld by the Irish Sports Council would not be paid over until the four executive directors' posts, including that of financial officer, are filled by way of open competition and reminded the three officers, John Delaney, Michael Cody and Milo Corcoran of the extent to which football is reliant on public support at every level.

Afterwards he specifically said the Lansdowne Road project is not threatened but, he remarked, "the Government's patience with the FAI has run out at this stage and I made it clear to them that we wanted to see them get their act together and start becoming more professional, effective and efficient at what they are supposed to be doing, promoting the sport of soccer in this country.

"In recent years they have three general secretaries that they have lost after they themselves hired them and so it's hard to argue at this stage with the public perception that the whole thing is a bit of a shambles and that they are in total disarray."

None of the three FAI officers that attended the meeting were contactable last night but it is understood they broadly accepted that their public image had taken a further battering in recent weeks and that major progress in the immediate future is required if they are to rebuild confidence in their organisation.

O'Donoghue, however, is clearly reluctant to take them at their word anymore and he informed them in order to ensure the pace of progress with the implementation of the Genesis report is stepped up considerably he is appointing Con Haugh, a senior civil servant from within his Department, to represent him on the Irish Sports Council/FAI Liaison Group which is responsible for overseeing work in this area.

He has also said he wants regular meetings with the association's leaders and to be kept up to date with the progress being made in relation to the development of the organisation.

"We simply can't stand by and let the current situation continue," said O'Donoghue last night, "and I made that clear to them. They have some excellent voluntary people involved in the game but what they need is a plan as to how they are going to organise things at the professional level.

"There is a report (Genesis) that goes a long way towards pointing out how that should be done and I made it absolutely clear to them that I want to see that implemented fully."

The association's representatives reportedly made it clear to the Minister they accepted the urgency of the situation and said they would press ahead with the task of recruiting a new chief executive immediately.

Senior officials had indicated earlier yesterday they envisaged holding a board meeting next week to consider how to go about making the new appointment.

In the association's offices, meanwhile, staff and senior management attended a series of meetings yesterday at which the consequences of Rooney's departure began to become apparent.

At the first gathering of the organisation's employees, called soon after they had arrived yesterday morning, it was expected Cody would provide an outline of how he intended to move things forward during his spell as interim chief executive, a position he is, as honorary secretary of the association, entitled to assume under its rules.

Instead he informed staff he would not be taking on the job but would instead seek to oversee things on an informal basis while Tadhg O'Halloran would take day-to-day charge of the organisation for the moment.

Many staff will have greeted the news with dismay for O'Halloran, a former human resources executive with Aer Lingus, was brought in by Rooney and was perceived to be the leading exponent of his deeply unpopular management style before turning against the former chief executive in recent weeks.

At a second staff meeting later in the day, however, he reportedly gave assurances that every effort would be made to improve morale within the organisation and that weekly management meetings, as well as monthly meetings of the rest of the staff would, in line with the recommendations of Genesis, be initiated immediately.

He also said funds would be made available for a number of staff social events over the coming months.

In his address to staff the association's president Milo Corcoran thanked them for their "continued support," and expressed the hope that yesterday might prove to be "the dawn of another new era".

Meanwhile, Dublin City will be aiming to make up further ground on Shamrock Rovers at the foot of the Premier Division table this evening when they take on Drogheda United at Tolka Park.

Roddy Collins is expected to stick with the team that staged a remarkable comeback at the Brandywell last week, a feat that appears to have generated a renewed sense of belief around the club that relegation can be avoided.

"I have no doubts that we can still pull it off," sad Collins yesterday, "although if you'd asked me about it when we were 2-0 down to Derry last week it would have been a very different story."

Paul Doolin, meanwhile, is hoping his side can take the three points that would keep them on course for a place in Europe next season. "If we could take 12 points from four games now it would give us third place and that's what we have to aim for."

Stephen Gray is the visiting side's only absentee through injury with the centre half suffering from a hip problem that also kept him out last week. Danny O'Connor and Aidan Lynch played together then but Brian Kelly is also a possible starter this evening.