Sue Ronan: FAI silence on Vera Pauw has created an unhelpful vacuum

The FAI needs to explain the decision not to offer Vera Pauw a new contract, or matters off the pitch will continue to overshadow events on it, according to former Ireland manager Sue Ronan.

Pauw was informed, following a board meeting, that her contract with the FAI would not be renewed.

The review of the World Cup sought input from players, staff and Pauw herself, but responding to the decision last week, Pauw told RTÉ Sport that the FAI executive undermined her authority ahead of and during the World Cup.

In a wide-ranging interview, the 60-year-old made a number of claims against the FAI, though the association has remained tight-lipped since the announcement.

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Speaking on the RTÉ soccer podcast, Ronan says for the sake of clarity in order to move on, the FAI needs to make a public statement.

"There is a vacuum now, there is a lack of information, and unfortunately there has been a bit of a backlash against the players, which I think is unfair," she said.

"What they (players) said in the review, they wouldn't have said it lightly

"I think the FAI need to come out now and explain why they haven’t given Vera the new contract."

Pauw 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.

Ronan says, for now, we only have one public version of events.

"Vera is quite clear in the fact she doesn’t think the review was done correctly. She said it started immediately