The Republic of Ireland today defended their decision not to train in the Kashima Stadium in Ibaraki ahead of tomorrow night's crunch Group E clash with Germany.
Manager Mick McCarthy decided against taking his players from their base in Chiba on a 75-minute coach journey, have them train in the stadium, and then travel straight back again on the eve of such an important game.
FAI general secretary Brendan Menton said the Irish had not broken any FIFA regulations by opting against going to the match venue.
"There is no FIFA obligation to visit the stadium on the day before the game," said Menton. "In fact, you have to request permission before you are allowed on the pitch and it could be refused.
"If the rain came down you could be denied access so it is at their discretion and we don't have to go.
"If we were to travel to Ibaraki we had planned for an hour-and-a-quarter each way. We did the run when we were out here in February because it was one of the things we took into consideration when we were deciding whether we would base ourselves in Chiba, centrally between the two locations, or would we go to Ibaraki and then go to Yokohama.
"We actually timed the runs then and on that basis Mick just decided now rather than spending a minimum of two to two-and-a-half hours in a coach on the day before a game he would not travel.
"The decision could be interpreted as a tribute to the facilities here in Chiba as well, and Mick said there is no real advantage in going on the stadium pitch.
"They are all the same, the grass is the same and the pitches are all the same size."
Media organisations from other countries may have been expecting McCarthy to conduct a press conference at the stadium today as well, but he opted to do one only in Chiba instead.
Menton added: "I will have to go and re-read the regulations but at this stage Mick is not going to Ibaraki to conduct a conference. That's in the interest of the squad, that's the decision they've made, we'll back it.
"Mick is going to do his own press conference in Chiba so the news is going to get out to those who want it. FIFA have their own media officers here and they report into a central FIFA media data file so anybody who wants to hear what Mick says, that's not a problem either.
"Mick, in fairness, has been very helpful in terms of the media and our players were more than helpful in the mixed zone after the match against Cameroon.
"Mick has helped fully in holding daily conferences and in terms of making the players available for little functions here and there, looking after the social obligations of being here as well, he has been totally co-operative in that regard."