THE FAI was last night bracing itself for further criticism following the surprising resignations of its chief executive, Sean Connolly, and earlier the association's accountant, Michael Morris.

Morris's departure is thought to have been voluntary and while a similar label was attached to Connolly's going, FAI politics in recent years would suggest something quite different.

After surviving two previous attempts to force him out, Connolly was summoned to a meeting of the FAI officer board on Thursday and effectively told that his resignation was required.

In previous times he had been rescued by the support of the rank and file members of council. That backing does not appear to have been forthcoming on this occasion and, thus isolated, he had tendered his resignation before the end of the meeting.

That was confirmed at yesterday's meeting of the executive committee when two other prominent members of the association were indicted for what were perceived to be intemperate remarks over the recent appointment of Mick McCarthy as national team manager.

It all points to an association in turmoil and that perception is scarcely likely to be redressed by reports that Louis Kilcoyne may resign as president and offer himself as a candidate for the post of chief executive.

Connolly, who had only just finished playing junior soccer when he was appointed to succeed Dr Tony O'Neil in September 1990, quickly emerged as a popular personality who always found it easier to say yes than no.

Coupled with the exploits of Jack Charlton and his players, it contrived to give football a higher profile in this country than at any time in the past. But for all the apparent success pockets of resentment were forming. Charlton, seen to be bigger than the FAI itself, was running out of friends at the top level and Connolly, revelling in the high profile of his job, was also coming under increasing scrutiny.

The manager, needing nothing more than couple of months in preside over his own demise, was, to be denied that consolation by officers desperately seeking to be seen to be in control.

And Connolly, who complained that his executive powers were being increasingly infringed by the voluntary element, was nothing more than a note taker when the six man selection board set about the task of appointing Charlton's replacement.

The methods chosen to screen prospective candidates were the subject of scathing criticism here and in Britain, and by the time the succession stakes narrowed down to a two man contest involving McCarthy and Kevin Moran it was seen to have been seriously devalued.

It didn't help when Kilcoyne, a controversial personality in Irish football for much of the last 20 years, said that McCarthy was not his preferred choice on the day the appointment was announced.

That, at best, was a major diplomatic gaffe by the FAI president and it didn't help the confidence of the new man to discover that the association had gone back on an earlier undertaking and reduced a proposed four year contract to just two years.

It scarcely added up to a resounding vote of confidence in McCarthy and he was entitled to question the goodwill of his employers yet again after they had moved last Monday to block the appointment of Ian Evans as his full time assistant.

There is no indication of when the proposed managerial appointments at under 21 and under 18 levels will be announced but an official said yesterday they hoped to be in a position to do so within the next week.

The overall picture of the FAI these days is one of an organisation yet to come to terms with the challenge of matching the explosion in numbers playing the game with a corresponding level of proficiency in decision making.

Some of the pronouncements emanating from Merrion Square in recent months have been quite remarkable and have done little to improve the credibility of a body which is finding it difficult to live with its new status.

The Connolly saga will have done little to restore the public's faith and with further change foreshadowed at Merrion Square, it is already shaping up as an increasingly difficult year for Irish football.