Eschewing the same old routine however, the Serbian and Polish FAs decided to do something completely radical. For the first time, they went out and hired foreigners.

Newly-shorn of Montenegro, the Serbs plumped for Javier Clemente, mastermind of Spain's memorable 3-1 defeat of Ireland at Lansdowne Road in 1993 and twice-winner of La Liga with Athletic Bilbao. In a bid to move away from a prevailing culture in which the heroes of the great 70s' and 80s' teams still held too much sway, the Poles persuaded Leo Beenhakker to swap Trinidad and Tobago for winter in Warsaw. The two countries meet in Belgrade on 21 November and though only one is likely to qualify for Euro 2008 from a tough group containing Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, both have been greatly improved by these appointments.

There's a timely lesson for the FAI here. Sometimes, it pays to depart your comfort zone and in Merrion Square, that should mean foregoing the usual compulsion to appoint a former international or English media darling in favour of somebody from continental Europe. For too long, the country has been obsessed with the British template. Isn't it about time to stop tugging the football forelock and try something a little different? A glance at the depressingly familiar roster of potential replacements for Steve Staunton (Ron Atkinson, John Aldridge, Kenny Dalglish? ) begs the question as to what harm it can possibly do to think beyond the island next door.

The Poles have been knocking around major championships for a lot longer than Ireland yet are thrilled with what Beenhakker has taught them in just over a year. Dipping into a vat of experience that includes the Dutch national team, Real Madrid, Ajax, and stints in Mexico, Switzerland, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the 65-year-old has blended young and old, introduced tactical innovations, and stared down the apparatchniks in the Polish FA more than once. He's also showed scant regard for existing reputations in the squad, selecting players on the basis of form rather than status. What does that sound like except a prescription for the new Irish manager?

The Serbs are happy with their decision to steer clear of the Balkans too.

Even before his initial two-year contract . . . at 100,000 a year less than Staunton . . . was extended until 2010, Clemente had implemented a serious youth policy.

Faced with a squad decimated by injuries to key players and retirements, he promoted more than a dozen under-21 players and stuck with them in the face of disappointing results and heavy media criticism. That they are still in the shakeup with two games remaining is thought of as less important than the fact they are now much better prepared for the forthcoming World Cup qualifying. Wasn't that what Staunton was supposed to do?

For Ireland, the benefits of importing somebody with an exotic football imagination, more progressive background, and much different mindset are obvious. Staunton's most extreme innovations were relaxing the drinking rules and recalling Mick Byrne to improve the mood. Against that background, isn't the country crying out for somebody to truly shake things up on the training ground, in the team hotel and, most significantly of all, on the field? It would be no harm either to let the newcomer bring his own man in to run the under-21 team so everybody can be on the same page.

The greatest boon of all is an Omar Troussier (below) or Foppe de Haan would come in with a complete lack of agenda. There were selections made in the Staunton era that reeked less of bad judgment and more of favouritism towards individuals with connections to the backroom team and FAI. That wouldn't be a problem if the manager was French or Dutch and arriving with no preconceived notions about players or officials. The blank slate is especially important amid reports of divisive cliques in the current squad. A newcomer would listen to all equally, have no previous relationships to foster, and best of all, might not treat more established stars as if they were undroppable no matter how they play.

Some will contend there's little point in getting in a foreign coach because he won't be able to communicate with troglodyte footballers who have spent most of their adult lives in the maw of British clubs. That's no longer a fair criticism given how many of them have played and played well for foreigners at that level. Not to mention too these are the same players who complained Brian Kerr's preparations were too detailed and then failed to perform with any passion when Staunton took a less taxing approach. What they think they want or say they need should be the least of anybody's concerns now.

Collectively, they've squandered the right to dictate anything about these matters. Beyond Shay Given, Richard Dunne, and if he ever recovers form, Damien Duff, most are interchangeable anyway and a strong outsider might bring that much home to them rather quickly. The exact meaning of "my way or the highway" wouldn't be lost in translation.