FAI General Secretary Brendan Menton said today that he does not envisage Roy Keane ever playing for Ireland again.
"It is time to go without Roy" he said.
"He is 30 now, nearly 31, and at some stage it had to happen," said Menton, "Maybe it is sooner than expected but so be it.
"People will not remember this World Cup for Roy Keane - they will remember it for how well this team has done.
"And for that marvellous night in Suwon when we came so close to putting out Spain. This team has proved it can play without Roy Keane,".
Yesterday, Irish manager Mick McCarthy told reporters he had not yet decided on whether or not he would ever again pick Keane for an Irish squad, saying simply "he had the chance to play at this World Cup and he chose not to, it's something I'll consider when I get home".