SOCCER/Euro 2008 qualifying:The chairman of a prominent League of Ireland club recently told the story of how, having decided to give an unsuccessful manager he was fond of more time to turn the team's fortunes around, his mind was quickly changed by the crowd calling for his own head during their next league game, writes Emmet Malone,Soccer correspondent

In the wake of Wednesday's embarrassing performance in San Marino, and the clamour for John Delaney's resignation that accompanied the final whistle, the FAI's chief executive is sure to be making a similar calculation with Steve Staunton, a manager he appointed on what increasingly appear to be wholly misguided grounds.

In a series of radio and television interviews yesterday Delaney asserted collective responsibility for the decision to replace Brian Kerr with an inexperienced 37-year-old. Few who have paid any attention to events within the association over the last few years, however, could doubt that the decision ultimately had to be Delaney's just as any decision to dispense with the former international's services will also be taken by the organisation's most powerful figure.

Despite his side having served up Ireland's worst ever away win so swiftly on the heels of the country's worst ever away defeat, though, those demanding Staunton's exit look certain to have to wait until at least until the end of March before any decision is taken on the Dundalk man's long-term future.

Speaking on Newstalk's Off the Ball programme last night, former Ireland boss Johnny Giles observed that Staunton really should be cut loose now. "I think it would be better to get an interim manager now before the next match and at the end of the season have a look at it then," he said. "If there's a mistake been made then those responsible have to hold their hands up and say we took a gamble on it, but at that money it looks as if that particular gamble has failed."

Given the practical problems involved, however, it seems far more likely that the association will leave the country's most capped international in place for the first two games at Croke Park.

Signs of dramatic improvement along the lines of those displayed in the 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic might be enough to earn Staunton another stay of execution, although anything less than four points from the two outings would presumably hasten his departure as would any more performances likes those produced against The Netherlands, Cyprus and San Marino.

Delaney, of course, could continue to stand by his man come what may. He is completely secure within the FAI after successfully seeing off all serious rivals during the past few years, but it is hard to imagine that he would allow his own public standing to be further diminished in the way that it has been during the past few months.

A new manager could be found, as long as the association doesn't embark on one of its more torturous searches, in time for the trip to the US in May and he would then have three friendly games to assess the players available to him and to prepare them for what remains of the European Championship campaign.

As for Staunton, it would be difficult not to feel a good deal of sympathy for him if he is shown the door after less than 18 months in the post and he does deserve some credit for attempting to integrate younger players into the squad. There have been minor success stories, most recently the performance on Wednesday of Stephen Ireland whose progress at club level has just brought the offer of a new contract.

There have been mistakes on this front, too, with Staunton repeatedly failing to strike the correct balance between old and new. Hisreflections immediately after the game on Wednesday, meanwhile, were for the most part simply ridiculous.

The suggestion that playing a team like San Marino "at this time of year" was a "gamble" is patently absurd as seem the claims that "we'll be stronger in March", and that San Marino were also going to prove "a handful as the group goes on".

That Staunton is less than inspiring in press conferences would be of no particular significance, of course, if it were not for the fact that there has been little evidence of his motivational talents in the team's performances during the last year and precious little suggestion of any serious tactical know-how.

His main fault, though, is merely to have applied for and then accepted an attractive job which he should have been several years of solid club work away from even being seriously considered for. What possessed the FAI to believe they were pulling off something of "a coup" by snapping up a gifted young manager before anybody else spotted his potential remains a mystery.

Delaney's judgment may have been clouded by the good relations he had reportedly established with the former player during their dealings over the years but even if that is the case then it alone, given everything else that is going on within the FAI at present, would not form a strong enough case for the chief executive's own departure during the coming weeks.

If, on the other hand, he fails to act decisively when it has become entirely clear that his faith in Staunton was misplaced, then it be won't take long before his own position looks indefensible. The nature of his rise to power in Merrion square suggests he is unlikely to allow the situation to ever get to that stage.