Packie Bonner believes the FAI must appoint a young, energetic CEO to prove to Government that change is going in the right direction.
The Ireland and Celtic legend was the association's technical director for eight years before he was frozen out under the old regime.
Now 59, Glasgow-based Bonner admits to anger and frustration over that but says he is open to helping out the new regime in any way.
"I’m available to talk, but that’s the decision for people to make," he said. "I’m not going to go and say, ‘Ah I should be involved’. Of course not.
"But I’m there to support because we’re passionate about football in this country."
On his return to Dublin to pick up the SSE Airtricity League/SWAI International Achievement Award almost 30 years on from his penalty shootout heroics against Romania at Italia 90, he is positive about the future of Irish football after recent events.
Just this week a new independent chair, Roy Barrett, was brought on board, along with two new independent directors, with one still to be appointed in the coming weeks.
With the FAI looking for an €18m bailout to keep the show on the road, Bonner feels that there's a major jigsaw piece still to be put in place.
"We need a young CEO," he declared. "A young, energetic guy or girl who can go for the next 10 years and help us, and who has had no connection to the FAI.
"That's my opinion. No connection, something fresh coming in alongside the board to go and drive football on.
"He may need help and support, of course, everyone needs that.
"But this needs to be fresh now, it needs to be moved on and Government will come behind everything after that."
For Bonner, who rolled out an ambitious technical plan across the country before he left his post, insists that player development is the most important element that what he describes as "demotivated" staff FAI must look to retain and grow despite the current crisis.
"I was there for eight years, at the start things were really buzzing, I was happy with how things were going and things change," he said.
"I wasn't living in this country after 2010, I was away from it, you are detached and you keep yourself in a different frame of mind.
"If you are living here it's different. I'm fine but you always keep one eye on what's happening.
"The football thing is up and down in this country but player development is the most important thing in this country, always has been.
"Player development must be right in the centre of everything that we think about and do in decision making.
"Sometimes we lose track of that and I would appeal to people going forward to make sure that it is right in the centre of all the things you do.
"Because this is so important. I travel around doing a lot of work for UEFA throughout Europe and I can see other countries pushing on, pushing on and pushing on.
"And we have got to be up there in the same way continually.
"There are a lot of great things being done and have been done over the years and look at the benefit of some of the young players coming through."
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