Danske Bank agreed to a €12.5m haircut on the loan taken out by the FAI in 2009 for their part of the Lansdowne Road redevelopment costs.

That principal, set at €59m in the last set of FAI accounts to year-end 2012, is now understood to be hovering around the mid-€40m mark.

As the governing body were only able to service interest-payments to date, this reduction in the sum owing represents a double boost.

While the principal to repay is vastly lower, so too are the associated interest payments. FAI sources were therefore yesterday comfortable in predicting the cumulative €20m saving.

John Delaney, FAI chief executive, has consistently responded to criticism of the stadium finance arrangements by pinpointing the year 2020 as the juncture when all debts will be cleared.

To achieve this within the six-year timeframe, turnover and profits will require uplifting.

Certainly, the new UEFA centralised TV deal — worth an estimated €40m between now and 2017 — will help, as would a change of fortune on the pitch.

Having missed out of qualification for next summer’s World Cup, the FAI are relying on their new managerial dream-ticket delivering a passage to the finals of the expanded Euro 2016.

Gross income from the World Cup qualifying campaign was worth €8m to the FAI.

Such a windfall makes it understandable that the contracts of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane are limited to two years. Both figureheads are clear that anything other than a place booked for France represents failure and could ultimately mean the sack.