Niall Quinn believes the recent turn-of-events have presented a golden opportunity for Irish football.
The former Ireland international footballer was speaking in the wake of forthcoming changes at the FAI.
The entire FAI board have indicated that intend to step down at their next AGM in July.
Meanwhile, former CEO and executive vice-president John Delaney had "offered to voluntarily step aside". That's pending completion of an independent investigation.
Quinn spoke about the opportunity for Irish football to get its house in order.
"I think you're sitting in a car at the traffic lights and the traffic lights have gone green. But you've got to put in gear then and get it to move," he said.
Pitiful
"It's not going to go by itself. And I'm confident that this represents opportunity. It's pitiful that it's come to this, but that's the way it is.
"Now, I think the gates are open and the opportunity is there and it's a chance that we can't get wrong.
"But it's not a silver bullet chance that changes things overnight. This is an opportunity and like any great organisation or business that has to reboot itself and reignite itself, it's going to take time. It's going to take brilliant people, dynamic people.
"But again, it's going to need the League of Ireland and professional game at the very top of the agenda. And everything else can pyramid down below that."
Quinn also spoke about the potential composition of the future board.
"I believe repopulating the board and appointing executives whose role it will be to be as dynamic as an incoming CEO and to seize the opportunity now and to reach for new levels of success with the Association," he said.
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