And also asked how it had affected her, Pauw revealed she rejected any prospect of resigning after Toland’s father dismissed her claims of “harassment and intimidation” made last month.

Pauw confirmed she never contemplated quitting.

“No, but I did say, why am I in this situation? But no, we have a fantastic group, we have such a positive atmosphere. There is such a growth, such a power behind it.

“I don’t let my feelings for Ireland and Irish football be influenced by one individual.

“And I want to keep my feeling that I love Ireland, I love the positive attitude of everybody and I feel that when we are in the squad.

“The players give that back to me. That, to me, is the most important thing.”

Pauw, who has had a broad international coaching career embracing Holland and Scotland international sides, as well as stints in the club game, then claimed that such an issue would not have occurred in men’s soccer.

“Women coaches in football have it harder than male coaches. Let’s say it like that.”

Asked why, she went on: “Because we are women. Do you think Tyler’s father would have said this to Stephen Kenny?

“In 30 years of coaching, that is my experience. That would never happen. We have to have elephant skin, we say. If I was a man, this would not have happened.”

As the imbroglio continues to swirl, Pauw attempted to outline that the main issue lies with Toland’s father, not the player herself.

“I have no issue with Tyler. Tyler has an issue with me. I want to repeat that.

“Jamie Finn was better, so Jamie Finn played, not Tyler. That is the issue. But I have no issue with her.

“I find it actually quite logical what happened at that moment. Unfortunately, it led to this situation.

“I have nothing against Tyler. I have no conflict with Tyler. I have a father that misbehaved. But not Tyler, I don’t blame Tyler for the behaviour of her father.

“Of course I would accept an apology. But so far, he has turned it around and denied it and attacked me.”

Pauw admitted that the controversy had affected her.

“Of course. How would it hurt you? Of course it hurts me, I’m a human being. And I don’t think nobody realises how it hurts. But again I’m here to save a career of a player, and I will save the career of that player.

“People think if I call her now, it’s solved but it’s not. Remember that she didn’t want the green jersey anymore. So the player needs to tell the coach if she changes her mind. That’s the future.

“It’s my expertise as a coach that if you do that (call the player) it will not solve it because the thing is we, we did not have a conflict. She was on the bench, she was a 17-year-old, 18-year-old. I don’t blame Tyler.

“She knows why she needs to call me. It’s not difficult. I say it’s my expertise as a coach to save her career. She’s in the stands now at Glasgow City.

“The issue of Tyler is becoming something big, where the thing is, if you turn your back, and you don’t want to put on the green jersey, because you think I put her on the bench because of other reasons than technical, then I can explain that’s not the case.

“Then she needs to show she wants to put on the green jersey. And if you agree with each other to call, you call.

“She wouldn’t be in if she was in the stands, right? With Glasgow City. In that sense, it’s not the issue. The issue is for the future, she needs to save her career. And I’m letting her save her career. That’s all I want to say about it, OK?

“Shall we talk football? I would rather talk football, because we don’t solve it here. I wish we could solve it with each other, because everybody could do without that. And I think we have a squad that is very supportive.

“We have a squad that wants to grow, that wants to go forward, that sticks together, which is a very important asset. And we have got huge talents coming in, talents that can grow only further and further.

“Ireland, if we keep going in this way, will be in the top tier within a few years. There is no doubt about it.”

Whether Toland is part of that future remains for now unresolved.