If they hadn't seen such riches, Ireland could live with being poor.
Once you've experienced playing in front of 70-odd thousand at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, it must be hard to get excited about a Nations League match against Slovenia in a sparsely attended Bonifika Stadium. Even more so when you've recently watched the sun go down on the paradise of another major tournament.
Before Christmas, the Girls in Green were in touching distance of this summer's Euros in Switzerland. But they fluffed their lines, losing 2-1 against Wales on a gut-wrenchingly frustrating night in Dublin.
That result cost Eileen Gleeson her job. In came the well-liked and well-respected Carla Ward.
Ward has plenty of time to get things right here, but Tuesday evening's 4-0 loss to Slovenia was a reality check.
The last time the Girls in Green conceded three goals in an opening half was back in 2020, when they suffered a 3-0 loss to Germany. Their last four-goal defeat? That came in a 2018 friendly versus Poland when Colin Bell blooded a number of youngsters. Before that, you'd have to go back to a European Championships qualifier in 2016 that ended in a 4-1 hammering against Finland.
Ireland have been on a remarkable journey over the last three years. The great fear is that we are witnessing the end, rather than the beginning, of a golden period.
Niamh Fahey, Julie-Ann Russell and Diane Caldwell all retired over the winter. Louise Quinn hasn't been seen in a green jersey since last July's win over France due to a hip injury.
Meanwhile the two jewels in this Irish side are moving towards veteran status. Denise O'Sullivan is 31, Katie McCabe will be 30 in September. They have loads more in the tank, but they can't go on forever. They also have a lot of miles on the clock. O'Sullivan, remarkably, has been on the senior scene since 2011.
There's a wider concern around what happens once those two leave the stage. Ward has been complementary about the talent within the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division, but the leap from the domestic game to the international arena is massive. And there's still no bridge to aid it.
Home-based sessions have been scrapped, while the establishment of an Under-23s side has yet to materialise. Ward did oversee a game between the Ireland U19s and a development group made up of fringe squad players last week, but more is required. Much more.
Ward shouldered the responsibility for last night's disappointment and will likely reflect on some of her decisions in Koper.
Moving McCabe into an advanced central role was a bold move designed to help Ireland creatively. However the placement of some square pegs in round holes was confusing.
Kyra Carusa toiled on the right wing and was largely ineffective. Megan Connolly came in at centre-half ahead of Caitlin Hayes, who was consistently impressive under Gleeson, with Aoife Mannion and Heather Payne enduring uncomfortable games in the full-back positions.
In the middle of the park Ruesha Littlejohn was given the unenviable task of shielding a creaky back four, which seemed almost unfair. Littlejohn, 34, is without a club since being released by London City Lionesses in January. Her achilles tendonitis means she trains very lightly in between matches; this one was just too big of an ask.
It was even stranger when you looked at the bench and saw Tyler Toland, Jessie Stapleton and new arrival Melisa Filis, all fresh and capable alternatives.
It was disconcerting to hear opposing manager Sasa Kolman reveal his blueprint afterwards.
"The plan wasn't to sit back, absolutely not," he said. "The plan was to press on their centre-backs and the defensive midfielder, so don't let them play. We knew we were going to have a lot of space."
Slovenia are the type of up-and-coming nation Ireland need to be wary of. The acceleration of the women's game in such countries makes these mid-ranked countries increasingly dangerous.
Backboned by players on the books at Eintracht Frankfurt, Paris FC, Roma and Fiorentina, Slovenia were stacked with Champions League experience and played with tonnes of nous. Though it should be noted that three of their starters - Kaja Korosec, Sara Makovec and Spela Kolbl - were on the ZNK Mura team that lost to Shelbourne in Champions League qualifying in 2022.
Ward insists she will not change her philosophy - she wants Ireland to keep the ball and boss possession.
The 41-year-old certainly won't press the panic button after one bad result, and nor should she. An April double-header against Greece will likely bring some cheer before a crucial May/June period throws up a trip to Turkey and a rematch with Slovenia.
All of this feeds into seeding for the 2027 World Cup - the ultimate ambition and potentially a last hurrah for a few more members of a really strong generation.
What comes next is the worry. The giddy momentum that wheeled Ireland towards the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand has long fizzled out.
Two years out from the next major tournament, we are surrounded by the grey walls of purgatory.
