After an agonising wait for the Irish girls, their mental fatigue showed against France on Thursday night. This was caused by external and internal forces.
Firstly, the World Cup squad selection left its mark after what felt like months of debate. Secondly, the FAI should have dealt with Vera Pauw’s NWSL ban last December.
An investigation is needed into how the association dealt with the Pauw allegations. Just not now. Not 12 days out from 80,000 fans packing Stadium Australia for what promises to be a monumental occasion. For most of us, it is the biggest sporting event in our lifetime.
The Ireland men’s first World Cup match was against England in Cagliari 33 years ago. I wasn’t born but I heard about it. We all did. Those legendary players were allowed to enjoy the build-up to Italia 90 as the Irish public embraced them, in what sounded like the wildest party the country has ever known.
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Recent events have sullied a similar experience for Katie McCabe’s team. Most of this is out of the players’ control. McCabe tried to put it to bed at Wednesday’s press conference. You could hear how frustrated she was to have to publicly support her manager. She cannot be expected to address a situation dating back to 2018. In the US.
[ Vera Pauw: ‘There is a person that is targeted to destroy my career’Opens in new window ]
It demands a careful, independent review. But this not the time.
The girls had just begun to heal from the squad announcement. It almost felt like those selected were afraid to be too happy. Leanne Kiernan’s exclusion struck a chord in camp, especially among her closest friends. Some players were distraught. I’ve expressed my disappointment with that decision.
The other stuff is toxic enough to ruin our first World Cup. Strong leadership is needed now. Less “I”, more “We”, as Pauw herself noted. Isn’t it insane that this needs to be said out loud 12 days before Ireland kick off in the World Cup?
This column should be homing in on glaring problems. On the pitch, not off it. France pulled us apart far too easily in the second half. It provides a blueprint for Australia and Canada.
There is plenty of work to be done. A little too much for my liking. This is not the Ireland team that qualified for the World Cup. For better or worse, changes to personnel and the system have been made.
The group still needs to gel. They said it themselves. The attack has been completely revamped with three American-born girls – Kyra Carusa, Sinead Farrelly and Marissa Sheva - suddenly established starters.
Carusa deserves this opportunity. She holds the play up better than anyone else, although I think Kiernan would have shot first time after that early error by France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin on Thursday.
The shape of the team was encouraging for 44 minutes, but Sheva’s passing range is a concern and Farrelly – described by Pauw as the “player we have been waiting for” – almost blew a gasket. From where I watched the match, the 33-year-old went to ground to avoid injury. She rarely wastes possession, but 70 minutes looks like her limit.,Ruesha Littlejohn can bring renewed energy for the last quarter.
Aoife Mannion’s injury means that Megan Connolly has returned to centre half. Megan is a robust midfielder, the perfect foil for Denise O’Sullivan and a set-piece specialist. The Matildas will try to replicate how Kadidiatou Diani isolated her and almost drew a penalty from the English referee.
Diane Caldwell has been playing for Ireland since 2006. She is on the plane to Brisbane. I’d trust her to start so Connolly can return to midfield. Personnel is vital but, at this level, so too is balance within the team.
We learned enough lessons on Thursday to last a lifetime.
Kenza Dali lit up the Women’s Super League this year. She created all three goals in Tallaght. A perfectly weighted ball over the top for the first, brilliant movement to shake off Sheva and nutmeg Louise Quinn for the second before a pinpoint corner for the third. Izzy Atkinson will learn so much by rewatching the first and third goal. Fundamental stuff but about concentration levels too.
Littlejohn spent the season with Dali at Aston Villa, so none of this should have come as a surprise. This is the calibre of creative player Ireland must contain at the World Cup. I’d have kicked her early and often. At least until I saw yellow.
Ireland needs to remind people how they qualified. No friendly was ever treated like a friendly when I wore the shirt. We always had something to prove.
There should be a nasty streak in every Irish player. Not dirty. Not going out to injure. Nothing like that. But the sort of grit McCabe and O’Sullivan bring to tackles every single day.
We didn’t lay a glove on the French after the first goal. That’s unacceptable. Denise put herself about and you could see her blood was boiling.
We must be more aggressive at the World Cup. Because the next opponent knows how to crack Pauw’s system: a high press, turn our wingbacks into fullbacks, and break the connect between Carusa and midfield.
We remain a set-piece football nation. That’s our best chance of scoring, unless Katie can get her head up and shoot. But that’s impossible if she is stuck in Ireland’s half. Quinn will be crowded out in the opposition’s box so let’s make her the ultimate decoy. Caldwell is an aerial weapon. So is Carusa.
That’s what the next 10 days of training should look like. Set piece after set piece until the girls are too exhausted to care about external noise.
Thursday was a reality check. We’ve done something incredible by reaching this World Cup. Everything else is a bonus but this special group of girls have captured the nation’s interest. Imagine what could happen next.
