FOR ANNA PATTEN, Friday was a night of frustration leavened by pride. Or perhaps it’s the other way round.
The Aston Villa defender was born in England but has declared for Ireland, her transfer announced in advance of this week’s double-header of Euro 2025 qualifiers against France and England. She is eligible through her grandparents: her grandmother Bridie is from Galway, and late grandfather Donald Coyle hailed from Donegal.
Patten was parachuted directly in for her Irish debut in Metz, in what proved to be a narrow defeat to a France side ranked third in the world. She was told she would start the game the night before, with her mother in the stands as part of the travelling Irish support.
Patten impressed, and she was one of the few Irish players to eke out some praise from the famously parsimonious L’Equipe. Her 5/10 rating was bettered only by her team-mate Courtney Brosnan.
“Lots of emotions going into the game”, reflected Patten, “Nervous, excited, really proud, the full works. Frustrating now that we’ve come away losing the game but also there are still positives to take going into Tuesday.
“It’s a step up that’s for sure, but that’s what international football is all about, it’s such an amazing feeling to make my debut on this stage against such a challenging team.”
Patten says it was an emotional night from the moment she stood in line with her new team-mates and bellowed out the national anthem.
“That was an amazing feeling, I loved it”, said Patten. “I had Denise [O’Sullivan] beside me, she was singing loud, I was singing loud, it is quite an anthem, I love singing it. My mum was just telling me that she was up in the crowd and she was getting emotional singing it. It was a proud moment for me.”
Granny Bridie helped Patten learn the words.
“I actually was talking to my granny about it, getting her to help me but I felt it was so important that I was able to stand there if I got my debut and sing it loud and proud”, said Patten. “I felt I did that. Like I said, it’s a great anthem, really proud to sing it and hopefully there’s many more opportunities in my career to sing it again.”
Patten impressed, and she was one of the few Irish players to eke out some praise from the famously parsimonious L’Equipe: a 5/10 rating, bettered only by her team-mate Courtney Brosnan.
The next opportunity to sing it will be prior to Tuesday’s clash with England at the Aviva Stadium, as Ireland bid to get their first points of a brutally difficult Euro 2025 qualifying group.
“I can’t wait to get stuck in”, said Patten in response to the upcoming challenge. “I think that’s the mood in the camp. Lots of positives to take into that England game and I think it’d mean a lot if we go out there and put in an unreal performance against the English. We’re at our home ground that’s what we all expect to do, really push and perform to our best.”
