FORMER EVERTON ASSISTANT coach Stephen Neligan has joined the Republic of Ireland women’s national team set-up ahead of the World Cup play-offs.
Neligan arrives in place of Brian Sørensen, who as reported by The 42 last week, is no longer available after taking interim charge of Aston Villa.
Carla Ward confirmed the change speaking to the media from Astana ahead of Friday’s play-off semi-final first leg against Kazakhstan [KO 12pm Irish time, RTÉ 2].
Interestingly, the 44-year-old Australian was once Sørensen’s assistant at Everton and Danish sides Fortuna Hjorring and FC Nordsjaelland.
As detailed by football360.com.au, a late night Google search while working at a sewage treatment plant in Sydney led to them connecting and Neligan ultimately spending six years coaching in Europe. He left the Toffees when Sørensen was sacked in February, and returned home, where he was last week appointed head coach of semi-professional, second-tier side APIA Leichhardt FC for the 2027 NSW Women’s season.
Neligan is now Ward’s latest Ireland assistant coach for the full play-off campaign, following Gary Cronin’s departure this summer: Should the Girls In Green overcome Kazakhstan, as expected, they will face Belgium or Poland in late November and early December for a ticket to next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
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“We’ve brought in Stephen Neligan, he has been in the WSL for the last five years with Everton,” said Ward.
“Previously to that, he worked at Fortuna (Hjørring) in Denmark and previously to that worked with Australia, so he’s familiar to a lot of players. He’s also familiar to myself, he’s someone I’ve known for a while. He actually is somebody I tried to talk to seven or eight months ago about the process. But, obviously, he was very much embedded in his job at Everton.
“It was very last minute, but we’re delighted. We got him on a flight from Sydney, so he’s here, and we’re delighted to have him.
“He’s here for the next two windows, the same as we were looking at with Brian, and then we’ll reassess as we do with everybody at the end of each campaign. So yeah, he’s with us for the next two windows as a minimum and then we’ll see from there.”
This enforced change was set in motion after Sørensen was named caretaker manager of Aston Villa last Tuesday, having been appointed Ward’s latest assistant just the previous week. Sørensen is Villa’s women’s technical advisor, and so is tasked with the next managerial appointment, though could be an option for the permanent post himself.
Ward may also be linked: she enjoyed a successful spell at the Villa helm before Ireland, and when asked if her former side might try lure her back, she once again reaffirmed her commitment to Ireland.
“I’m really happy where I am, to be honest. I’ve said it very loudly, very clearly: I love my job here. Hopefully the organisation love what I do. But, for me, there’s only one process in my mind, and that’s me being really honest. I wouldn’t entertain anything other than conversations on the next four games. That is as clear as I can be with anything.”
Ireland boss Carla Ward. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
Ward confirmed a fully fit squad after a “long travel day” on Monday. The chartered flight from Dublin Airport took 10-and-a-half hours, with a refuel stop in Turkey. They are now adjusting to the four-hour time difference and cold weather conditions ahead of their first training session.
Ireland will be without star duo Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan for Friday’s first leg against the lowly Kazakhs. McCabe is suspended alongside Marissa Sheva, while O’Sullivan has been afforded time and rest at her US base ahead of Tuesday’s return tie at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Ward insists there will be no complacency as they face a side 77 places inferior in the Fifa world rankings.
“I said to the group in this morning’s meeting, we’ve used the underdog mentality as fuel, and let me tell you now, Kazakhstan will do exactly the same. You look at the billboards, you look at the TV stations here, everyone’s talking about the game. This is their World Cup final, essentially. It’s the biggest game for them in a very, very long time.
“I don’t need to tell this group about complacency. I want us to go up another level. I want us to make sure that we don’t make any mistakes. Everything has to be full focus. The underdog title, we’ve really thrived on that. Let’s make sure that we don’t allow anyone else to thrive on that.
“We’ve got four cup finals to get to where we want to get to. This is the moment we step up. There will be absolutely no complacency. And if anyone wants to take a foot off the gas, it’ll be the wrong time to do it.”
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'Very last minute' addition as former Everton assistant joins Ward's Ireland set-up
FORMER EVERTON ASSISTANT coach Stephen Neligan has joined the Republic of Ireland women’s national team set-up ahead of the World Cup play-offs.
Neligan arrives in place of Brian Sørensen, who as reported by The 42 last week, is no longer available after taking interim charge of Aston Villa.
Carla Ward confirmed the change speaking to the media from Astana ahead of Friday’s play-off semi-final first leg against Kazakhstan [KO 12pm Irish time, RTÉ 2].
Interestingly, the 44-year-old Australian was once Sørensen’s assistant at Everton and Danish sides Fortuna Hjorring and FC Nordsjaelland.
As detailed by football360.com.au, a late night Google search while working at a sewage treatment plant in Sydney led to them connecting and Neligan ultimately spending six years coaching in Europe. He left the Toffees when Sørensen was sacked in February, and returned home, where he was last week appointed head coach of semi-professional, second-tier side APIA Leichhardt FC for the 2027 NSW Women’s season.
Neligan is now Ward’s latest Ireland assistant coach for the full play-off campaign, following Gary Cronin’s departure this summer: Should the Girls In Green overcome Kazakhstan, as expected, they will face Belgium or Poland in late November and early December for a ticket to next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
“We’ve brought in Stephen Neligan, he has been in the WSL for the last five years with Everton,” said Ward.
“Previously to that, he worked at Fortuna (Hjørring) in Denmark and previously to that worked with Australia, so he’s familiar to a lot of players. He’s also familiar to myself, he’s someone I’ve known for a while. He actually is somebody I tried to talk to seven or eight months ago about the process. But, obviously, he was very much embedded in his job at Everton.
“He’s here for the next two windows, the same as we were looking at with Brian, and then we’ll reassess as we do with everybody at the end of each campaign. So yeah, he’s with us for the next two windows as a minimum and then we’ll see from there.”
This enforced change was set in motion after Sørensen was named caretaker manager of Aston Villa last Tuesday, having been appointed Ward’s latest assistant just the previous week. Sørensen is Villa’s women’s technical advisor, and so is tasked with the next managerial appointment, though could be an option for the permanent post himself.
Ward may also be linked: she enjoyed a successful spell at the Villa helm before Ireland, and when asked if her former side might try lure her back, she once again reaffirmed her commitment to Ireland.
“I’m really happy where I am, to be honest. I’ve said it very loudly, very clearly: I love my job here. Hopefully the organisation love what I do. But, for me, there’s only one process in my mind, and that’s me being really honest. I wouldn’t entertain anything other than conversations on the next four games. That is as clear as I can be with anything.”
Ward confirmed a fully fit squad after a “long travel day” on Monday. The chartered flight from Dublin Airport took 10-and-a-half hours, with a refuel stop in Turkey. They are now adjusting to the four-hour time difference and cold weather conditions ahead of their first training session.
Ireland will be without star duo Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan for Friday’s first leg against the lowly Kazakhs. McCabe is suspended alongside Marissa Sheva, while O’Sullivan has been afforded time and rest at her US base ahead of Tuesday’s return tie at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Ward insists there will be no complacency as they face a side 77 places inferior in the Fifa world rankings.
“I said to the group in this morning’s meeting, we’ve used the underdog mentality as fuel, and let me tell you now, Kazakhstan will do exactly the same. You look at the billboards, you look at the TV stations here, everyone’s talking about the game. This is their World Cup final, essentially. It’s the biggest game for them in a very, very long time.
“I don’t need to tell this group about complacency. I want us to go up another level. I want us to make sure that we don’t make any mistakes. Everything has to be full focus. The underdog title, we’ve really thrived on that. Let’s make sure that we don’t allow anyone else to thrive on that.
“We’ve got four cup finals to get to where we want to get to. This is the moment we step up. There will be absolutely no complacency. And if anyone wants to take a foot off the gas, it’ll be the wrong time to do it.”
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