REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Carla Ward has condemned the “ridiculous abuse” several of her players have been subjected to for not wearing a poppy this November.
Katie McCabe, Caitlin Hayes, Abbie Larkin and Hayley Nolan did not wear a poppy — which commemorates the military dead across all conflicts involving the British Army — in recent Women’s Super League action.
Ward said the Irish quartet did not discuss their decision with her, but has shared her support for them.
“I think it’s important that everybody makes their own decisions and their beliefs are their beliefs, I think that’s really important. Everybody has lived through different experiences and everybody is entitled to believe and feel in a way that they do feel.”
Asked if she believes higher powers should have done more to protect the players in question, the English coach said:
“Yeah I do. I think (the abuse) was unwarranted because everybody has their own beliefs and reasons for those beliefs.
“I won’t mention what players or what club but I actually was quite involved in a conversation with certain players and a club on how uncomfortable maybe a player was and wasn’t and the difference in that, the dynamic that that caused.
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“But the way the club handled it was excellent and they come together and found a solution as an entire team and I think that was really important because ultimately you never want players to be subjected to ridiculous abuse and it was, and undeserved, unwarranted.”
Ward speaking at a press conference yesterday. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
Ward was speaking as she named her squad for an upcoming training camp in Marbella and behind-closed-doors international friendly against Hungary, as preparation begins for next year’s World Cup qualifiers against France, Netherlands and Poland.
“It was my idea because we want to try some bits and pieces,” Ward explained on the behind-closed-doors element. “This is about next year now. And the work we want to try and get in ahead of that.
“We know Hungary will play in a certain way that we will face. And the importance of doing that work without, say, France and Netherlands (seeing it), it’s the small one percenters. I’m sure if we manage to get a point, the country won’t mind that.
“We have to look at bigger picture. The importance of the games in the A-League for our World Cup qualifying campaign is absolutely massive. Every single tiny percentage we can try and get on our side, we’re going to need that.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 campaign, she added: “I’d like to do things my way. I think that’s really important because I’ve got to live and die by the results.
“And ultimately there’s only one person’s neck that’s going to be on the chopping block at the end of it. So I think it’s really important that I go through my processes that I’ve always believed in.”
Kelly Brady is the headline call-up following her superb season with Athlone Town. The US-born former Ireland U19 international is listed as a free agent on the squad list, and is in line for a move abroad.
“She’s got options, she’s trained at a couple of clubs in England, she has a couple of offers already,” Ward confirmed to The 42.
“My advice is don’t panic, get the right option for you where she’s going to play and I think she’ll get that. But there is a natural interest in her and I’m sure come the window she’ll make the right decision and the right move for her.”
Kelly Brady (file photo). James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile, Ward has detailed a close working relationship with men’s manager Heimir Hallgrímsson.
She spoke about “positivity breeding positivity” amidst this heady week for Irish football. Hallgrímsson mentioned the women’s team after Sunday’s stunning win in Budapest when discussing how World Cup qualification would benefit the FAI financially; Ward was asked about it yesterday.
“I’ll be knocking on his door now!” she joked.
“No, look we know publicly that we’re in debt and it will help massively. As the debt reduces you can start putting money into different places. But they haven’t been shy since I’ve come in and I can knock down doors and I can be quite vocal and annoyingly loud in trying to increase standards but they’ve also not been shy in coming forward and trying to help make change.
“First and foremost, forget the money, let’s really hope that we can do it because it would be unbelievable for Heimir, for the group, for the country and if they can bring home the money as well, that will also be quite a nice bonus.”
“We talk a lot,” she added, noting that similar system switches were decided upon independently.
“He knows for example how we were going to set up against Belgium, I sat down with him and went over the team meetings against Portugal. We’ll show each other and discuss what we’re trying to do.”
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Ward condemns 'ridiculous abuse' of Irish players during poppy season
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Carla Ward has condemned the “ridiculous abuse” several of her players have been subjected to for not wearing a poppy this November.
Katie McCabe, Caitlin Hayes, Abbie Larkin and Hayley Nolan did not wear a poppy — which commemorates the military dead across all conflicts involving the British Army — in recent Women’s Super League action.
As detailed by The 42, vitriol was rampant online, with McCabe in sharp focus given her higher individual and team profile at Arsenal.
Ward said the Irish quartet did not discuss their decision with her, but has shared her support for them.
“I think it’s important that everybody makes their own decisions and their beliefs are their beliefs, I think that’s really important. Everybody has lived through different experiences and everybody is entitled to believe and feel in a way that they do feel.”
Asked if she believes higher powers should have done more to protect the players in question, the English coach said:
“Yeah I do. I think (the abuse) was unwarranted because everybody has their own beliefs and reasons for those beliefs.
“I won’t mention what players or what club but I actually was quite involved in a conversation with certain players and a club on how uncomfortable maybe a player was and wasn’t and the difference in that, the dynamic that that caused.
“But the way the club handled it was excellent and they come together and found a solution as an entire team and I think that was really important because ultimately you never want players to be subjected to ridiculous abuse and it was, and undeserved, unwarranted.”
Ward was speaking as she named her squad for an upcoming training camp in Marbella and behind-closed-doors international friendly against Hungary, as preparation begins for next year’s World Cup qualifiers against France, Netherlands and Poland.
“It was my idea because we want to try some bits and pieces,” Ward explained on the behind-closed-doors element. “This is about next year now. And the work we want to try and get in ahead of that.
“We know Hungary will play in a certain way that we will face. And the importance of doing that work without, say, France and Netherlands (seeing it), it’s the small one percenters. I’m sure if we manage to get a point, the country won’t mind that.
“We have to look at bigger picture. The importance of the games in the A-League for our World Cup qualifying campaign is absolutely massive. Every single tiny percentage we can try and get on our side, we’re going to need that.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 campaign, she added: “I’d like to do things my way. I think that’s really important because I’ve got to live and die by the results.
“And ultimately there’s only one person’s neck that’s going to be on the chopping block at the end of it. So I think it’s really important that I go through my processes that I’ve always believed in.”
Kelly Brady is the headline call-up following her superb season with Athlone Town. The US-born former Ireland U19 international is listed as a free agent on the squad list, and is in line for a move abroad.
“She’s got options, she’s trained at a couple of clubs in England, she has a couple of offers already,” Ward confirmed to The 42.
“My advice is don’t panic, get the right option for you where she’s going to play and I think she’ll get that. But there is a natural interest in her and I’m sure come the window she’ll make the right decision and the right move for her.”
Meanwhile, Ward has detailed a close working relationship with men’s manager Heimir Hallgrímsson.
She spoke about “positivity breeding positivity” amidst this heady week for Irish football. Hallgrímsson mentioned the women’s team after Sunday’s stunning win in Budapest when discussing how World Cup qualification would benefit the FAI financially; Ward was asked about it yesterday.
“I’ll be knocking on his door now!” she joked.
“No, look we know publicly that we’re in debt and it will help massively. As the debt reduces you can start putting money into different places. But they haven’t been shy since I’ve come in and I can knock down doors and I can be quite vocal and annoyingly loud in trying to increase standards but they’ve also not been shy in coming forward and trying to help make change.
“First and foremost, forget the money, let’s really hope that we can do it because it would be unbelievable for Heimir, for the group, for the country and if they can bring home the money as well, that will also be quite a nice bonus.”
“We talk a lot,” she added, noting that similar system switches were decided upon independently.
“He knows for example how we were going to set up against Belgium, I sat down with him and went over the team meetings against Portugal. We’ll show each other and discuss what we’re trying to do.”
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Carla Ward Ireland WNT Support