IRELAND WNT MANAGER Vera Pauw has described star midfielder Denise O’Sullivan as “one of the best players in the world.”
The Cork native has deservedly drawn the plaudits lately following another impressive season with USA club North Carolina Courage.
O’Sullivan was instrumental in leading her side to a second-straight National Women’s Soccer League championship, and her efforts saw her voted as the club’s MVP for the second year in-a-row.
Her club manager Paul Riley has previously outlined O’Sullivan’s importance to the Courage, while Pauw is equally impressed by her skillset.
“Denise is one of the best players in the world,” says Pauw of the talented 25-year-old.
“There is no player in the world at this moment playmaker and also the motor regaining possession. She has everything.”
Pauw continued by explaining O’Sullivan’s role within the Irish team, but in the same breath, she stresses that the Cork woman’s team-mates play a crucial part in enabling her to do her job.
There are few players that can create and make a difference.
“But you need others to make that happen, to create the circumstance to do that.
“She’s extremely important to the team but so are all the others. I don’t say that to be a political answer, I really mean that. She wouldn’t have been able to play the way she did without the block of four behind her.
“Every time things didn’t go well, there was immediate protection and an opportunity to get the ball back or at least stop the counterattack.
“Yes, she is crucial but so are all the others.”
Pauw’s Irish charges are gearing up for their third Euro 2021 qualifier next week. Having picked up crucial wins in their opening Group I games, a challenge against Greece now awaits Ireland on Tuesday.
Yesterday’s squad announcement produced some interesting revelations, including the injuries to Megan Campbell [concussion], Megan Connolly [quad] and Courtney Brosnan [thigh] which rules them out of the trip to Athens.
Meanwhile, Pauw says that Harriet Scott and Heather Payne have been denied permission from their respective colleges to join up with the squad for the game.
Despite those absentees, the Ireland squad is still packed with promise. Rianna Jarrett is among the star players who has been retained in the Irish selection, after starring for Wexford Youths in their FAI Cup final win over Peamount United.
“I think she has been very smart,” says Pauw when asked if Jarrett is an example of a player who can achieve in the domestic league.
She has had three ACL injuries and she has chosen to settle. I have not spoken directly to her about that, but here she can settle and she can build on getting back into football in a safe way, that she won’t hurt herself again. And of now course she is performing like this.
“There are, of course a lot of positives about going abroad. But there are also a lot of negatives.
“The quality can both be on the same level. You can see it with Rianna. She is doing really, really well. Nobody could notice that she is one of the players that people think who should have played abroad.”
Another notable name on the squad list for the clash with Greece is Chloe Mustaki, the former U19 captain who has come through a huge personal challenge in recent years.
She was selected for Euro 2021 qualifier against the Ukraine, which was her first senior call-up since she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014.
“She’s been absolutely fantastic,” replied Pauw when asked about the Shelbourne player.
“I was aware of her situation. I had a four-hour meeting with the doctor to go through all their backgrounds.
She’s done very well.
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