IRELAND BOSS Eileen Gleeson has rejected claims there is a “disconnect” between the national team and the Women’s Premier Division.
The Dubliner says she has been an advocate for the domestic game for more than 30 years and has selected three Women’s Premier Division players in her latest squad — Katie Keane (Athlone Town), Eva Mangan (Cork City) and Julie-Ann Russell (Galway United) — ahead of the upcoming two-legged Euro 2025 Qualifying Play-Off against Georgia.
Gleeson replied to claims from Athlone boss Ciarán Kilduff, who suggested that “no connection” exists between the Women’s Premier Division and the national team.
“I don’t think it’s a disconnect, we contact clubs and we’re linking about their players,” the Irish boss said. “My role is about the senior national team, and if we need to engage in the communication we do, whether that’s me, whether that’s part of the technical staff, whether it’s the performance coach.”
One source of frustration among some in the league has been the scrapping of home-based sessions — a measure introduced by former manager Colin Bell and carried on (albeit to a lesser extent) by Vera Pauw.
These sessions allowed amateur domestic players to train in a professional environment and bolster their chances of an international call-up.
There is now a plan to develop a U23 Irish team to bridge the chasms in levels that exist between the current U19 team and the senior side.
Outlining the reasons for ditching the home-based sessions, Gleeson said: “We believe we can be better in terms of talent management, we can be much more specific with our high potential players.
“Nobody is in any disagreement that we do need u23s and we do need to capture post u19s. I’ve been the biggest advocate of this and we all know where the gaps are. That’s what we’re looking for.
“I hear home sessions being exalted, but it’s the same people that were annihilating them when they were on who are exalting them now. So in principle, having something there to fill that pathway is critical.”
The Irish manager said the idea is being “developed” and explained there is no definitive timeline for when these plans might come to fruition.
Asked whether the cash-strapped Football Association of Ireland didn’t have the funds to accommodate a U23 team, Gleeson responded: “At the moment, it is all being developed so I have no specifics to give you.”
Pressed on the issue of FAI finances, the former Peamount and DLR Waves coach continued: “We are always calling on government support, it is one of our main sources of funding. But it is also about getting creative about how we do things and doing things the best way to facilitate the talented League Of Ireland player.
“Objectively, there are differences to the levels that these players play at, there are different contact times, there is a different intensity to the games. The benchmarks and the outputs from League of Ireland games to WSL (the Women’s Super League in England) games are incredible and that is where we need to develop the most suitable programme that can enhance that player’s level and give them the best opportunity to make the national team.”
I’m a ‘pool fan and I say good luck to him. Best ever.
Me too, I’m thinking that Trappatoni should maybe consider a move to Old Trafford.
Greatest manager of all time.
I’m a Leeds fan – proud of it too despite our recent struggles. Although I’ve lost weight recently, I’m still big enough to admit that Ferguson’s record is and shall remain unsurpassed. Master of the carrot and stick – stamped his authority on Man U early by exiting a few opinion leading trouble makers… that was key…
Irreplaceable
but will be replaced
Hopefully not yet, I reckon he ll stay another while. I ‘m sure he d love to do battle with Jose for the premiership again. He ll retire after he wins the treble again.
It took him 13 years to win a European cup and has only won 2 European cups in 27 years…. Hardly irreplaceable. Jose would laugh at those stats
Just how many league titles has he won?
Moyes in charge of Man U is a bit scary but I won’t miss whiskeynose myself
How much money has fergie had to make his teams compared to mourinho? The team that won in ’99, how many came through the youths? Most fergie ever paid was 32.5 million. I doubt the amount of money fergie spent over 27 years compared to mourinho is nothing.
Jose at Porto !!! And beat united along the way!!! Bebe, djemba djemba, Anderson, veron. Getting rid of stam, and Gerard piqué … What a mistake that was and then he couldn’t handle ronaldo. Jose record against fergie with Porto Inter Chelsea and Madrid is exceptional. A bit like Benitez he just had fergies number
In fergie v rafa games. Fergie has won more 8-5 check your stats before you make a stupid comment.
Couldn’t handle ronaldo? When he came he was a play acting, prima Donna show pony and he left united as the worlds best player up there with Lionel messi! And he’d have left a season earlier if it wasn’t for his relationship with ferguson. He was always going to go to Madrid, no manager was going to stop that but it wasn’t down to mismanagement!!
Steve Staunton would be a brilliant replacement. : )
If not Staunton then Roy the boy would be a contender or that other managerial genius Dean Saunders!
As a Liverpool fan, if this is the end I wish him luck. He made Liverpool irrelevant in the league. The will to win will be hard to replace once gone.
Luke your a united fan
Born and bred Liverpool fan mate. Just appreciating what an impact he has had on football. He’s been united manager since I was born.
Your not a pool fan bud… Your a united fan . Alex Ferguson couldn’t handle Jose or Pep. two European cups in 27 years, that’s a poor stat. No wondering he is pulling plug before Jose lands back at Chelsea… He can’t beat the special one
Lashes you’re a trolling fan I’d say!
Liverpool fan of forty years here. Fergie has been the bane of our lives but is indeed one of the greats.
Stats don’t lie! How many leagues does the so called special one have! Give king fregie the respect he deserves. So many haters where’s the love! For a true legend.
Cue Harry rednapp driving slowly past the sky news cameras with his window down….
The game will be duller without old whiskey nose, but as a Liverpool fan, I’m hoping this marks the beginning of their decline, no way they would have won as much with that squad over the last few seasons without him
Fergies contract is obviously up for renewal!
I thought he has a rolling one year contract
Couldn’t agree more, united should never achieved so much when your look at some of the players in their squad
seems to be very well timed with jose m’s recent comments about being loved in england…i don’t think he was talking about chelsea after the manner in which he left
Fair play to The Journal, nothing on Football365, Sky Sports, etc.
It’s all over twitter for hours
That’s the first thing I done when I heard the news, but is that a good sign or a bad sign, you would think sky sports would have closer sources.
I’m sure sky news have heard about it but usually if something appears on sky sports it’s fact this could just be paper talk.
It’s down to the drop in odds on David Moyes. You could read one of two things into that. Fergie and Moyes are both racehorse owners and would count many heavy gamblers as friends, if they let slip to one of them then it could lead yo money being bet, similar to the huge gamble by Harry Redknapp and pals when he became Pompey manager. However it’s not unknown for bookmaking firms to clip points off names in the frame in an effort to drum up business in a particular market.
A couple of hundred quid would slash those odds to nothing. And all to get some publicity. Bookies do these all the time in such flimsy markets. They create the hype to generate publicity and income.
Twitter ain’t gospel
Well, this morning we found out it’s true
@Karl, when something appears on Sky it’s fact? You’ve obviously never watched their Transfer Deadline Day coverage
Thought he was going for a hip operation and bookies slashed odds on moyes being asist manager
I’d take it with a pinch of salt until further notice.
Wouldn’t want Moyes at United. No European experience and never dealt with big-name players.
But he’s shrewd with the dollars. Is Fellaini not a big player .
The Toffees also qualified for the Europa League, for which Everton qualified based upon their fifth place finish in the 2008–09 Premier League, entering in the play-off round; Everton advanced through the Group Stage and were ultimately defeated 4–2 on aggregate by Portuguese club Sporting CP in the Round of 32.
Not in the Man Utd sense he’s not. They deal in the Rooney’s, Ronaldos, Vidic’s, Keane’s, Van Nistlerooy’s, Giggs, Scholes and RVP’s of this world. Players who are /were in the top 3/4 in their position in the world!
Fellani is a good player, just not Man Utd good!
He’s 6ft 4.5″ I think.
Moyes is shrewd with the dollars because he has to be with Everton’s limited resources. And Fellaini is not in the same league as United’s big names in terms of stardom…
I’d say he’s came across many a different personality over theyears, a decade in the prem , I’m sure he knows a thing or two about the united players. He’s a long term option unlike mourinho anyway.
No!
It never worked and never will having the previous manager looking over a new managers shoulder, similar to having a director of football. If Fergie does retire and hopefully he doesn’t, then a clean slate is needed with Fergie completely gone. Hopefully this is pure speculation.
Couldn’t agree more!
Roy Keane for the next Manager of United. Has to be. Or Shteve McLaren. YNWA
The United fans deserve a true giant of the game to manage their club, it’s got to be Steve Keane. He can take that club to places they haven’t been in almost 40years and as luck would have it he is currently available.
Like evans, raphael, ferdinand, fletcher, cleverley, wellbeck, jones, nani, anderson, hernandez, bebe, rooney worldclass you mean? Utd have a very average squad with one or two world class players at most.. in fairness to their manager he has them playing well most of the season but there is no way that team will win the league again. .
With or without the hair, Fergus?
What does this average squad winning this league comprehensively, with games to spare, say about the super star squads of Man City, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Everton & that other Merseyside club???
He’s 7ft 8″ with the hair
You may be right but people say this every year…
Got to hand it to the Journal. First out of the blocks.
Fergie will be United manager when the new season kicks off it August..
Mourinho is absolutely the wrong man for the job. Utd need someone with a record of longevity, not someone who will only stay for a few seasons until he gets too bored, even if he wins a champs league or two. I’m not on team Moyes, but you have to respect his dedication and loyalty to one club for so long.
…even if he wins a CL or two? Course they’d take that! Why wouldn’t they?
Complete horsesh1t, that man will go another two seasons at least. He will be laughing at this story being put out in media world. As a loyal spurs fan I dont have much gra for utd but respect the man hugely, you have to admire his passion.
José Mourinho is the only man to take over.
I agree but I’m hearing David Moyes is to be appointed assistant manager next season with a view to taking over in one or two seasons
To be honest I wouldn’t really like Mourinho while he obviously has an outstanding track record he’s generally had to spend a lot of money and his teams are never the best to watch. I would much rather someone like Jürgen Klopp what he’s done at Dortmund is unbelievable and if he was at a club the size of United he wouldn’t have the issue of some of the bigger players leaving for better pay packets elsewhere. Would be great to see what he could do at United.
It’s all lies,he’s not even square!!
Mourinho will be in by the end of the month.
jose could not do it at madrid, so what makes everyone think he can say united. jose always have player issues. would not be surprised if a low profile type got the job. even giggs as player manager. who else knows man u better. pool fan….
JM has won league and cup with Madrid. What player issues did he have with Porto, Chelsea and Inter?
Madrid has always been a soap opera and the Manager has only ever been a second thought. It’s said ZZ called the shots when he was there.
at other clubs he always hid issues. why you think he even left chelsea, even though abramovich ‘loved him’?
Pepe, Casillas come to mind immediately
He left Chelsea cos Roman was interfering with team decisions and staff appointments. It’s a well know fact that for his last 6 months at Chelsea he and Roman didn’t speak. He was the longest reigning Chelsea manager since 1997.
Jose is a good manager no doubting that, but Man u is run differently. They want someone who will be there a long time, keep stability. Do not get that with Jose. He is too enigmatic.
Long term as in Fergie long term? The game has changed since Fergie took over…managers don’t last as long anymore. look at that saying, you’re only good as your last game, that used to refer to players but now it seems to refer to managers!
Moyes and wenger are both long term managers. Utd will want a long term replacement.
Good riddance I say..gets away with murder abusing referees & assistants for years,& the F.A. never raise a voice against him..
Yet he’s banned and fined more than any manager? Take off the anti united specs
you miss the point, he said he gets away with it….
Obviously not
Give it to rafa. Haha
Any managerial changes would have to be announced publicly due to the club’s flotation
Roy KEANE as next manager??? Would be priceless
what i think doesnt matter…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Adrian… Mourinho leaves Madrid in the summer to take over at Utd.
United don’t deal well with change, remember how the team played when he announced his retirement last time round? Heres hoping it’s the beginning of the end for Asia’s favourite team.
Seriously, Mourinho not the man, Klopp would be a lot better….Jose brings too much baggage, hypes himself.
Not to mention IKEA boxes
Martin O Neill would be perfect to take over.
Are you high?
I’d prefer Steve Staunton myself
Jurgen Klopp would be the man for the job
This looks like more British newspaper nonsense but we’ll see. I just can’t see Ferguson walking away now.
Mourinho is the safe bet if Ferguson goes, everyone knows he’s a top manager. David Moyes has never been the manager of one the big boys in football.
I like David Moyes but he is up to the job……….
Well, United’s last home game of the season is this Sunday, so maybe he wants it to be his farewell
I prefer Jalepeno relish over tomato sauce these days.
Legend fergie BIG boots to fill… Best manager of all time!!!
Eh its splashed all over tomorrows telegraph!
To be fair, that’s hardly gospel is it?
Gospel according to adrian@thescore.ie
If he does go id like david moyes to get it…!!
not a United fan but i’d say that loads of United fans would be unhappy with Moyes fair enough he has done well with limitied resources but there are 4 or 5 more higher proflile managers out there ie Ancellotti Klop Mourinho Hyneks and so on
Making a late move for José ….. only man to handle fergies boots fact!
Jose, Guardiola or Klopp. Only 2 are available.
As a public company they will have to make a statement.
Brilliant news, the dynasty ends, next manager whoever it is will be guaranteed to fail, love it, horrible club,
I hope not but we all this day was coming, I hoped one more year- how do u replace the irreplaceable, I don’t know – David Moyes isn’t the right choice for me, he has alot of the attributes of a young ferguson but he Ferguson came into a struggling United team and the fit was right for the time-
Moyes has no European experience and has not dealt with big name players or big budgets- the time has passed for Moyes
I don’t know who could go in there I have been a Utd fan since 1981 and the signing of Bryan Robson is my first memory- ferguson is one of the best managers of All time- if I was pushed
Mourhino has all the experience, big budgets , big name players, and he might bring Ronaldo back with him
I hope it’s not true, Ferguson stay 1 more year for the European Cup
Mites has never won ANYTHING, end of…
He mite win something next year
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned the only man good enough to fill those boots. HODGSON. Also, if I’m not mistaken the last time United had to replace the irreplaceable they were relegated shortly after. One can only dream
Oh yes Hodgson, the man utd fans were ever so dismayed at his sacking at Liverpool. How could you sack that lovely man. Well lets see the reaction should he be linked with the job!
Steve Staunton and the ghost of Bobby Robson,kinda like a footballing version of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).
i’ll be glad to see the back of him (if rumours are true) as he is one of the all time greats
what i heard is that Fergie will give it one more year and Moyes will be assistant, than he will take over season after
Moyes isnt a bad manager but I’d hate to see him at O.T, Only Jose has the C.V to take over from Sir Alex
Only Jose has the CV to come in, buy old players, win a couple of trophys, fall out with everyone and leave with the club in a worse state. Would take almost anyone else above him.
Everyone knows that Fergie and Mourinho are friends- but what isn’t known is that how close they are and are in constant contact
Fergie will hand pick his replacement
That’s kinda the way I’m thinking.Moyes is a good manager but just doesn’t have the experience for a club like United.
But Real Madrid will be looking for €30m compensation for Mourinho, apparently that’s why his talks with Chelsea have stalled this evening, will United be willing to pay it?
That’s the big question???
After 25 years, uncertainty is not something we are used to.
DOH!!!
27 years!!!
He said in his match notes on Sunday that he had no intention of walking away from something so special.
Now I will admit that he has a knack of blowing smoke to confuse people and we all know he will never tell us in advance when he intends to retire after the last time but I can’t see him making that statement umprovoked if he was intending on leaving.
Total bull, fungus face ain’t going anywhere!
It’s raining in Cork
tonight
Declan kidney would be perfect
How about Mick O Dwyer . Hasn’t had much to work with these last few years in Clare, Wicklow, Laois or Kildare so Utd would be a good move. He’s 104 but Fergie is no spring chicken either. Great for discipline, 70 laps of Old Trafford if you are late for training. Would cost Utd nothing in wages as the supporters club would pay his wages. Throw in a few quid for travel expenses and I reckon he might go for it. Utd for the all Ireland go on ye boy ye!!!
I don’t think moyes is the man for the job what has he done in his 12 seasons with Everton sweet fa. But on the upside I hope utd hire him
Heard he’s finally coming out of the closet and getting a job packing fudge :)
Giggs is the man for me, he knows the team, and the club, he also knows how to win !!!
Bwhahaha great ;-)
If Sir Alex does go this year, which I very much doubt, there is no way on earth he is going to let a big ego manager come in and change everything he has built up over the years…maybe Moyes will come in and take over while Fergie goes for his hip operation and work under him for a season or two afterwards while Fergie shows him the ropes….or maybe this is just all unfounded rumours and all the United haters will have to shut up and watch us win #21…
The worst loser in the history if the game, wont do interviews after being beat, good riddance
Thank God – the end of that minging black zip up cardigan and that piece of chewing gum……………….
Fergie is the greatest ever. Football, not just United will not be the same without him. This has happened before, these type of rumours but with his age now it could well be true this time. His extreme disappointment going out to Madrid could have been a man knowing he had just seen his last chance of a third champions league pass by. He may know its far from a great united side and big money not forthcoming from the glazers. If its announced this week then it will be today I would say. Last home game Sunday and he would surely want to say farewell in his final programme notes. They would have to go to print very soon. As for Moyes taking over, not too convinced to be honest.
In fairness he’s too intelligent not to realise his side would have been battered by a clearly superior Dortmund anyway so i dont think another tilt at a 3rd champ league is terribly relevant to be honest
What would United fans think it they saw Steve Staunton on Sky News later saying: “I am the gaffer!”
Seriously tho: Alex= Legend.
Looks like we might have to wait, rumours of 10am press conference, ah rumours
Concerned Chelsea fan here, imagine if Jose goes to utd! Not happy
It’s all bull it won’t happen, only last Sunday his programme notes were about how much he himself is looking forward to driving on next season and the hip operation has been mentioned in the past but this is the time to do it with no major competitions on this summer he can get all the rest he needs
Yuck this humble pie is rotten
‘Alex Fergusons Red and White Army’ ( sung until hoarse)
Paper doesn’t refuse ink. Wouldn’t be happy with Moyes, BUT he has done a good job with Everton with shag all budget and small stadium.
A lot of rumour. We will see but I suspect its pub talk.
Nothing left to achieve
You could have said that about 10 years ago. Fergie would have disagreed with you then just like he’d disagree with you now
Nothing left to achieve! How about spending 26 years trying ( and failing) to do what Bob paisley did in 9, win 3 European cups.
European Cups were much easier to win than the champions league is. Liverpool beat the likes of Widzew Lodz (who) every season. 1champions league these days worth about 3 old European Cups.
Fergie’s replacement is the biggest and hardest job in the EPL.
To keep UTD at the same level as old red nose, the new man will have
To bully match officials including managing the time of the second half,
he will also run the EPL and the EFA . In fact he will have to do a lot
better than Fergie. The new incoming manager won’t be given the time
Fergie was given to win his first trophy.
4 European cup finals and 2 wins in the last 14 years ain’t half bad. You can’t really count the first 10 years or so of his reign as he was totally rebuilding the club. They will notch another couple of finals in the next 10 years too, no doubt.
It was a knockout competition when Liverpool won them. So how is that easier than a league set up. Not sure about that.
Alex – Simply the greatest
Ferguson is now favourite to take over at Shamrock Rovers…
pool fan here but if i was a utd fan here id want mike phelan in ! no one has seen more or learnt more from Ferguson imo
He doesn’t own a pair of trousers, no chance
Who is Alex Feruasson
Watch Klopp get the job.
It’s all a load of old bollox
What is?
No one mentioned Roy Keane for the job
He might as well make it the “even” 30 yr job it may be a record in football terms.