HAVING DECOMPRESSED AFTER the Slovenia shocker in her second game in charge, Carla Ward came to her next press conference locked and loaded.
The Ireland boss labelled the 4-0 drubbing “a blessing in disguise” and admitted she was overseeing a transitional period amid a raft of retirements and a Euro 2025 playoff hangover.
“This could be difficult at the start, messy in the middle and beautiful at the end,” was the headline-ready quote offered.
Ward may have taken inspiration from Canadian motivational speaker and author Robin Sharma, who is widely attributed as saying, “All change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.”
Fourteen months into Ward’s Ireland reign, the progress is clear to see, and the hope is that this will continue to blossom into something beautiful.
Her “when we get to the World Cup” statement after securing back-to-back wins over Poland and significantly strengthening their 2027 World Cup qualifying chances underlines the confidence it will.
- Difficult and messy -
Ward’s introduction to international management was a scrappy, unconvincing 1-0 home win over Türkiye, before that Slovenia thumping left Ireland on the back foot in the race for promotion from Nations League B.
The former Aston Villa boss took full ownership as her tactical overhaul backfired in Koper, but urged patience as she looked to implement a more attacking, possession-based style in a 4-3-3 system.
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An enduring image from a chastening night in Koper. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland bounced back with a 4-0 second-half win away to Greece, before holding on for an underwhelming 2-1 victory in the return tie. They needed a late Emily Murphy winner for a great escape in Türkiye, and an early Saoirse Noonan decider to inflict some revenge on Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as they headed for the play-offs.
There were mixed views on a pair of summer friendlies in the US, with several big names missing in a pair of 4-0 defeats, but Ward will circle it as crucial in the growth phase. It was there she reverted to the back three/five generally preferred by Ireland through the years, while peripheral figures Murphy, Marissa Sheva and Chloe Mustaki stepped into more central roles. Much work was done off the pitch, with the squad bonding further.
- Lift off -
The Nations League promotion/relegation play-off win over Belgium last October was a major turning point. Ireland laid the groundwork with an impressive 4-2 win at Aviva Stadium before Abbie Larkin’s late goal in Leuven secured a 5-4 aggregate victory – and sent them back to League A.
This provided a major World Cup qualifying boost, their top-tier status guaranteeing a play-off regardless of results. A 3-2 win over Hungary in a bizarre behind-closed-doors friendly in Marbella rounded off Ward’s first year in charge, with a massive 2026 lying in wait.
With big-hitters France and Netherlands up first in the qualifiers, encouraging performances could not yield points as Ireland suffered late 2-1 defeats.
But with third place – at least – the target, last week’s double-header against closest rivals Poland was always going to be defining. A dominant 3-2 win in Gdańsk was followed by a more routine 1-0 victory at Aviva Stadium as the Girls In Green seized control of third, which offers a more favourable play-off route on paper and staves off Nations League relegation.
They also became the first-ever team to start League A in Pot 4 and win two matches.
- Progress -
Ireland have found the back of the net in every game of the campaign so far, scoring six goals in four matches.
The last time they were in League A, for the Euro 2025 qualifiers under Eileen Gleeson, they were held scoreless in the same period before breaking their duck in the fifth game and finishing with four in six.
Marissa Sheva celebrates her goal with Emily Murphy and Denise O'Sullivan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
In a group with France, England and Sweden, they failed to keep a clean sheet two years ago, with one already recorded here.
The difference is marked, with that more attacking, possession-based style coming to the fore. Ireland are no longer relying on a rare counter-attack or set piece to relieve pressure and nick a goal; they are playing with more freedom and confidence, comfortable on the ball and racking up chances.
When it comes to shots, they have hit double figures in every game thus far. They failed to get near that in League A last time.
Take the two France openers alone: at Tallaght Stadium last month, the hosts had 13 shots, seven of those on target. (France’s two goals were their only shots on target from 13). In Metz two years ago, Ireland had one single attempt, which was on target, compared to their host’s eight from 22.
Possession stats are generally up, with better football on show as Ireland play to their strengths in a 5-3-2. While depth continues to be an issue, Ward has found her best XI: Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan remain pivotal, but other players have stepped up, with Murphy’s added threat up top requisite.
The head coach has lauded consistency. She will likely admit herself she tried to change too much too soon on her arrival, but “layering up” has proved effective. With time at a premium from camp to camp, Ireland look to add something to their game each window. The focus was on out-of-possession play last month; use of the ball the bedrock this time around.
Levelling up must continue to be the aim. The upward trajectory has been highlighted by movement in the Fifa world rankings: the Poland double sees Ireland climb four places to 23rd, one off their highest-ever position in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup.
Ireland can now aim for more in Group A2, with automatic qualification still mathematically possible ahead of their final group games against Netherlands (home) and France (away).
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A different final whistle image as Ward celebrates the second win over Poland. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
- Crunching more numbers -
Ward’s record is now 15 played: nine wins, six defeats. Looking just at competitive games, it’s eight wins and four defeats.
Ireland have scored in all bar one of those 12 competitive games – Slovenia away – with 21 goals converted and 18 conceded. In total, it’s 24 for, 26 against. They have kept four clean sheets: Saturday was the first in six competitive matches, and nine overall, since Slovenia at home last June.
To compare with her predecessor, Eileen Gleeson’s record was 18 played, nine wins, two draws and seven defeats (W9 D1 L6 competitively) before the FAI decided against renewing her contract after failure to qualify for Euro 2025.
The bulk of the 35 goals scored were in Nations League B and the play-off semi-final against lowly Georgia, while 17 were conceded with seven clean sheets recorded.
Vera Pauw’s total was 34 played, 15 wins, five draws, 14 defeats, spanning from 2019 to 2023. With many of the losses to higher-ranked opposition in friendlies, the competitive record breaks down to nine wins, four draws, and six losses in 19 games.
Focusing on Pauw’s opening 15 games, Ireland won five, drew two and lost eight, scoring 17 goals and conceding 22. Friendlies aside, it was three wins, two draws, four defeats, with 12 goals for and 13 against. Two clean sheets were kept across the board.
Progress made, much more would follow.
Pauw stands alone in history as the only manager to have guided the Irish women’s team to a major tournament. Ward now hopes to join her, and steer Ireland to back-to-back World Cup finals in Brazil next summer.
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'Difficult, messy, beautiful': Ireland's progress under Carla Ward
HAVING DECOMPRESSED AFTER the Slovenia shocker in her second game in charge, Carla Ward came to her next press conference locked and loaded.
The Ireland boss labelled the 4-0 drubbing “a blessing in disguise” and admitted she was overseeing a transitional period amid a raft of retirements and a Euro 2025 playoff hangover.
“This could be difficult at the start, messy in the middle and beautiful at the end,” was the headline-ready quote offered.
Ward may have taken inspiration from Canadian motivational speaker and author Robin Sharma, who is widely attributed as saying, “All change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.”
Fourteen months into Ward’s Ireland reign, the progress is clear to see, and the hope is that this will continue to blossom into something beautiful.
Her “when we get to the World Cup” statement after securing back-to-back wins over Poland and significantly strengthening their 2027 World Cup qualifying chances underlines the confidence it will.
- Difficult and messy -
Ward’s introduction to international management was a scrappy, unconvincing 1-0 home win over Türkiye, before that Slovenia thumping left Ireland on the back foot in the race for promotion from Nations League B.
The former Aston Villa boss took full ownership as her tactical overhaul backfired in Koper, but urged patience as she looked to implement a more attacking, possession-based style in a 4-3-3 system.
Ireland bounced back with a 4-0 second-half win away to Greece, before holding on for an underwhelming 2-1 victory in the return tie. They needed a late Emily Murphy winner for a great escape in Türkiye, and an early Saoirse Noonan decider to inflict some revenge on Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as they headed for the play-offs.
There were mixed views on a pair of summer friendlies in the US, with several big names missing in a pair of 4-0 defeats, but Ward will circle it as crucial in the growth phase. It was there she reverted to the back three/five generally preferred by Ireland through the years, while peripheral figures Murphy, Marissa Sheva and Chloe Mustaki stepped into more central roles. Much work was done off the pitch, with the squad bonding further.
- Lift off -
The Nations League promotion/relegation play-off win over Belgium last October was a major turning point. Ireland laid the groundwork with an impressive 4-2 win at Aviva Stadium before Abbie Larkin’s late goal in Leuven secured a 5-4 aggregate victory – and sent them back to League A.
This provided a major World Cup qualifying boost, their top-tier status guaranteeing a play-off regardless of results. A 3-2 win over Hungary in a bizarre behind-closed-doors friendly in Marbella rounded off Ward’s first year in charge, with a massive 2026 lying in wait.
With big-hitters France and Netherlands up first in the qualifiers, encouraging performances could not yield points as Ireland suffered late 2-1 defeats.
But with third place – at least – the target, last week’s double-header against closest rivals Poland was always going to be defining. A dominant 3-2 win in Gdańsk was followed by a more routine 1-0 victory at Aviva Stadium as the Girls In Green seized control of third, which offers a more favourable play-off route on paper and staves off Nations League relegation.
They also became the first-ever team to start League A in Pot 4 and win two matches.
- Progress -
Ireland have found the back of the net in every game of the campaign so far, scoring six goals in four matches.
The last time they were in League A, for the Euro 2025 qualifiers under Eileen Gleeson, they were held scoreless in the same period before breaking their duck in the fifth game and finishing with four in six.
In a group with France, England and Sweden, they failed to keep a clean sheet two years ago, with one already recorded here.
The difference is marked, with that more attacking, possession-based style coming to the fore. Ireland are no longer relying on a rare counter-attack or set piece to relieve pressure and nick a goal; they are playing with more freedom and confidence, comfortable on the ball and racking up chances.
When it comes to shots, they have hit double figures in every game thus far. They failed to get near that in League A last time.
Take the two France openers alone: at Tallaght Stadium last month, the hosts had 13 shots, seven of those on target. (France’s two goals were their only shots on target from 13). In Metz two years ago, Ireland had one single attempt, which was on target, compared to their host’s eight from 22.
Possession stats are generally up, with better football on show as Ireland play to their strengths in a 5-3-2. While depth continues to be an issue, Ward has found her best XI: Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan remain pivotal, but other players have stepped up, with Murphy’s added threat up top requisite.
The head coach has lauded consistency. She will likely admit herself she tried to change too much too soon on her arrival, but “layering up” has proved effective. With time at a premium from camp to camp, Ireland look to add something to their game each window. The focus was on out-of-possession play last month; use of the ball the bedrock this time around.
Levelling up must continue to be the aim. The upward trajectory has been highlighted by movement in the Fifa world rankings: the Poland double sees Ireland climb four places to 23rd, one off their highest-ever position in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup.
Ireland can now aim for more in Group A2, with automatic qualification still mathematically possible ahead of their final group games against Netherlands (home) and France (away).
- Crunching more numbers -
Ward’s record is now 15 played: nine wins, six defeats. Looking just at competitive games, it’s eight wins and four defeats.
Ireland have scored in all bar one of those 12 competitive games – Slovenia away – with 21 goals converted and 18 conceded. In total, it’s 24 for, 26 against. They have kept four clean sheets: Saturday was the first in six competitive matches, and nine overall, since Slovenia at home last June.
To compare with her predecessor, Eileen Gleeson’s record was 18 played, nine wins, two draws and seven defeats (W9 D1 L6 competitively) before the FAI decided against renewing her contract after failure to qualify for Euro 2025.
The bulk of the 35 goals scored were in Nations League B and the play-off semi-final against lowly Georgia, while 17 were conceded with seven clean sheets recorded.
Vera Pauw’s total was 34 played, 15 wins, five draws, 14 defeats, spanning from 2019 to 2023. With many of the losses to higher-ranked opposition in friendlies, the competitive record breaks down to nine wins, four draws, and six losses in 19 games.
Focusing on Pauw’s opening 15 games, Ireland won five, drew two and lost eight, scoring 17 goals and conceding 22. Friendlies aside, it was three wins, two draws, four defeats, with 12 goals for and 13 against. Two clean sheets were kept across the board.
Progress made, much more would follow.
Pauw stands alone in history as the only manager to have guided the Irish women’s team to a major tournament. Ward now hopes to join her, and steer Ireland to back-to-back World Cup finals in Brazil next summer.
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