AS FRANCE MANAGER Laurent Bonadei and star striker Melvine Malard spoke to the media ahead of tomorrow’s showdown against Ireland, cheering and chanting from nearby seeped into the press conference room.
The French team sounded in high spirits, preparing for their pitch session on the eve of this straight shootout for automatic World Cup qualification [KO 8pm, live on RTÉ 2].
While Ireland had carried out their pre-match duties at the impressive Stade des Alpes under searing sun earlier in the day, a light shower welcomed Les Bleues to the field.
Players opened the reprieve with arms outstretched, and underwent final preparations.
A view of France training. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Carla Ward had hailed her managerial counterpart as a “gentleman” in her own press conference, and Bonadei later returned the praise.
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Asked about Ward’s Ireland team and whether he was surprised they beat Netherlands to set up this winner-takes-all showdown, the boss said:
“It’s not a surprise because Carla is a really good coach. She has good experience, you can watch the last results. She won the three last games but also nine of the last 14 games. Ireland has the chance to qualify, they deserve the position. We can see the first game, it was really hard. We won with the goals of Melvine at the end of the game, but it was a really hard game.
“Carla has some ideas to disturb the opponent. Remember the size of the pitch at the first game. Hopefully today and tomorrow she will not reduce the width!
“We are ready because she probably plans some things that we have to be focused on the game. She can imagine something really hard for us. We know she can give a good fighting spirit to a player, so it will be a really good game tomorrow I think.”
Malard broke Irish hearts in their 2-1 win on a narrowed Tallaght Stadium in March, the Manchester United striker’s eight-minute brace off the bench completing the comeback.
She name-checked Katie McCabe as a regular WSL opponent, and also had a word for former United teammate Aoife Mannion.
Questioned about both by The 42, Malard said: “It’s two similar players.
“They are very aggressive, love to play angry, so it’s good. It is good because it can give me and my team big energy for tomorrow. We will be ready for that. It’s a very good player and a good team, like my coach said, team sprit.”
“We should have qualified before this game and we can’t let it slip now,” the former Lyon player added separately. “We hope to qualify and have a quiet summer.
“It would be a dream to reach the World Cup in the home of football. We think about it every day. And to win it would be a dream.”
Malard celebrating scoring against Ireland as Mannion watches on. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
While France are talking about winning the World Cup, Irish minds are occupied by simply getting there.
To stun the seventh-ranked team and qualify directly would be utterly sensational, with the seeded play-off they have already secured the most logical route.
Bonadei said he thought Ireland could be in this position, having been relieved to escape with three points in March after other recent duels.
“Of course. Because remember in the second Nations League edition, we won only 1-0 in Metz and we lost the last game 3-1 (in Páirc Uí Chaoimh). We can follow this team each season and we can watch them improve a lot. After the game, I was sure that these players with this coach were able to make many efforts and put pressure on the opponent.
“As you can see, they never give up and all the time they put pressure on the team. As mentioned by Melvine, McCabe is an aggressive player but not (just that). She is a very fantastic player with a left foot and a lot of skills, throw-ins, set-pieces and tactical positions. She can play on the left and sometimes she can play in (central) defence.
“They have (Emily) Murphy, she plays in Newcastle in the second league but she has a lot of skills also with speed and she can take the deep position. (Denise) O’Sullivan also, these two players didn’t play the first game so they will be fit for the game. We know Ireland is a good team and they will probably improve in the Fifa ranking.”
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The French view: Carla Ward's 'ideas to disturb the opponent' and 'angry' Katie McCabe
AS FRANCE MANAGER Laurent Bonadei and star striker Melvine Malard spoke to the media ahead of tomorrow’s showdown against Ireland, cheering and chanting from nearby seeped into the press conference room.
The French team sounded in high spirits, preparing for their pitch session on the eve of this straight shootout for automatic World Cup qualification [KO 8pm, live on RTÉ 2].
While Ireland had carried out their pre-match duties at the impressive Stade des Alpes under searing sun earlier in the day, a light shower welcomed Les Bleues to the field.
Players opened the reprieve with arms outstretched, and underwent final preparations.
Carla Ward had hailed her managerial counterpart as a “gentleman” in her own press conference, and Bonadei later returned the praise.
Asked about Ward’s Ireland team and whether he was surprised they beat Netherlands to set up this winner-takes-all showdown, the boss said:
“It’s not a surprise because Carla is a really good coach. She has good experience, you can watch the last results. She won the three last games but also nine of the last 14 games. Ireland has the chance to qualify, they deserve the position. We can see the first game, it was really hard. We won with the goals of Melvine at the end of the game, but it was a really hard game.
“We are ready because she probably plans some things that we have to be focused on the game. She can imagine something really hard for us. We know she can give a good fighting spirit to a player, so it will be a really good game tomorrow I think.”
Malard broke Irish hearts in their 2-1 win on a narrowed Tallaght Stadium in March, the Manchester United striker’s eight-minute brace off the bench completing the comeback.
She name-checked Katie McCabe as a regular WSL opponent, and also had a word for former United teammate Aoife Mannion.
Questioned about both by The 42, Malard said: “It’s two similar players.
“We should have qualified before this game and we can’t let it slip now,” the former Lyon player added separately. “We hope to qualify and have a quiet summer.
“It would be a dream to reach the World Cup in the home of football. We think about it every day. And to win it would be a dream.”
While France are talking about winning the World Cup, Irish minds are occupied by simply getting there.
To stun the seventh-ranked team and qualify directly would be utterly sensational, with the seeded play-off they have already secured the most logical route.
Bonadei said he thought Ireland could be in this position, having been relieved to escape with three points in March after other recent duels.
“Of course. Because remember in the second Nations League edition, we won only 1-0 in Metz and we lost the last game 3-1 (in Páirc Uí Chaoimh). We can follow this team each season and we can watch them improve a lot. After the game, I was sure that these players with this coach were able to make many efforts and put pressure on the opponent.
“They have (Emily) Murphy, she plays in Newcastle in the second league but she has a lot of skills also with speed and she can take the deep position. (Denise) O’Sullivan also, these two players didn’t play the first game so they will be fit for the game. We know Ireland is a good team and they will probably improve in the Fifa ranking.”
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