THE MOOD IN Marbella is relaxed, a momentous 2023 well and truly starting today.
The Republic of Ireland women’s national football team face China PR in their first competitive fixture of this World Cup year this afternoon [KO 1pm Irish time, live on RTÉ News Channel].
Vera Pauw’s side have been in Spain on a 10-day training camp, moving through the gears ahead of this international friendly. They played heavyweights Germany in an uncapped game behind closed doors on Friday, each of the 26-strong squad getting a good run-out across two blocks of 30 minutes and one block of 45.
While both teams agreed not to reveal the result, reports are Ireland shipped a few goals.
But it was a “very, very good exercise,” according to Pauw, the motor started once again as the Girls In Green gear up for their first-ever major tournament.
Sweden, Switzerland, and Belgium were among other teams using Marbella as a base in this first international window of the year, others opting to play at the SheBelieves, Arnold and Pinatar Cups.
Away from the football scene, there’s hustle and bustle about as holiday-makers enjoy the beautiful surroundings in the still sprightly, but less busy, springtime.
The weather has been pleasant, the temperature in the mid-teens and the sun making its first real appearance of the week yesterday.
Spirits were high at the Dama de Noche Football Centre, where Ireland have been training throughout their stay, as Pauw, her staff, and players warmly welcomed the travelling media on the eve of the Chinese challenge.
There were handshakes and casual chat before the dictaphones turned on and pitch-side interviews commenced, a Norwegian club team training on the next pitch over at the picturesque venue in the shadows of an overpeering mountain.
From the outside looking in, the addition of three new faces to the squad this camp in Aoife Mannion, Marissa Sheva, and Deborah-Anne De La Harpe could have somewhat overshadowed proceedings, but from all accounts, on the face of it anyway, the mood is good and the vibe unchanged.
Vera Pauw insists the dynamic remains settled and balanced.
“It’s building up. There are players that don’t worry, and there are players that worry about being on the plane. That’s all part of this process. We have talks with different players and we have talks after the camp also. No decisions have been made, not at all. Slowly, slowly, it gets a bit clear who is in each area. My way, as you know, has always been to be honest with players. It will be hard but they need to know where they stand.”
The new trio have been integrated accordingly and are “really part of the group,” Pauw insists, their humility shining through on and off the pitch.
Megan Connolly was also up for media duties yesterday, echoing her manager’s sentiments on the feeling in camp and preparations for the summer ramping up.
On-field competition is obviously going up a few notches as time ticks on, though that mixing and bonding remains during downtime. Going for coffee with different groups is the main activity, watching games involving World Cup opposition another.
‘Be still,’ one of several tattoos on Connolly’s arms reads, the returning Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder explaining her mantra to always be present.
On and off the pitch.
Enjoy it.
“Everyone wants to build up towards that first game against Australia. It is just about building for every game, building a team, whoever that is. It is very competitive at the minute. As you can tell. Everybody wants to be on that plane, everyone wants to be there, which does help in camp. Everyone wants to do their best.
“Obviously it is everybody’s dream. It is just about building that team togetherness even if the dynamic changes from camp to camp when people are getting more chances and different players are in. But it is just about everyone getting that chance and building the team.”
The 2023 foundations will be laid at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Cadiz today; the 7,500-capacity home of Spanish third-tier outfit Algeciras CF a 50-minute spin from Marbella.
China, the reigning Asian Cup champions and team ranked 14th in Fifa’s world rankings (Ireland are 23rd), are the opposition, The Steel Roses looking to bounce back from a 4-1 defeat to Sweden last week.
“You will see that because of the closed-door game [against Germany] we will be ready for China,” Pauw stressed. “They were not ready for that pressure, and they were 3-0 behind after 12 minutes. But after that, you could see they have a very good squad and a decent team. And they played an equal game after that.”
“We need to grow,” she added. “Our defensive team-work organisation is fantastic, after seven clean sheets in eight, no defeats. Now we can take risks and find our limits and keep working on that.
“We have the potential to increase our team-work in attacking. We try to make steps with that now because we have a little bit of time. This is not a qualifier or anything so it’s better to make mistakes now rather than at the first game in the World Cup. We are trying to make steps.”
Step by step, a momentous 2023 officially getting underway.