FOUR MONTHS HAVE passed since the Fifa Women’s World Cup, and quite a lot has changed, but there has been no real slowdown for Ireland.
Under the watchful eye of interim manager Eileen Gleeson, they have clocked up four wins from four in their Uefa Nations League group, securing promotion to League A for 2024.
They face Hungary at Tallaght Stadium this evening [KO 7.30pm, RTÉ2] and Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on Tuesday to round out 2023.
The lesser quality of opposition in League B has certainly played a big part in avoiding the World Cup hangover, but there’s more to it than just that.
It’s interesting, particularly when you compare it to the men’s teams of the past after international tournaments. The end of 1988 brought a mixed bag: a scoreless draw with Northern Ireland, a win over Tunisia and defeat to Spain. Jack Chartlon’s side laboured to a 1-0 victory over Morocco after the 1990 World Cup, before comfortably overcoming Turkey and drawing with England.
They beat poorer opposition in late 1994 — Latvia (3-0), Liechtenstein (4-0) and Northern Ireland (4-0 at Windsor Park) — but couldn’t avoid the hangover from appearing on the global stage after the 2002 World Cup. European Championship qualifier defeats to Russia and Switzerland ensued, along with a 0-0 draw with Greece despite an earlier 3-0 win over Finland.
Returning the focus to the women’s game and the current day, European champions England are one example of a team who may be experiencing such fate. Sarina Wiegman’s side have struggled in League A in the wake of their World Cup final defeat to Spain. They have lost to Belgium and the Netherlands, and must beat the Dutch tonight to keep their Olympic qualification hopes alive.
But it’s been relatively plain sailing for Ireland in the lower tier.
Here’s a look at some reasons why:
Opposition quality
Hungary, Northern Ireland and Albania are lesser opposition — and significantly so.
They’re 42nd, 47th and 72nd respectively in Fifa’s world rankings, in contrast with Ireland at 24th. Northern Ireland are the only team to have featured at a major tournament in Euro 2022, but they suffered an alarming slide thereafter.
Before a ball was kicked, Ireland were firm favourites to top the group. This presented a very different challenge, but it’s one they have passed with flying colours.
In four games thus far, Ireland have racked up 13 goals and conceded just once — after seven minutes in the 5-1 win at home to Albania, much to the disappointment of Gleeson. Hungary are the next most proficient team up front with five goals. All three other sides are in the negative in terms of goal difference.
Ireland’s toughest test was surprisingly away to Albania last time out, though a thunderstorm did wreak havoc as they laboured to a 1-0 win. Otherwise, they have played their opposition off the pitch, with their increased number of professional players exposing a huge gulf.
“No disrespect to them,” as Denise O’Sullivan said this week, “but we’re going to be playing higher opposition in the future and I think we always have that in the back of our minds as a squad.
“But for us, we can only go out and play who we have in the opposition.”
Interim manager bounce
Vera Pauw’s departure was messy, to say the least. There was an overwhelming feeling it was all coming to a close, but it played out dramatically in public. The official word from the FAI, ultimately, was “a different and fresh approach” was needed.
Eileen Gleeson, FAI Head of Women and Girls’ Football and Pauw’s former assistant, took over as interim manager and went about steadying the ship. Emma Byrne and Colin Healy were enlisted as her assistants with a host of other impressive personnel, including former Brazil performance coach Ivi Casagrande, joining the set-up.
There has been a notable shift in atmosphere, with players lauding Gleeson and her staff in interviews and openly sharing their joy at the more front-footed style. There is significantly less pressure, and in turn, more freedom.
This is nothing new in football: an immediate lift in performance is often noticed when a new manager takes charge. Young blood like Peamount United duo Freya Healy (16) and Ellen Dolan (17) and Jessie Stapleton of West Ham (18) coming into the set-up has also freshened things up.
This double-header will likely be Gleeson’s last in charge, with a permanent appointment due in the coming weeks, so the group will be targeting a 100% record.
Club form
Most of Ireland’s big names have been firing on all cylinders since returning to their respective clubs after the World Cup. Often, individual performance levels dip in the wake of major tournaments, but there has largely been no such evidence for Ireland.
Katie McCabe is a case in point. The captain has enjoyed a superb start to the season with Arsenal, scoring three goals across eight all-action WSL displays and ultimately keeping the Gunners in the title race. The Ballon d’Or nominee has also scored four times for the Girls In Green amidst some inspiring performances.
Elsewhere in the English top-flight, Courtney Brosnan, Heather Payne, Megan Connolly and Izzy Atkinson are among those to have continued on an upward trajectory, while Lucy Quinn and Saoirse Noonan have regularly found the back of the net in the Championship.
O’Sullivan, Kyra Carusa and Sinead Farrelly — who helped Gotham FC to NWSL glory — have caught the eye Stateside, while there are a host of other examples.
Individual club form ultimately feeds into international success, and this has also helped avoid a post World Cup hangover.
- Uefa Women’s Nations League League B Group B1: Republic of Ireland v Hungary, Tallaght Stadium, 7.30pm, RTÉ2.
