THIS IRELAND SQUAD announcement was always going to be dominated by Katie McCabe’s club future, and Carla Ward came ready.
As did Ward’s daughter Hartley, wearing a ‘McCabe 11′ Ireland jersey, and green, white and orange ribbons in her hair.
“You’ll see soon,” Ward told yesterday’s press conference when asked about her captain’s future as she moves on from Arsenal after more than a decade, having won every title possible.
While giving nothing away about her next move, Ward waxed lyrical about “the best left-back in the world” and questioned Arsenal ultimately allowing her to leave on a free transfer.
McCabe’s exit appears to have been messy. The 30-year-old left-back was reportedly not offered a new contract in January, with the Guardian flagging that Arsenal were targeting younger players like Barcelona’s Ona Battle, before they made a late U-turn after some impressive performances filling in at centre-back.
Amid 11th-hour contract negotiations, McCabe was denied an Emirates Stadium farewell, with her exit announced with little fanfare the following day. The club’s handling of the situation has been widely criticised.
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But McCabe is now set for pastures anew, with interest from WSL rivals and NWSL sides flagged. The Athletic have named Manchester City and Chelsea as the frontrunners.
Ward has questioned the entire episode. “I think any club not wanting Katie is bonkers,” she said.
I hope we don’t speak out of turn by saying this, but if Katie was English, I think everybody would be saying right now she should be in Ballon d’Or conversations. But it blows my mind that she’s not.
“She’s the best left-back in the world. And arguably, up there, there’s no better in the WSL. And I mean, I would question, is there any better full-back in the world right now? I’m not sure there is.”
(McCabe was indeed nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2023, finishing 22nd in the voting, and was this week named in the WSL Team of the Season.)
Her Ireland manager went on to contend the “mad” notion that her age was the reason she wasn’t offered a new Arsenal deal initially.
“She’s absolutely in her peak. If you remember when I came in, the first couple of press conferences, I was asked, ‘How do you get the best out of Katie?… We haven’t, you know, maybe seen the best out of Katie for a while.’
And I would argue – not saying this is down to me, by the way – but I would argue the last four camps is the best we’ve ever seen Katie in an Ireland shirt and an Arsenal shirt. So she’s got to be in her peak. Katie trains like she’s a 21-year-old hungry for success. That’s just Katie.”
“She is such a pro and she conditions herself in such a way that she will have a lot more years in her,” Ward continued. “I wouldn’t mind a car with that mileage that can perform like she does.
“As for the age profile thing, I had this conversation with another player the other day who is moving on to a different club. The problem you have now is you haven’t got managers signing players as such, not everywhere, but you have recruitment people in the club who look at numbers, they don’t look at clips, they look at data. The women’s game isn’t there yet.
“So then, they go age profile, and say age profile isn’t what we want, instead of best performing player in that position in the world right now. It is mad, and I have seen it at a club, won’t say where, that have wasted an absolute bonkers amount of money because of what the data suggested. The human side is lost.”
The age suggestion, Ward argues, may give McCabe another point to prove. “Not that she needs it,” she added. “Anything that motivates Katie is good for us.”
While leading Ireland to back-to-back World Cups is undoubtedly her main drive in the green jersey, other motivations can be found in smaller challenges. She has walked a suspension tightrope since being booked in the France opener, and will hope to come through a fourth game unscathed in next month’s penultimate qualifier against the Netherlands (for which Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy are suspended).
Ward has no concerns about a potential yellow card in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which would see Ireland without their captain for the France finale in Grenoble.
“Katie gets a lot of criticism and she’s smart, very smart. There’s no way that she’s going to give up the opportunity to hopefully tee ourselves up for a big moment there.”
Ruesha Littlejohn (left) and Carla Ward. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Another player currently mulling over her future is Ruesha Littlejohn. The 35-year-old’s Crystal Palace departure was confirmed on Friday, and Littlejohn has openly said she is considering retirement this summer.
While her minutes have been extremely limited all season, Ward has continued to call up the 93-cap midfielder, citing her leadership and impact on the environment.
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“Ruesha is an unbelievable pro. Look at Séamus Coleman (and his lack of club minutes). My point is that the likes of Ruesha and Séamus look after themselves. They drive dressing rooms, they lead in a way and they raise standards.
“When I’m not in the room, I know that Ruesha is raising standards, so there’s a lot of elements as to why Ruesha is included. She is still so important. I don’t want her to retire. I want her to continue for another year because she’s got a lot to offer.”
Separately, Ward revealed she has completed her Uefa Pro Licence and is due to graduate in the coming weeks. She will miss the official ceremony due to Ireland commitments, but will receive a virtual certificate beforehand. Her final project was about the lack of female coaches in the men’s game, while Leeds United – who employ a female in every department – were one case study.
Ward’s graduation is significant given Uefa this week raised the minimum qualifications needed to coach women’s teams playing in Uefa competitions. While A Licences previously sufficed, head coaches now require a Pro Licence from 2028 onwards.
Meanwhile, “positive conversations” continue around a women’s development squad with FAI director of football John Martin and head of women and girls’ football Lizzy Kent.
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'If Katie was English, everybody would be saying she should be in Ballon d'Or conversations'
THIS IRELAND SQUAD announcement was always going to be dominated by Katie McCabe’s club future, and Carla Ward came ready.
As did Ward’s daughter Hartley, wearing a ‘McCabe 11′ Ireland jersey, and green, white and orange ribbons in her hair.
“You’ll see soon,” Ward told yesterday’s press conference when asked about her captain’s future as she moves on from Arsenal after more than a decade, having won every title possible.
While giving nothing away about her next move, Ward waxed lyrical about “the best left-back in the world” and questioned Arsenal ultimately allowing her to leave on a free transfer.
McCabe’s exit appears to have been messy. The 30-year-old left-back was reportedly not offered a new contract in January, with the Guardian flagging that Arsenal were targeting younger players like Barcelona’s Ona Battle, before they made a late U-turn after some impressive performances filling in at centre-back.
Amid 11th-hour contract negotiations, McCabe was denied an Emirates Stadium farewell, with her exit announced with little fanfare the following day. The club’s handling of the situation has been widely criticised.
But McCabe is now set for pastures anew, with interest from WSL rivals and NWSL sides flagged. The Athletic have named Manchester City and Chelsea as the frontrunners.
Ward has questioned the entire episode. “I think any club not wanting Katie is bonkers,” she said.
“She’s the best left-back in the world. And arguably, up there, there’s no better in the WSL. And I mean, I would question, is there any better full-back in the world right now? I’m not sure there is.”
(McCabe was indeed nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2023, finishing 22nd in the voting, and was this week named in the WSL Team of the Season.)
Her Ireland manager went on to contend the “mad” notion that her age was the reason she wasn’t offered a new Arsenal deal initially.
“She’s absolutely in her peak. If you remember when I came in, the first couple of press conferences, I was asked, ‘How do you get the best out of Katie?… We haven’t, you know, maybe seen the best out of Katie for a while.’
“She is such a pro and she conditions herself in such a way that she will have a lot more years in her,” Ward continued. “I wouldn’t mind a car with that mileage that can perform like she does.
“As for the age profile thing, I had this conversation with another player the other day who is moving on to a different club. The problem you have now is you haven’t got managers signing players as such, not everywhere, but you have recruitment people in the club who look at numbers, they don’t look at clips, they look at data. The women’s game isn’t there yet.
“So then, they go age profile, and say age profile isn’t what we want, instead of best performing player in that position in the world right now. It is mad, and I have seen it at a club, won’t say where, that have wasted an absolute bonkers amount of money because of what the data suggested. The human side is lost.”
The age suggestion, Ward argues, may give McCabe another point to prove. “Not that she needs it,” she added. “Anything that motivates Katie is good for us.”
While leading Ireland to back-to-back World Cups is undoubtedly her main drive in the green jersey, other motivations can be found in smaller challenges. She has walked a suspension tightrope since being booked in the France opener, and will hope to come through a fourth game unscathed in next month’s penultimate qualifier against the Netherlands (for which Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy are suspended).
Ward has no concerns about a potential yellow card in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which would see Ireland without their captain for the France finale in Grenoble.
“Katie gets a lot of criticism and she’s smart, very smart. There’s no way that she’s going to give up the opportunity to hopefully tee ourselves up for a big moment there.”
Another player currently mulling over her future is Ruesha Littlejohn. The 35-year-old’s Crystal Palace departure was confirmed on Friday, and Littlejohn has openly said she is considering retirement this summer.
While her minutes have been extremely limited all season, Ward has continued to call up the 93-cap midfielder, citing her leadership and impact on the environment.
“Ruesha is an unbelievable pro. Look at Séamus Coleman (and his lack of club minutes). My point is that the likes of Ruesha and Séamus look after themselves. They drive dressing rooms, they lead in a way and they raise standards.
“When I’m not in the room, I know that Ruesha is raising standards, so there’s a lot of elements as to why Ruesha is included. She is still so important. I don’t want her to retire. I want her to continue for another year because she’s got a lot to offer.”
Separately, Ward revealed she has completed her Uefa Pro Licence and is due to graduate in the coming weeks. She will miss the official ceremony due to Ireland commitments, but will receive a virtual certificate beforehand. Her final project was about the lack of female coaches in the men’s game, while Leeds United – who employ a female in every department – were one case study.
Ward’s graduation is significant given Uefa this week raised the minimum qualifications needed to coach women’s teams playing in Uefa competitions. While A Licences previously sufficed, head coaches now require a Pro Licence from 2028 onwards.
Meanwhile, “positive conversations” continue around a women’s development squad with FAI director of football John Martin and head of women and girls’ football Lizzy Kent.
“Post-this window and during the summer, we will try to bang our heads together,” Ward, who spoke at length about the topic last month, added.
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