Ireland assistant head coach Alan Mahon deputised for Carla Ward at yesterday’s squad announcement press conference, and repeatedly hailed the Arsenal left-sided star.
“I’m biased, but you’re talking about two of the best players I’ve ever worked with in women’s football,” he said of McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan.
“How they apply themselves, get involved with other players — to have them here, on and off the pitch, is a massive plus for us.”
McCabe will soon follow O’Sullivan into an exclusive centurion club, becoming the eighth member after legendary goalkeeper-turned-coach Emma Byrne, and retired stars Áine O’Gorman, Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell and Ciara Grant.
Her 30th international goal is also on the horizon, in her 30th year after celebrating her milestone birthday last month.
Asked to elaborate on McCabe, who Mahon also knew during his time as assistant coach at Manchester City, and her importance and impact, the number two continued:
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“Huge, huge. She’s drove women’s football and again, not because I’m Irish or because I’m being biased, but even in England, she’s the one player that wherever we went I always wanted to try get her in.
“She’s a top player. Top professional first and foremost, top player and drives a lot of stuff behind the scenes. So to be honest, it’s easy because you’re working with a player who’s won the Champions League, she’s won this, she’s won that. But behind the scenes, she does a lot of talking and a lot of driving.”
Courtney Brosnan has been ruled out with a knee injury in a significant blow, with Grace Moloney and Sophie Whitehouse likely to vie for the goalkeeping jersey. Katie Keane has also been called up, with Megan Walsh considered and long-listed.
Lazio midfielder Megan Connolly and Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan also miss out through injury, while Aston Villa defender Anna Patten is suspended for the first game.
Megan Campbell announced her retirement this week, her defensive solidity and long throw-in a notable loss as she follows Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell by calling time in 2025.
Jess Ziu and Jamie Finn return after lengthy lay-offs with ACL injuries, and O’Sullivan is available after a knee setback of her own.
Two League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division stars, Athlone Town’s Golden Boot winner Kelly Brady and Shamrock Rovers defender Maria Reynolds, will train with the squad.
Golden Boot winner Kelly Brady joins the squad for training. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“I think it’s really important for progression in women’s football in Ireland,” said Mahon. “It’s always evolving and the more players we can get to see (the better).
“I went to Athlone training last week to speak to Kelly, John (Sullivan, manager) and Gordon (Brett, coach) and to watch the set-up — fantastic set-up, doing things right. Like most of the League of Ireland teams, they’re trying. It’s ideal for us to actually go and see them, but also to make sure we’re actually conveyor belting players through. Because ultimately we need to have the next generation of the McCabes, O’Sullivans, that’s what we’re looking to do.
“It’s important for them young players to come in and enjoy it, see what the surroundings are like . . . we get the chance to see them up against our players, but for them to have no pressure and they may take it back to their clubs and go, ‘Well, we’ve trained with the first team, we know what it looks like,’ and hopefully then it spurs it on. If they don’t see a pathway, then it kind of stops there and then. We’re hoping to bring as many in individually as possible.”
While Mahon and Ward have been spectators at sporadic domestic games this season, Ward has come in for criticism in recent weeks for being a less visible presence.
Mahon insisted they are “looking at a lot of players” and “doing a lot in the background,” while answering a question about promising left-sider Tara O’Hanlon, who is working back to full fitness on loan at Sunderland after an injury-plagued start to life at Manchester City.
The Dubliner also echoed calls from within the Women’s Premier Division for increased professionalism and full-time football.
The 42 understands there are 24 professionals in the league: half of them play for Athlone Town, where Sullivan is reportedly pushing for them to go full-time.
“I think obviously women’s football in my time, in the last 10 or 15 years, the trajectory of it has gone (upwards),” said Mahon. “We’ve got to make sure that the players are getting supported and being looked after, which is starting to happen.”
“I think it’s important that they feel integrated in it and it’s touching distance rather than a million miles away,” he added on the pathway for training players in the Ireland squad.
And what of the approach for the Belgium double-header? “Well, obviously you want to win every game . . . we want to be in League A.”
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'Top professional, top player, drives a lot behind the scenes' - Katie McCabe set for 100th cap
KATIE MCCABE IS set to become the latest Ireland WNT centurion, with the captain in line to win her 100th cap over the next fortnight.
McCabe has 98 appearances to her name, and spearheads the Ireland squad for their upcoming Nations League promotion/relegation play-off against Belgium.
Ireland assistant head coach Alan Mahon deputised for Carla Ward at yesterday’s squad announcement press conference, and repeatedly hailed the Arsenal left-sided star.
“I’m biased, but you’re talking about two of the best players I’ve ever worked with in women’s football,” he said of McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan.
“How they apply themselves, get involved with other players — to have them here, on and off the pitch, is a massive plus for us.”
McCabe will soon follow O’Sullivan into an exclusive centurion club, becoming the eighth member after legendary goalkeeper-turned-coach Emma Byrne, and retired stars Áine O’Gorman, Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell and Ciara Grant.
Her 30th international goal is also on the horizon, in her 30th year after celebrating her milestone birthday last month.
Asked to elaborate on McCabe, who Mahon also knew during his time as assistant coach at Manchester City, and her importance and impact, the number two continued:
“Huge, huge. She’s drove women’s football and again, not because I’m Irish or because I’m being biased, but even in England, she’s the one player that wherever we went I always wanted to try get her in.
“She’s a top player. Top professional first and foremost, top player and drives a lot of stuff behind the scenes. So to be honest, it’s easy because you’re working with a player who’s won the Champions League, she’s won this, she’s won that. But behind the scenes, she does a lot of talking and a lot of driving.”
Mahon is ready to lead Ireland if needed, as Ward deals with a family emergency.
Courtney Brosnan has been ruled out with a knee injury in a significant blow, with Grace Moloney and Sophie Whitehouse likely to vie for the goalkeeping jersey. Katie Keane has also been called up, with Megan Walsh considered and long-listed.
Lazio midfielder Megan Connolly and Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan also miss out through injury, while Aston Villa defender Anna Patten is suspended for the first game.
Megan Campbell announced her retirement this week, her defensive solidity and long throw-in a notable loss as she follows Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell by calling time in 2025.
Jess Ziu and Jamie Finn return after lengthy lay-offs with ACL injuries, and O’Sullivan is available after a knee setback of her own.
Two League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division stars, Athlone Town’s Golden Boot winner Kelly Brady and Shamrock Rovers defender Maria Reynolds, will train with the squad.
“I think it’s really important for progression in women’s football in Ireland,” said Mahon. “It’s always evolving and the more players we can get to see (the better).
“I went to Athlone training last week to speak to Kelly, John (Sullivan, manager) and Gordon (Brett, coach) and to watch the set-up — fantastic set-up, doing things right. Like most of the League of Ireland teams, they’re trying. It’s ideal for us to actually go and see them, but also to make sure we’re actually conveyor belting players through. Because ultimately we need to have the next generation of the McCabes, O’Sullivans, that’s what we’re looking to do.
“It’s important for them young players to come in and enjoy it, see what the surroundings are like . . . we get the chance to see them up against our players, but for them to have no pressure and they may take it back to their clubs and go, ‘Well, we’ve trained with the first team, we know what it looks like,’ and hopefully then it spurs it on. If they don’t see a pathway, then it kind of stops there and then. We’re hoping to bring as many in individually as possible.”
While Mahon and Ward have been spectators at sporadic domestic games this season, Ward has come in for criticism in recent weeks for being a less visible presence.
Mahon insisted they are “looking at a lot of players” and “doing a lot in the background,” while answering a question about promising left-sider Tara O’Hanlon, who is working back to full fitness on loan at Sunderland after an injury-plagued start to life at Manchester City.
The Dubliner also echoed calls from within the Women’s Premier Division for increased professionalism and full-time football.
The 42 understands there are 24 professionals in the league: half of them play for Athlone Town, where Sullivan is reportedly pushing for them to go full-time.
“I think obviously women’s football in my time, in the last 10 or 15 years, the trajectory of it has gone (upwards),” said Mahon. “We’ve got to make sure that the players are getting supported and being looked after, which is starting to happen.”
“I think it’s important that they feel integrated in it and it’s touching distance rather than a million miles away,” he added on the pathway for training players in the Ireland squad.
And what of the approach for the Belgium double-header? “Well, obviously you want to win every game . . . we want to be in League A.”
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Centurion Football Ireland WNT Katie McCabe Soccer