AS THE REPUBLIC of Ireland women’s national team prepare to open their 2023 World Cup qualifying campaign this week, an important discussion must be had.
At Friday’s squad announcement, manager Vera Pauw spoke at length about the National Women’s Soccer League [NWSL] scandal, after fresh allegations of misconduct, abuse, and sexual coercion swept across America’s top level of women’s professional football last month.
North Carolina Courage, home of Irish internationals Denise O’Sullivan and Diane Caldwell, was at the centre of the storm after an in-depth investigation by The Athletic in which Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly spoke out against their former manager, Paul Riley. North Carolina fired Riley immediately after the “very serious allegations of misconduct” were reported, which the Englishman denies.
Pauw said on Friday that the squad would talk about the situation at the start of this week, though the “players’ discussion” was yet to be had as she addressed the media at another press conference yesterday.
With some players yet to convene for camp at the Castleknock Hotel, the conversation would be had when the “team is complete,” the Dutch coach, who previously managed Houston Dash in the NWSL, noted.
She said she would be “completely open” to any discussion, but chose not to share many details. “If you don’t mind, we’ll keep that to us because we want to have a private conversation about it because it’s something very important in our game,” Pauw said.
Sitting on her right-hand side, captain Katie McCabe shared her thoughts; the first of the Girls In Green to speak about this on record.
“Ever since the allegations have come out I think they have shocked the world,” the Arsenal star said.
“It really is terrible to see but I think what is most admirable now is the solidarity that is shown within the women’s game, with players and staff and organisations.
“Since it came out, we were originally at club and the support Arsenal have shown us has been fantastic. Since coming in [to the Ireland camp] the support has been there within our organisation here too. As Vera has touched upon, we haven’t got our whole squad in yet but it is a conversation, for sure, to be had.
“It is quite raw given we have two current players that have been coached under the accused, so obviously it is one to be cautious about because of how raw things are still, but one we need to do in the correct manner. We will be touching upon it as a collective.”
While Pauw previously said she would support any protest from her players as they face Sweden at a sold-out Tallaght Stadium (capacity capped at 4,000 under current restrictions) on Thursday, McCabe revealed that was something the group were yet to address.
With shows of solidarity in women’s football matches across the globe over the past few weeks, several English Women’s Super League [WSL] teams including McCabe’s Gunners joined forces to show support.
“That is something obviously we’ve not spoken about,” McCabe said. “Within the WSL, we take the knee in terms of anti-racism. Again, it will be a conversation we will have.
“We haven’t spoken to Sweden about it. We haven’t decided whether to do it or not, but you saw the pictures that went around that weekend. We did it ourselves with Everton and on a stage like Sky Sports, it shows awareness and people are asking questions, ‘Why are they doing this?’
“I think it opens people’s minds, so I think it is important, but as a team it is not something we have decided on just yet.”
The 26-year-old also reiterated Pauw’s feelings around the “safe environment” in Irish women’s football.
“Of course we have fantastic support around us, whether that is with our staff, our doctors, we have people that we can talk to. There are different organisations with different things. If you look at the WSL there is the PFA, we got safeguarding at our clubs.
“I think it is about making sure players know they have somewhere to go if they need to talk. It might not have happened to them but the conversation topic might affect them.
“It’s about people knowing they have the right information and if they need to talk.”
