LAST UPDATE | 16 Jun 2022
THIS WAS A big day for Stephanie Roche.
She’s made enough sacrifices over the last three years to get back here and end her hiatus from the Ireland squad.
Extra sessions with Peamount United’s Under-17 boys’ team and adjusting her own training regime and recovery plan have all helped deal with her 33-year-old body’s needs.
The physical and mental toll of putting injury behind her has been overcome, while the pain of feeling like her Ireland career was slipping away is no more.
She trained with the squad at the start of this week and was told just before the final cut was confirmed yesterday that she had made it – the first time since earning her 55th cap against Greece in 2019.
“I was absolutely over the moon. I rang my Dad straight away. He said I’ll meet you tomorrow for a coffee. I was like, ‘I won’t be here, I’m going straight away’. It was a bit of a whirlwind so delighted to be called back in,” she explains.
“My dad asked if I needed a lift to the airport. It was just a case of getting home, getting packed and ready. It was making sure I didn’t forget my boots and shin guards and getting my head into being involved in the squad.”
Earlier this morning she spoke over Zoom from the team’s base in Antalya, Turkey, where Vera Pau’s 27-woman squad will prepare for the World Cup qualifier away to Georgia on 27 June.
The timing of her media duties meant it clashed with the release of Manchester United’s fixture-list ahead of next season’s Premier League.
Never has the dyed-in-the-wool Red felt better about missing out straight away on such vital information.
Liverpool at Old Trafford in the first month is met with an understandably mixed tone.
“Don’t know whether that’s a good or a bad thing.”
Through the roof!!! 🤩😂 pic.twitter.com/2EpwUKcoTq
— Stephanie Roche (@StephanieRoche9) September 11, 2021
It’s of little concern now, all that matters is being back involved. No longer looking from afar as a TV pundit as she had previously during the qualifying campaign.
Two more goals would draw her level on 17 with Denise O’Sullivan in second place on the all-time top scorer charts, which Olivia O’Toole has set the benchmark with on 54.
Given Ireland trounced Georgia 11-0 at Tallaght Stadium and warm up for that clash with a friendly against the Philippines there might well be scope to make history and take second place on her own.
However, just being back is enough.
For now, at least.
“Myself and Vera have had contacts for however many years. There has always been calls or text to let me know I’m not in the squad. The conversation I had with her last year was probably the most important one because that was the point where I was at where I thought it wasn’t coming,” Roche explains.
It was at a stage where I felt like I was playing well, I was in a good mindset and had a consistency scoring goals. And it didn’t happen. I kind of had the conversation as a player where you nearly get fed up and think ‘it’s not going to happen’.
“I had that chat with her and she reassured me because I probably said ‘if you’re not going to use me just let me know and I’ll walk away’, and she reassured me that it wasn’t the case at all, just that there was competition for places, that she does definitely see something in me.
“She told me I was the best she seen me yet. That gave me the bit of belief and hope that if kept going and kept pushing that she would give me an opportunity.
“If I’m honest, over the last few years I had moments where I thought I would get in, and I didn’t. That disappointment was hard to deal with at times. There have been times where I’ve had to prepare myself for bad news and this time you’re in that same mode again. Then you get good news and it’s just an amazing feeling.”
The various challenges of the last three years have also made her pause for thought.
“I don’t think I will ever be able to bring myself to announce my retirement. Obviously, definitely doubts creep into your mind where you think ‘am I wasting my time here?’ So I have to thank Vera for keeping my mindset focused on getting back in. I want to enjoy the opportunity of being here but work hard and show there is a reason why I am here.”
It’s why the prospect of one more game, another goal, means so much.
“Everything. Anyone who knows me knows how much it means to me to be part of the squad. Football has been a huge part of my life and my family. To score a goal, I won’t get ahead of myself just yet.
“It’s mad, I was talking to my boyfriend Dean about this. It was like when I was 16 or 17 waiting in the AUL to hear if I’d been picked. I’m 33 now, it was a bit surreal. Being told I was back again made me feel like it was years ago. We used to get a letter back then.
“A lot of my family know how much hard work I’ve put in over the last number of years. Having to deal with disappointment and keep going. They all know what it means to me and it was just nice to be able to have that call and not be ringing to say ‘ah, I’m not in again’.”