VERA PAUW HAS vowed to follow in the footsteps of Jack Charlton’s Ireland at Italia 90 and “give it a lash” at this summer’s World Cup.
Pauw named a 31-strong training squad yesterday as the Girls In Green prepare for their first-ever major tournament in Australia and New Zealand 2023.
The Ireland manager will name her final squad on 29 June as Australia, Canada and Nigeria lie in wait in Group B. Camp kicks off in Dublin on Monday, and includes sold-out send-off friendlies against Zambia (22 June) and France (6 July) at Tallaght Stadium.
Asked by The 42 how to temper expectations as excitement levels rise, Pauw told yesterday’s squad announcement press conference: “Just to be realistic.
“We play Australia, the host country who are a top, top nation and there will be 82,000 fans at our game. I think we will respond well. Then we have the Olympic champions and the best African team. So we have to be realistic.
“If I say we go out at the group stage, then you plan failure. What’s failure for us at this stage?
“We must prepare to give every team our best and then see if we get out of the group.”
“What did Jack Charlton say? Give it a lash,” she smiled, with all eyes on Ireland’s highly-anticipated opener at Sydney’s Stadium Australia on 20 July.
Pauw’s training schedule and periodisation plan does indeed extend to the World Cup final on 20 August.
“And that’s a serious answer,” she added. “We have the whole periodisation ready till the final. Will we reach the final? If you would say now, ‘Will you reach the final?’ I would say no, but we plan everything.”
The Dutch coach is settled on her player choices to date, with the final squad — of 23 plus three travelling training members — coming from those already selected, unless injury impacts.
Pauw confirmed that the FAI will pay for the three extra players (Fifa covers the rest) who can just train with the squad Down Under. Necessary injury changes can also be made to the final list of 23 up until the deadline date of 19 July.
“Fifa allows us to go up to 26 after a special request that we made, together with the Netherlands and Germany, to have training players,” she explained.
“Otherwise you cannot periodise around, for example the menstrual cycle; you cannot give players time off because you need to play 11-a-side [in training]. Now we have the chance to do that or cover for injuries.
“I must say, the FAI has understood every step I have proposed and made it happen. Jonthan Hill said something about it yesterday. I am so happy with all the preparations and the understanding why it is necessary.
“It would give us a big problem if we could not bring the extra three players. Not many countries will do it but I have made clear why through the periodisation we have, that’s so important. It was a no-brainer for the FAI to budget for them.”
Meanwhile, it’s understood that captain Katie McCabe will link up with the squad in Dublin on 19 June after some uncertainty yesterday. Whether she will play against Zambia or not remains to be seen.
