HAPPY WITH THE win, unhappy with the performance overall, with the entire focus on next summer’s World Cup.
They were the main points from Vera Pauw’s press conference after Ireland’s 4-0 friendly win over Morocco in Marbella.
And of course, there was a word for “fantastic centurion” Louise Quinn, who marked her 100th senior cap with a goal.
The Girls In Green started and finished with a flourish against a side ranked 52 places below them in Fifa’s world rankings.
Early goals from Megan Campbell and Katie McCabe and two more from Quinn and Kyra Carusa, either side of a worrying lull, ultimately settled matters.
A debut for teenager Aoibheann Clancy and a sixth clean sheet in-a-row for Courtney Brosnan were among the other positives, but Pauw typically won’t dress things up.
“We’re very happy with the win, it was a good win, a clean sheet again,” she began.
“The last goal we got against us was in Sweden [in April]. But you will not hear me saying we played our best game so far because we didn’t.”
“I’m not pleased with the game,” she later added, when asked if she was happy or worried. “We said to each other this is not the best game but what a brilliant year we had and having such high highs, it is so difficult to reach your level again.”
Elaborating on that point, and explaining why the performance sagged after an emphatic opening 10 minutes, the Dutch coach continued:
“You know what it is? We have been fighting for three years maybe against higher level opponents and that was necessary to get the results we had. Now, it’s the first game in a long time that we are making the play. Against Georgia that was the last time we done it.
“I was proud of the way we started because it is very difficult after such a high to start in the way we did, but then to keep having the discipline and sharpness and togetherness in teamwork, that is so difficult. I said at half time, ‘This is what we meant in our team meeting, it is very difficult’. We set ourselves the aim, we might not be able to play our best game ever, but we must have the intention to play the best game ever.
“The thing is the players have been fighting and fighting through the game and that in itself is a huge compliment. I’m very happy with that, we need to be able not to give the game away because we are going with the level of the opponent. We started so sharp because that was in our legs, but we let it go by a few silly passes, a few players think to do something else than what the team expect and in a few minutes, you lose the grip and momentum of the game.”
“The key thing is that we are not used to out-playing our opponent,” she later added on Ireland being sloppy in possession at times, with hesitation creeping in.
“We started well, keep that level is almost impossible, especially when you have an opponent that is so physical. The opponent didn’t let us get into our game again and that is credit to them. On the other hand, a little bit of protection is also necessary.”
While Denise O’Sullivan and Megan Campbell were among precautionary substitutions, Pauw confirmed that everyone came through unscathed.
The physicality was concerning, though.
“We were not really protected for that. We knew that, we said before the game, ‘Don’t let anything provoke you’, because we knew how they would play.
“We didn’t have choices but the good thing of playing Morocco was to have a complete different style of play to face an opponent that is very street wise and at times will know what to do to stop you.”
On the topic of discipline, the manager touched on McCabe’s late yellow card for her challenge on Morocco captain Nakkach Elodie Nahla.
“She was deliberately standing on the arm, I have seen the marks on Katie, seen where the studs were in. You absolutely always need to keep your temper, don’t let them turn it around so you get a red card. It is a very good learning curve that whatever happens, you need to keep your cool under pressure because in a World Cup, it could mean that we could lose a player.”
🎙 INTERVIEW | @louise_quinn4
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) November 14, 2022
🇮🇪 4-0 🇲🇦
Captain and Player of the Match Louise Quinn reflects on tonight’s win on her 100th cap 🤩#IRLMAR | #COYGIG | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/NKoGpbrfbd
And Pauw also paid tribute to Quinn, Ireland’s newest member of the 100 club.
The Birmingham City captain capped her milestone appearance with her 16th goal — her first not with her head — and the Player of the Match award.
“It was fantastic, to score on your century cap, she’s a centurion. That is something that she will never forget, everyone was so happy for her and cheering for her and also after the game, gave her special attention.
“In my statement about Louise that I sent out already, I think you can see what I think about her, she is so focused, a super person to have around, a leader.”
Quinn had a similar outlook on the game, and special individual milestone.
“We started the game really well, moving the ball well and getting into positions, making them make mistakes, finishing chances,” the experienced defender said. “The first 25 minutes were very good but then we got complacent and sloppy. We picked it up at the end and finished strongly.
“It was a clean sheet and nice to get a goal, I was trying to block a ball and luckily it went in. I just pounced on it but I’ll take it. An absolute first for me not being with the head. Anything that goes in is so special in international football.
“Being captain made it a great occasion, it really means a lot to me, to mark it. But now I just want to keep leading us forward towards the World Cup. It’s been a great end to the year for us. It’s been a dream come true, and we can’t wait for February to get started again.”
