THERE WAS one notable absence from the Ireland squad today announced for the upcoming home World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia (25 November) and Georgia (30 November).
Rianna Jarrett has been a key player for Ireland in the past. A frequent starter in the last campaign, the 27-year-old has been a more peripheral squad member of late, though she did come off the bench in the most recent World Cup qualifying win over Finland.
Three ACL injuries by the age of 21 hampered the early part of her career, before she became a star of the Women’s National League, winning back-to-back Player of the Season awards in 2018 and 2019, registering 27 and 26 goals respectively in those campaigns.
Unfortunately, the Wexford native has not quite kicked on in the manner she would have hoped since moving to England. She scored two goals in 16 appearances with Women’s Super League club Brighton, before dropping down a division this season to line out for London City Lionesses.
She is still in decent form in the Women’s Championship, with four goals leaving her just two behind Irish teammate and top scorer Leanne Kiernan.
Yet with competition for places in Ireland’s attack intense, amid the return from injury for Kyra Carusa, who has featured for Danish side HB Køge in the Champions League this season, Jarrett is the player to miss out.
“There are other players better, it’s simple as that,” Irish boss Vera Pauw told reporters at a press conference today. “It’s an elite sport and other players at this moment are better than she is. She is on standby.
“She is disappointed, of course, very disappointed. But she understands. She also sees what other players do, when she looks around. She is struggling to get back to her old level, and she is working really hard, so we don’t forget her. But at this moment other players have performed at a higher level and that is the consequence of elite sport.”
Another interesting note from today’s squad announcement was the inclusion of an unidentified third goalkeeper.
An FAI statement read: “A third goalkeeper will be added to the squad once international clearance comes through from Fifa.”
The player is understood to have represented another country at underage level.
And Pauw was unwilling to elaborate too much further.
“We are waiting on the clearance from Fifa. It’s a player who is playing regularly at a high level. [The confirmation] was supposed to come in — it could come in at any minute. If the clearance is not coming, then we have a different situation.
“We cannot disturb the process. We’re just not allowed [to reveal their identity] even though I’d be happy to say.”
In addition to the changes in squad personnel, there has been also an alteration at backroom level, with former Wexford Youths boss Tom Elmes recently named the successor to Eileen Gleeson as assistant boss, after the latter agreed to take charge of Glasgow City.
“First, I always look for a woman that is very experienced within the league with the highest licence,” said Pauw. “After Eileen, there was no one working in league with the players or clubs, or coming from the league with the highest licence.
“So within our core group, within the FAI, we had Tom. Tom has coached Wexford, knows all the coaches and players, so can immediately step into the role that Eileen Gleeson had. That’s what I need. Plus he is doing his pro licence at the moment. He is very experienced at reading the game. So that is the reason why I chose Tom.
“I think the connection with the clubs, the heart of football, is so important, that your assistant has that direct link. I am very happy with this appointment.”