A round of applause is fitting for Eileen Gleeson and the Irish team’s management. Following their devastating 3-0 defeat to Sweden in Dublin the previous week, they picked up their spirit in Stockholm.
The 4-2-3-1 formation was a logical approach, in essence, it took off the pressure from Katie McCabe, who was physically drained after the Arsenal’s end of season tour in Australia. The spotlight fell squarely on Megan Connolly and Lily Agg, the Irish midfield pair, to maintain a robust defence.
Megan and Lily were the driving force, pushing Sweden to their limits before a late set piece finally broke our defenses. If Troy Parrott hadn’t come to the rescue with a last-minute goal against Hungary, Irish football would yet again be a sad tale.
It’s no disgrace to fall to Sweden twice within a span of four days. On the contrary, the Irish team, responding from the Friday’s blow, demonstrated increased resilience and tactical acumen against the World Cup semi-finalists.
The performances by Ireland against countries such as Australia, Canada, France and England in the past year have been commendable despite their losses. Our strength and courage is evident, although we remain largely lacking in advanced skills, except in the cases of Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan. These two have emerged as world-class players, not because of the Irish training system, but in defiance of it.
Eileen and the team are doing their part, yet we still fall short against countries that are two decades ahead in developing their women’s football. It is projected that Sweden will be 21 years ahead in a year’s time, especially in their capacity to nurture and produce professional footballers.
The FAI published a comprehensive player pathway programme last February. Fantastic. However, on the field, we are yet to see this grand vision become a reality in our seemingly semi-professional League of Ireland.
I for one, would like to comprehend where the €500,000 government bonus earned from the last World Cup was used. It is noteworthy that this is the precise amount required to run a League of Ireland men’s academy. Each year, half a million could finance a scholarship scheme set up by the FAI, the Government, and universities.
It’s high time Abbotstown was transformed into a bona fide centre of excellence by assembling an Irish under-21s squad. The men’s team have such an age group under Jim Crawford; there’s no convincing justification why the women shouldn’t have a 21s team. This doesn’t add up at all to me.
Establishing efficient football scholarships for higher education could potentially position the FAI to consider the World Student Games as an equivalent of the Olympics for the Republic of Ireland. There’s a call to strategically cultivate the significant 76% surge in female engagement since the World Cup.
At present, we are underperforming in terms of maintaining these female participants in the sport. Serious issues exist between the SFAI, the Dublin District Schoolgirls League, and Metro Girls League.
For individuals like Abbie Larkin, the 21s scheme would be immediate profit. Though only 19, Abbie has hopped from Shelbourne to Shamrock Rovers then to Glasgow City and eventually to Crystal Palace in pursuit of playing professionally since 2022. The Irish strategy ought to be giving her more support, either by affording her opportunities to remain at home or revisiting her age grade.
Most of the present Irish team, about 99%, are aware that their educational credentials hold greater weight than a brief contract with a football club in England, Belgium, or the United States. A decade-long professional football career isn’t the jackpot it’s often believed to be for women.
There lacks a definite development route for Ireland’s top under-14s, from Gaynor Cup competitors to members of the senior Ireland team. At 16, the girls should be adequately trained to integrate into a League of Ireland team and then fingers crossed attract clubs like Glasgow City or Crystal Palace.
Heather Payne’s readiness to perform splendidly for Everton in the Super League this season stems from her four-year tenure at Florida State. Relocation remains the fallback option, which is not satisfactory in 2024. A comprehensive 12-year pathways plan is out by the FAI but it’s deficient in tangible development routes for girls aged 15 to 21.
In many aspects, Abbie Larkin treads the similar career path that Katie McCabe did. She’ll need to battle and evolve on the go, much like Katie, to secure a solid footing in English football. She possesses the skill but we’re falling short in supporting our players in many significant ways. While change is on the horizon, the speed of its implementation appears exceedingly slow.
Today, instead of progress, we’re witnessing more retrogressions. The 17-year-olds at Peamount display a level of professionalism that was beyond my reach at their age. The only way they see forward is overseas. Their dedication exceeds whatever my generation could have conjured, both in mental and physical terms. They are self-driven, inspired by how Katie, Denise, Abbie, and Heather carved a path in their tracks.
My football journey started as a forward, yet my role transitioned into a centre back as our strategy prioritised safety over exceptional play. The emphasis was on avoiding errors rather than taking a risk. Such a mindset is deeply ingrained in Irish footballers.
Colin Bell, the previous Ireland manager, initiated routine weekly sessions for local players. Balancing these sessions with full-time employment was a challenge, however, every Thursday night, we would make the effort to travel to Blanchardstown. Attending these sessions was like a religious activity for us as it allowed us a taste of professional football. Vera Pauw continued this tradition, but under Eileen, it doesn’t exist anymore.
There are no provisions for under-21s, no organised scholarship programme to retain local talent, and no training for the generation post under-19. Time and again, questions are arising.
Come July, we face England at Carrow Road, without the assistance of the suspended Katie McCabe, culminating our Nations League journey against France at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. To qualify for the Euro 2025 play-offs, Ireland must rekindle their goal-scoring prowess.
The visible indication of progress will be if Gleeson optimizes this team to the level of smoothly shifting systems during the match and the possibility of attaining a positive outcome by any means necessary. No more sweet talks and assurances, it’s time for action.