Eileen Gleeson’s spell as the manager of the Republic of Ireland Women’s team came to an end last night with a statement from the FAI saying that she had not been offered a new contract, thanking her for everything she has done and wishing her the very best.
It was always going to be tough coming off the back of a first ever major tournament and replacing the very visible and globally recognised Vera Pauw.
The long and complicated farewell she endured meant that there was rebuilding to be done and Gleeson, as her number two stepped into the interim role with a degree of reluctance but the trust of the players.
A record crowd against Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on a sunny September Saturday, the first ever playing of Amhran na Bhfiann at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park and victory over France at Pairc Uí Chaoimh were wonderful occasions and memories to treasure but defeat over two legs against Wales exposed the harsh reality that top level football is a results game and Ireland have failed to qualify for the Euro’s.
Katie McCabe has now lost her club and country managers this season because results did not match up to expectation.
The FAI are now back in the recruitment game under Marc Canham and perhaps the HR game under Aoife Rafferty to see whether there is a role for Gleeson in the FAI. Her original position from which she took on this gig was as Head of Women’s and Girls football but that job was filled by the impressive Hannah Dingley this summer.
She spoke eloquently at our Women and Sport Conference last month and while the job at hand is big enough to accomodate more, it remains to be seen whether that would be a good fit for either side.
Game development is Gleeson’s strength and there will be a position that she will thrive in but it is a question of where.
The business of football carries on and the ROI team will be back in action in the spring in the Nations League before another World Cup Campaign to qualify for Brazil in two and a half years time.
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At a human level this is tough. Eileen Gleeson is a strong character, loyal to her players and with a long involvement in football dating back through international, club and development roles. She will bounce back but these will be difficult days.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Those Nations League games against Turkey, Greece and Slovenia, home and away will be played between February and June of next year.
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