Pauw welcomes appointment of Stéphanie Frappart to referee Finland shootout

'She’s a very good referee,' Pauw said of Frappart, who took charge of the last women’s World Cup final held in her homeland of France.

Thu, 01 Sep, 2022 - 08:56

John Fallon

Vera Pauw is glad Uefa have appointed their top female official, Stéphanie Frappart, to referee tonight’s vital World Cup qualifier between Ireland and Finland.

The penultimate Group A fixture at Tallaght Stadium is a veritable playoff for a playoff – an Ireland victory clinching the ticket with Tuesday’s last game in Slovakia to spare.

Last time out in Helsinki 10 months ago, Ireland edged it 2-1, with plenty of edge to proceedings too. The stakes are higher for this one, as is the tension, and a referee of Frappart’s reputation is welcomed by the veteran Ireland manager.

“She’s a very good referee,” Pauw said of Frappart, who took charge of the last women’s World Cup final held in her homeland of France.

“We’re very happy with that and fair play to Uefa for appointing her for such a crucial game.” Frappart has been at the top of her game, soaring in both the men’s and women’s game.

For that 2019 World Cup decider in Lyon, which USA beat Netherlands 2-0 in, the 38-year-old was assisted by Irish native Michelle O’Neill.

The Wexford woman also flanked Frappart in the 2019 Super Cup meeting of Liverpool and Chelsea, the first time a team of female officials took charge of a major European men’s fixture.

Her progression continued by being assigned a debut Europa League game in October 2020, the duel of Leicester City and Zorya Luhansk, before becoming the first woman to referee a men’s Champions League two months later for the fixture between Juventus and Dynamo Kyiv.

Another milestone was reached by Frappart last year when she was the on-field referee overseeing the World Cup qualification clash of the Netherlands versus Latvia. She’ll be part of the refereeing panel for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

A steady hand may be required at Tallaght on a night of potential high consequence for Ireland.

Unbeaten since their campaign opener against Sweden, drawing the rematch in Gothenburg and winning on the road in Finland has put them in command of their own destiny. Pauw doesn’t fear them buckling on the final turn.

“The thing that differs this team from others is they don’t fear pressure,” emphasised Pauw, who has coached Scotland, South Africa and her native Netherlands at international level.

“You can’t feel any anxiety in camp or on the pitch.

“These players enjoy the pressure and the higher the pressure, the better they are.

“I constantly feel that and it’s why I call them the tigers.

“They know when to fight and get the result, what is necessary to get the result.

“The ego of ‘what’s my role to get that result?’ is not at all important.

“They don’t show any ego in their behaviour. It’s not about the person but the team. They give everything for the team.”

Kick-off at Tallaght is 7pm and the game is being broadcast live on RTÉ.