Ireland draw strength from painful lessons of the past

It’s to Ireland’s credit that early nerves were overcome

 

It all sounded straightforward enough. Vera Pauw’s logic was impeccable. The qualifiers for Euro 2022 had already started by the time she succeeded Colin Bell this month three years ago, the FAI was in a state of turmoil, but the new Republic of Ireland manager stripped her new team’s job down to the basics.

“The aim would be to get at least a win and a draw from our two games against Ukraine,” Pauw explained on the day of her official unveiling as manager at the FAI’s National Training Centre. “Once we beat the nations seeded below us, Greece and Montenegro, that would guarantee the runners-up place.”