Keith Andrews admits he's envious of Vera Pauw's Ireland side

ENVY: Republic of Ireland coach Keith Andrews (left) with Stephen Kenny. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Keith Andrews admits he’s envious of the Ireland women’s team as he plots an impeccable route to Euro 2024 qualification.

Vera Pauw and her Girls in Green were honoured at the SSE Airtricity Soccer Writers Ireland Awards on Saturday night for their unprecedented feat by receiving the 2022 International Achievement accolade.

Ireland have the platform to emulate or eclipse their accomplishment at the biggest international football event of 2023 in Australia.

Ticket demand for their opener against on July 20 has forced Fifa to switch venue from the Sydney football stadium to Stadium Australia, a venue double in capacity at 83,500 seats.

They also meet Olympic champions Canada on July 26 and Africa’s top nation, Nigeria, six days later seeking a top-two finish to reach the last 16.

Men’s team boss Stephen Kenny was in Philadelphia at a coaching conference over the weekend but his assistant Andrews attended the function at the Clayton Burlington Hotel.

They have been handed an extremely difficult roadmap to the next tournament, the 2024 European Championships, with France and Netherlands the heaviest boulders to overcome for automatic qualification to be secured. Entry into the playoffs is likely if form dictates Ireland finish outside the top two.

When asked for his views ahead of the campaign, kicking off against the French on March 27 at Aviva Stadium, the former Ireland and Blackburn Rovers midfielder couldn’t help but cite a benchmark from within the FAI ranks.

“The bar has been set very high by the women,” Andrews said. “I have to admit that we’re jealous because we want that.’ 

Even with the French, a penalty shootout away from consecutive World Cup crowns last month, recently losing their captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to retirement, he doesn’t foresee it weakening their hands.

“It’ll require a pretty impeccable approach to qualify,” he confessed about the task of splitting the two powerhouses.

“France lost their ‘keeper but I think they’ll be alright.” 

The top two seeds begin the campaign on March 24 by meeting at the Stade de France, 24 hours after Ireland host Latvia in a friendly.

Barring injury, Brighton striker Evan Ferguson is set to start that workout, as his run of consecutive starts against Everton and Liverpool, both comfortable wins, have propelled the 18-year-old into pole position for the berth.

Michael Obafemi will remain frozen out until Swansea City agree to sell this month, likely to Burnley, with Chiedozie Ogbene a possible replacement. Rotherham United are willing to offload the attacker in this window rather than lose him for free in May but Millwall and an unnamed Belgium club are also vying to recruit the Corkman.

Of the other striking options to Kenny, Troy Parrott has just returned from injury for Preston North End.

He made his first outing since October in Saturday’s home hammering by Norwich City, who had Adam Idah come on from the bench.