Vera Pauw: 'How can you defend yourself against a lie?'

The Ireland WNT manager again denies allegations that she was physically aggressive with players while in charge at Houston Dash.

Wed, 05 Jul, 2023 - 16:49

Brendan O'Brien

Vera Pauw has again denied allegations that she was physically aggressive with players while manager at Houston Dash, but the Republic of Ireland manager is resigned to the likelihood that the ongoing controversy will continue to follow her going forward.

Four Dash players and three staff members were quoted anonymously in a piece published this week by The Athletic with claims that the Dutchwoman was abusive and treated players inappropriately during her one season at the American club.

Pauw has denied all allegations and claimed that one club employee even threatened to shoot her during her time at the club after she moved training to an evening slot. She also provided 12 statements from past players and assistants supporting her work.

The Ireland boss was banned from coaching in the NWSL late last year following a report into systematic abuse in US soccer, since then she has denied all charges and appointed a US attorney Thomas Newkirk to work on her case.

“It’s the same story as in December,” Pauw said on Wednesday prior to the Ireland team’s World Cup warm-up against France in Tallaght. “It is something of a few anonymous players and how can you defend yourself against a lie?”

Pauw then read out a message she received from Barbara Barend on Tuesday after the latest story broke. Barend is a journalist and broadcaster who worked on a story about abuse in gymnastics and who gave permission for her text to be aired publicly.

“I don’t put my hands in the fire for anyone,” it read. “But for you and your pedagogically responsible interactions with players, I do that 100%. I know from so many players how important you are, or have been, inside and outside the pitch. You go beyond everything to choose the best for a person. Everyone can learn something from that. You can’t defend yourself against a lie.”

Pauw hoped to move on to match-related issues after this but there was no prospect of that given the nature and the timing of the allegations and the coach conceded that “it will follow me during my life”.

She also suggested that this has been the agenda. And as for her current players?

“Of course I have spoken to the leading players and they all said… They came individually to me and said they hold (have) my back. And that nobody… I have asked specifically if they have ever experienced anything. We are going to a World Cup. And they said no, never.”

Katie McCabe and Vera Pauw. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Her captain Katie McCabe was sitting alongside her while all this was being discussed and it was only to be expected that the Arsenal star would be asked for her take on the issue and whether the squad was fully in support of their coach.

There was an acknowledgement that the timing has not been good, that it is a “real distraction” for the team at such an important time, and she was ultimately asked if all 23 players were happy with Pauw’s take on the allegations.

“I can't answer for each and every player. Of course Vera has a style of management that we're used to now over the last two years. It’s something we've worked together, we’ve argued with each other of course. You're never going to get on 100% with your manager at times. She pushes me and I push her.

“In my opinion and from my personal relationship with Vera, of course, we've clashed many times but we’re always professional enough to make sure we are fully focused for the team. We know both of our hearts are in the right place in terms of what works best for the Ireland women’s national team going forward. And again, of course the article’s timing is not great but our full focus will be France.”

Pauw also gave some detail on her dealings with The Athletic some months ago, explaining that she responded to a survey they were compiling on player safety, which she supported, with a question as to when they would investigate the double standards for female coaches.

The 60-year old is part of a class action being taken by 226 coaches in the USA over their treatment by sporting bodies. And she is adamant that none of this would be applicable if she was a male rather than a female coach.

“Well, go through the allegations and just put Guardiola or Louis van Gaal or Mourinho in that. You’d actually laugh about it because it's all about coaching. It’s all about coaching, it's not about anything else. I don't want to go into the details because it is nonsense. It’s not true.

“As I said before, there is great safety in the truth. That truth is with me and the people around me, the people who know me, the people who saw me working know that it is not true. There's not one single person who knows me for a long time who has put any question mark behind it.

“So that is my safety and that’s what I’m carrying with me. I need to have my full energy for these players. And many players came to me to support and to ask what crap or nonsense it was because they know me so differently - as well as from all the other teams that I've been coaching.

“I want to leave it with that. I will never win from a lie, that is clear now. Whatever you do, you don't win from a lie. I have to live with it and carry it with me for the rest of my life, I’m afraid.”

FAI backs Vera Pauw over allegations about her conduct while managing Houston Dash