Five contenders to become Ireland's next women's team manager

SUCCESSION?: Eileen Gleeson and Vera Pauw during an Ireland training session in 2021. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

While the recriminations from Vera Pauw’s axing persist, Ireland have a Nations League campaign to commence and it will shape the severity of their route to the next major tournament, the 2025 Euro finals in Switzerland.

Eileen Gleeson, as we’ve flagged since Pauw’s position became precarious, has been parachuted into the void for the opening matches against Northern Ireland on Saturday three weeks, the first-ever at Aviva Stadium, followed three days later with a trip to Budapest to face Hungary.

The October window is a double-header against the lowest seeds Albania, home and away on the 27 and 31, before Ireland conclude by welcoming Hungary on Friday, December 1 and the short trip up to the M1 for the all-island rematch on Tuesday, December 5.

Here we assess the early contenders for what should be a coveted job across Europe.

1. Eileen Gleeson

Possession is nine tenths of the law. Gleeson returned to the FAI in January as the Head of Women’s football, an organisational function rather than team-related, but her experience on the bench as manager of Peamount and UCD Waves, as well as two half seasons at the helm of Glasgow City, bolster her credentials. 

She had worked with a cohort of the squad at club level before Pauw drafted her in as her sidekick when taking the Ireland post in late 2019. With six winnable matches against lower seeds before Christmas, she’s in the box seat to embrace the audition. She may also opt to elevate recently retired Áine O'Gorman onto her staff as the pair are close from their days in the women’s national league.

2. Alan Mahon

The former Ireland international had a long and varied career, including a brief stint at Sporting Lisbon, and returned to coach after sampling life in the business world.

He’s been on the staff of Manchester City’s women’s team since 2015, assisting Nick Cushing and since his successor Gareth Taylor.

He even enjoyed a temporary spell as caretaker in 2020 but wasn’t interested in being the main man at a club who’ve invested heavily but have drifted to the periphery of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the Women’s Super League.

Mahon would undoubtedly fancy a crack at stepping up to his first standalone role managing his country. He was integral to the captures of Megan Campbell and Tyler Toland while a third rising Irish star, Jessie Stapleton, was in his sights before West Ham United lured her at 18.

3. Geraint Twose 

Assistants being plucked by associations is a pattern of women’s international football, with Bev Priestman’s move from Phil Neville’s backroom team at England to the Canadian post the most successful of the modern era.

Sarina Wiegman has led England to the last two tournament finals, winning the Euros and losing to Spain in the recent World Cup decider, meaning the team behind the team will be in demand.

Her Dutch compatriot Arjan Veurink might appear the obvious choice to headhunt but given the growing influence of former English FA management in the FAI, Twose could be considered more appropriate.

He spent 17 years at Cardiff City but has been on the English FA’s books for the past decade, moving from the U15 boys to the women’s seniors five years ago. He also worked with Team GB during the Tokyo Olympics.

4. Lisa Fallon 

Graduates of the requisite Uefa Pro License are rare among females in Ireland, with Gleeson and Sue Ronan the sole pair from the FAI courses. DLR Waves manager Laura Heffernan was accepted onto this year’s intake.

Besides those trio, Lisa Fallon attained her elite badge through the Northern Ireland FA. She currently operates as a high performance consultant for Fifa, before which she held the managerial reins at London City Lionesses. Other functions included analyst positions at Chelsea and Northern Ireland during 2023 and she’s branched into other sports, working with Dublin’s GAA squad. Talk of her joining the FAI in different roles has surfaced in recent years without concluding successfully.

5. Colin Bell 

Bell was only a couple of weeks out of a crisis-ridden FAI in 2019 when the worst career decision dawned on him. He was poised to take Ireland into his second campaign, the 2021 Euros, when an offer to join then Premier League side Huddersfield Town enticed him away.

His resignation grated with players who’d believed they were building something together and though he’s mended fences with most, a few struggle to forgive. That shouldn’t be the overriding factor when player power is supposed to be frowned upon but Bell’s record since with South Korea, taking them to 17th in the world and the Asian Cup final, warrants notice.

Knocking out Germany, where the Englishman developed his coaching reputation with Champions League winners Frankfurt, brought some solace to a disappointing recent World Cup campaign but don’t rule out a return for unfinished business.