Izzy Atkinson yearning for starting role with Ireland and West Ham

“I don’t want to be a sub anymore! I want to start at West Ham."

Mon, 23 Oct, 2023 - 14:31

John Fallon

Functioning as deputy to Ireland’s best player and captain is an arduous task but Izzy Atkinson hopes to see the day she is accommodated in the same team as Katie McCabe.

The combination of left-sided players hasn’t occurred from the start for Ireland but it did end that way when they strolled to a 4-0 victory away to Hungary in their last outing.

This week’s double-header against lowest seeds Albania, starting on Friday at Tallaght Stadium (5.45pm) should accrue the six points to confirm Ireland’s promotion to League A for next year’s European Championship qualifiers.

Caretaker boss Eileen Gleeson is taking the reins while the FAI’s head of football Marc Canham headhunts a successor to the departed Vera Pauw and the pattern of Ireland’s supremacy in this Nations League pool facilitates testing new concepts.

West Ham United’s Atkinson went to the World Cup in the summer as the understudy to McCabe.

That’s McCabe who has been nominated for the female Ballon D’Or award next week and scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-1 WSL victory at Bristol City on Sunday.

Frustratingly, she was constricted by Pauw as a left wing-back but the new regime let her off the leash in the opening games of this campaign, reuniting the partnership with Denise O’Sullivan in support of the sole striker.

Atkinson (22) is poised to be the beneficiary if Gleeson sticks with the winning formula for this pair of mismatches.

“It’s a confidence-booster for Katie to be pushed up and I go into her position,” she said about her interval introduction in Budapest when Ireland were two goals to the good.

“I wasn’t expecting to be brought on. I wanted to bring something, not new, but different to the team as an attacking threat. I think I did that.

“She drives me to go forward but she’s Katie McCabe. She’s unbelievable. During training, she’s always in my ear about little stuff. It’s funny, in a good way. I’d love to play alongside her.”

Grassroots is where it all started for Repubic of Ireland WNT players. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Atkinson is trying to rid herself of super-sub status, a tag extendable to her Hammers career. Her impact off the bench against Liverpool was telling as they came back to draw 1-1.

“I came on in the last 20 minutes and we equalised in the 94th minute,” she said.

“I don’t want to be a sub anymore! I want to start at West Ham. That’s my goal when I get back – hopefully to start some games because I feel I should be starting.

“It’s great to get minutes and help the team but I want to push myself more for myself.

“Our manager Rehanne (Skinner) is very open. I’ve had talks with her. She’s great and I respect any decision she makes but I want to work with her and help the team - by me hopefully starting.”