Shels FAI Cup winning manager chips in on Ireland disconnect debate
HOME THOUGHTS: Shelbourne head coach Eoin Wearen with Athlone head coach Ciaran Kilduff. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Shelbourne’s winning FAI Cup manager Eoin Wearen has echoed Ciarán Kilduff’s frustrations at the abolition of home-based sessions for Ireland’s female footballers.
Kilduff – who quit just hours after his Athlone Town league winners were humbled 6-1 in Sunday’s final by Shels – alleged he was being portrayed as the bad guy by Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson.
She mounted a staunch defence against Kilduff’s claims of a disconnect between the domestic scene and the Ireland set-up preparing for Friday’s assignment in Georgia.
Gleeson’s reign has been the sole tenure of the past seven years where the best of local league talent wasn’t assembled on a regular basis to be assessed and monitored by the FAI coaches.
Wearen, in his first year at the helm, is similarly miffed.
Unlike Kilduff, who highlighted respect and recognition for his players’ efforts, the Shels boss believes some of his players are worthy of call-ups to the current Ireland squad.
Midfielder Roma McLaughlin, who won 11 caps up to 2022 when she was based in America, is the one he cannot understand being overlooked.
“I’m looking at it from a point of view of whether someone goes in as a squad member to fill the numbers or make a difference,” Wearen explained, from his perspective.
“I think Roma can go in and make a massive difference, especially in an area where there’s been changes or players coming towards the end of their international careers.
“The U23 team needs to come in and the home-based sessions are something the players enjoyed because they always felt recognised.”
Wearen is in the same boat as Kilduff in being stonewalled by the Irish manager. An annual workshop for all national league managers with Gleeson and head of football, Hannah Dingley, would bridge the gap.
“It’s probably more the case of why,” he noted about gaining feedback for omissions.
“With certain players, you need a reason why. Is there something in particular they need to do differently?
“We’ve other players, the likes of Jess Gargan and Keeva Keenan, who’ve pulled on an Ireland jersey in the past and still have hopes.
“When Alex Kavanagh is at her best, technically she’s such an outstanding footballer who is still only 24. She’s someone capable of making that step up.
“Having more of a clearer communication and understanding of what those players must do to get into squads would help.
“Representing Ireland is a huge honour - it does mean an awful lot to our players. They want to wear that green jersey and I want them to help them reach their goals and dreams.” ends
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