Experienced Carla Ward must lead urgent upturn for Ireland WNT

Carla Ward at the Aviva Stadium where she has been announced as the new Republic of Ireland women's head coach. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Six hours after FAI staff were informed budgetary cuts would slow recruitment, a newcomer was enlisted whom they hope can ease their debt pile.

Women’s football isn’t a cash-cow — the €1.8m lost by failing to reach Euro 2025 is 90% less than the men’s equivalent — but a year without major tournament exposure is costly to the association in other ways.

Carla Ward has been recruited to ensure their absence in Switzerland is a one-off.

She will have listened intently to her former player Ruesha Littlejohn decry Ireland’s structural deficits during a post-match rant, although avoiding a second successive slip-up is her priority. Her one-campaign contract reflects the urgency of an upturn.

Defeat to unseeded Wales in the Euro playoff five weeks ago consigned Ireland to a ghostly 2025.

Six winnable Uefa Nations League B matches against Turkey, Slovenia, and Greece await between February and June before the second half of the year consists of friendlies.

It presents the new manager with a full year to learn about, and fine-tune, her team for the World Cup qualifiers.

Topping their Nations League group will improve ranking for that series but realistically they’re aiming to be among the clatter of 32 teams in the playoffs.

Difficult route

Ireland are aware from their feat of reaching Australia in 2023 how difficult the World Cup route is. A mere 11 places from Europe is guaranteed for the Brazil showpiece in 2027.

Fans descending on Christ the Redeemer statue and Copacabana beach in Rio will seem far away when Ward appears at her official unveiling at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday.

Barring a glamour friendly against the likes of her friend Emma Hayes’ USA, Ireland won’t be back at the national stadium for at least 13 months due to the brakes being applied to their runaway train.

Ireland needed a manager of Ward’s stature as a catalyst but it appears the timing means she needed an international job just as much.

At only 41, she had already managed Sheffield United, Birmingham City, and Aston Villa — stressing the relentless schedule was behind her decision to quit the latter in the summer.

Ward was soon back on the training pitch as one of Hayes’ staff at their successful Paris Olympics tournament tilt in July but, once her work-life balance was corrected, a desire for a new challenge arose.

“It's not as easy to work in another country but the WSL or international football would suit us in our personal lives," said Ward six weeks ago, conscious of staying close to her five-year old daughter Hartley.

“In the last month or so, I've started to get an itch and that burning passion hasn't gone away.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't want to get back into management. Of course I do. I always knew I would want to — it was just a matter of when."

The FAI knew Ward was at a loose end, with no compensation payable or the type of delays that Heimir Hallgrimsson’s ‘existing contractual obligations’ caused.

Ditto Casey Stoney, another English-born former WSL manager, who last week opted for Canada — a nation expected, rather than hoping, to qualify for the global bonanza.

Irish candidates

Irish candidates were interviewed too by a panel consisting of Marc Canham and David Courell from the executive side, joined by board members Paul Cooke, Packie Bonner, and Laura Finnegan. Former Ireland midfielder Alan Mahon was one and he’ll be involved as Ward’s assistant.

Emma Byrne remains from the previous era of Eileen Gleeson. While the Wales defeat rendered Gleeson’s position untenable, earlier concerns about her longevity arose from calamitous media performances.

Ward, similar to Hallgrimsson, is experienced and adept at fielding press questions.

Under pressure at the start of last season following a 6-0 defeat to Chelsea, her pragmatism was admirable. “If the (Villa) board chooses to sack me, I will leave with my head held high," she affirmed. “It's out of my hands, I'm resilient and won't roll over."

When she did eventually quit, Villa were adamant it was on Ward’s terms despite their league position dropping two places from the previous year’s fifth place finish.

Long drives and hours weren’t conducive to raising her daughter, whereas the incentive of leading a team to the World Cup and the flexibility of hours does.

“We’re coming into a peak moment,” Ward said of the team’s age-profile. “There’s two-and-a-half years until the World Cup to blend youth coming through with experienced and world-class players. It’s got everything.” 

Succeed in that sole mission and Ward will have aided inspiring droves of her daughter’s Irish peers.