Carla Ward: 'There’s conversations to be had but I think Katie can be utilised in a different way'

Ward would prefer if Louise Quinn, 35 when the qualifiers kick off in a year’s time, doesn’t follow her contemporary defenders Diane Caldwell and Niamh Fahey towards international retirement.

NEW MANAGER: New Republic of Ireland women's head coach Carla Ward poses for a portrait before a media conference at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

At least Carla Ward could laugh about the parallels. Tradition now decrees that an FAI managerial unveiling isn’t about the manager. A circus around them sees to that.

Like Heimir Hallgrímsson’s first press conference in July, the two men flanking the supposed boss fielded questions about topics other than Ward’s suitability.