Carla Ward: 'if Colin Healy was in the building he would have been considered...but he wasn't'

Meanwhile, Ward and the Irish women open their Uefa Nations League campaign against Turkey at Tallaght on Friday week, followed by a trip to face Slovenia in Koper four days later

Head coach Carla Ward during a Republic of Ireland women squad announcement press conference.

New Ireland women’s team boss Carla Ward insists she didn’t have the option of offering Colin Healy a place on her staff because the Corkman “wasn’t in the building”.

Former Ireland midfielder Healy worked as assistant to Ward’s predecessor Eileen Gleeson and is adamant a promise of continuity in the job was guaranteed by the FAI.