Katie McCabe would be in Ballon d'Or conversations if she was English says Carla Ward
WORLD'S NUMBER 1?: Katie McCabe leads the Ireland huddle. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Ireland manager Carla Ward reckons Arsenal’s adopted a ‘mad’ approach to Katie McCabe’s contract situation, stressing her captain is at her peak.
Arsenal dithered in contract extension talks with McCabe as the 30-year-old became a victim of their desire to reduce the squad’s average age.
They were too late in upping the stakes, leaving their veteran to last week confirm she was departing for a ‘new chapter’ as a free agent.
Manchester City and Chelsea, who between them have won the last seven league titles, are in discussions with the player’s agent for months and it appears likely she’ll be staying in England despite interest from leading Continental and American suitors, McCabe has been instrumental for Ward in their World Cup campaign, which has already guaranteed a playoff for Brazil with home advantage, and believes her next employer will get a player in her pomp.
“Mad,” the Ireland manager says when the age excuse is raised.
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“Katie is absolutely at her peak. I was asked, when I first came in last year, how do you get the best out of Katie but maybe we’ve yet to see her best.
“I would argue the last four camps are the best we've ever seen Katie in an Ireland shirt - so far.
“She trains like she's a 21-year-old hungry for success.
“I hope we don't speak out of turn by saying this, but if Katie was English, I think everybody would be saying right now she should be in the Ballon d'Or conversations.
“It blows my mind that she's not because she’s the best left-back in the world. And arguably, up there, there's no better in the English Super League.
“I think any club not wanting Katie is bonkers.”
Despite the left-sided player being at Arsenal for 11 years, Ward doesn’t agree with any assertion about her condition.
She also fears that personnel decisions are unduly influenced by data, rather than a manager’s judgement.
“I wouldn’t mind a car with that mileage that can perform like Katie does,” she said when the metaphor is tabled.
“She is such a pro and conditions herself in such a way that she will have a lot more years in her.
“As for the age profile thing, I had this conversation with another player the other day who is moving on to a different club.
“The problem you have now is managers aren’t signing players as such.
“Not everywhere but you have recruitment people in the club who look at numbers and data, rather than clips. The women’s game isn’t at that stage yet.
“They then decide by age profile instead of who’s the best performing player in that position across the world right now.
“It is mad. And I have seen it at a club, who I won’t say, that wasted an absolute bonkers amount of money from what the data suggested. The human side is lost.”
McCabe could have her future resolved by the time Ireland head to Pairc Uí Chaoimh on June 5 to host group leaders Netherlands (7.30pm).
She’ll be walking a suspension tightrope as a booking in Cork would rule her out of the trip to Grenoble for the final qualifier against France four days later.
Local hero Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy suffered that fate by incurring their second yellow card in the 1-0 win over Poland at Lansdowne Road last month.
“I don’t need to warn Katie,” declared Ward. “She gets a lot of criticism but is very smart.
“There’s no way that she's going to give up the opportunity to hopefully tee ourselves up for a big moment in France.” Four points off the top seeds in the final two games could propel Ireland into the sole automatic tournament ticket but more likely are the playoffs in October and late November.
Two successful rounds there would qualify them for a second successive World Cup.
IRELAND SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton FC), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic), Grace Moloney (Sunderland).
Defenders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal FC), Anna Patten (Aston Villa FC), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Aoife Mannion (Newcastle United), Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Chloe Mustaki (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (Liverpool)*, Tyler Toland (Durham), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Ruesha Littlejohn (Crystal Palace), Jamie Finn (Sunderland), Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne), Jess Ziu (West Ham United).
Attackers: Saoirse Noonan (Celtic FC), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United)*, Kyra Carusa (Kansas City Current - loan), Amber Barrett (Strasbourg).
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