Emma Duffy Reports from Aviva Stadium

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND women’s head coach Eileen Gleeson says she has had “no formal discussions” with the FAI regarding her contract situation.

Gleeson’s current deal runs until the end of Ireland’s involvement in the Euro 2025 campaign. Her side face Wales in a two-legged play-off next Friday, 29 November, and the following Tuesday, 3 December, to decide who qualifies for next summer’s finals in Switzerland.

The Dubliner, who was appointed as permanent manager last December, insists her full focus is on the upcoming double-header but says she wants to remain in charge, regardless of what happens against Wales. 

“I love the role, but for me, it’s full focus on the play-offs,” she told her squad announcement press conference this morning.

“I think about nothing else, only these games against Wales. I want to continue, I love being in the job, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and that’s the way I want it to continue. But right now, the focus is on getting these two games done.”

Asked whether there was dialogue with the FAI regarding her contract, Gleeson said:

“Marc [Canham, FAI Director of Foorball] and I speak all the time, we have a really positive relationship. There’s been no discussions around contract, I want to keep all focus… I don’t have the capacity to focus on anything else, only Wales. That’s all I think about. No formal discussions, no.”

Pressed on whether she wanted to stay on, she added: “I’m not really thinking about myself and what the games are [for me]. I’m thinking about the play-offs, I’m thinking about getting the players ready. Post-the games, then we’ll be able to talk about conversations around that. But I’m trying to keep all my brain power for these games.”

Gleeson, meanwhile, predicts “a very evenly-matched tie” with Wales. Ireland are slight favourites due to their League A status and five-place advantage in the Fifa World Rankings (24th and 29th), but Wales were convincing 2-0 winners when the sides met in an international friendly in February. That was Gleeson’s first home game in permanent charge.

Today, she spoke about painful Euro 2021 qualifying memories, when Ireland’s bid was dashed by Ukraine. Gleeson was Vera Pauw’s assistant coach then. She’s hoping for happier times, like the World Cup play-off win over Scotland at Hampden Park.

“I was involved in the game against Ukraine and we definitely don’t want to be… that was one of the worst nights for me in football as well as the players and the staff that were involved in that.

“I think the experience the girls have had since then, the (World Cup) qualification, the positive play-off experience is also a nice benchmark to work towards and remind everybody of. The experience of being in League A and the tough qualifying group, the value of that lends itself to the lessons that we’ve learned about how resilient we can be, how we can be hard to beat against top teams and how we can be creative then.

“It’s being alert without being fearful, and being fully prepared and feeling fully prepared. We all know what we have to do but it’s acting on that.”

Having the second leg in the Aviva is a boost, Gleeson says, with over 15,000 tickets sold, as announced  by the FAI last night.

“It’s huge. We kept talking about the seeded places for the draw and where we’d end up, but one of the rewards of that was that you would be in your home stadium for the second leg.

“To come home here to the Aviva, there’s already over 15,000 tickets sold, we’re hoping everybody comes out because it can be a historic night. That’s what we’re aiming to make it for everybody, but to have the fans with us, to have that atmosphere, it will be magical.”