IRELAND WOMENโS TEAM assistant manager Eileen Gleeson is leaving her position, the FAI announced this morning.
The Dubliner will take over at 14-in-a-row Scottish Womenโs Premier League champions Glasgow City from next month.
Gleeson, a Uefa Pro Licence holder, landed a role on Vera Pauwโs coaching staff in October 2019, following a successful managerial career in the Womenโs National League with Peamount United and UCD Waves (now DLR Waves).
She will continue to work with the Ireland squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Finland, as well as overseeing a home-based training session with the WNL players, before starting at Glasgow City in November.
Grant Scott became interim coach of the club in July, following Scott Boothโs departure for Birmingham City.
The most successful club in Scottish womenโs football, Glasgow City are currently second in the SWPL 1 table and have Ireland internationals Claire Walsh, Niamh Farrelly, Clare Shine and Aoife Colvill on their books.
โThis is a bittersweet feeling for me because on one side I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with Glasgow City โ one of the most progressive clubs in womenโs football โ but on the other side I am leaving on the cusp of very exciting times for womenโs football in Ireland and the beginning of the World Cup Qualifying campaign with the Irish team,โ Gleeson said.
โBut I feel that this opportunity with Glasgow is one that I couldnโt turn down in order to take the next step forward in my career and development as a manager. It is really unfortunate that it comes just when we are starting our World Cup qualifying campaign โ something that I was really looking forward to as I genuinely believe that we can qualify for the tournament in 2022.
โThe last two years have been unbelievable. Iโve learnt so much by working alongside Vera. The same with the players and the backroom staff, it was a pleasure to work with all and to share so many highlights.
I firmly believe that this team is capable of doing something special. I wish everyone involved the very best of luck going forward and will always be the teamโs number one supporter.
โIโd like to thank Ruud Dokter for his continued support and also thank the FAI Board, CEO Jonathan Hill and all of the coaches, administrators, players and officials in the SSE Airtricity Womenโs National League, Dave Connell, James Scott and Tom Elmes with our underage international teams, and especially Vera, Jan Willem van Ede, Andy Holt, the entire backroom staff and, of course, the players.โ
Ireland manager Vera Pauw added: โI am really disappointed to lose Eileen from our team, having built up such a good working relationship and achieved a lot in the development of our squad over the last two years. But Iโm also really happy for her to take this step in her career by accepting the role with Glasgow City.
I wish her all the success she can get both in the Scottish Championship and in the Uefa Womenโs Champions League. She has so much to offer and will add all her experience and knowledge to the team.
โWherever I have worked I have always wanted an assistant coach from the country I worked who knew the local players and had a strong understanding of the football culture of the country. In that regard, Eileen has been one of the best that Iโve worked with in my career and I thank her for all that she brought to the role with the Ireland squad.
โWe have enjoyed some intense and great times together, along with the players and the extended backroom staff, and Iโm sure the work that Eileen has done will help us in our quest to qualify for the 2023 Fifa Womenโs World Cup.โ
๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐ก๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ช ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐! ๐จ
โ Glasgow City FC | #OCAC ๐งก๐ค (@GlasgowCityFC) October 15, 2021
No interest in the game now but was a Newcastle fan at the time and have to say itโs hilarious to hear Shearer say that as you could practically see him shaking when Keane squared up to him.
@Guybrush Threepwood: Fun times
its boring now
@Anton Friendo: Yeah that type of game died out in the absence of the likes of Keane, Gatusso, De Jong etc. unfortunately..
@Guybrush Threepwood: It was the norm in school to support English soccer. Enlightenment happens only when you leave the education system.
If you read craig bellamys autobiography, he played in that game , he said Shearer was the last one off the pitch at the end of the game because he knew Keane was waiting for him
@Niall Browne: Bellamy is going to say that isnโt he? Seeing as Shearer battered him in Dawson St when they were over here. Bad mouthed him too when he thought a transfer away from St James Park was happening. Nearly shit himself when it fell through and he had to show up there for training.
@Gerry Ivie: it was Keith Gillespie that Shearer punched in Dublin.
Probably a lot bias here. Both great players and true warriors representing their respective teams. Love Keane but also like Shearer for being a great number 9. Hope Kane breaks his record though!
Grown ups arguing about one manโs ability to beat up another when the know neither and have never seen either actually fight.
The level of cringe is spine tingling.
@Gustave H: I donโt think anyone is arguing here. Everyone seems to be in agreement that Shearer looked genuinely afraid of Keane during that particular confrontation. Which was understandable to an extent, because Keaneโs lack of self control and reckless abandon was rarely more evident than during that game.
Funny considering that you could visibly see the point when Shearer sh*t himself at the time
You wouldnโt have had it in you Alan. Stick to throwing balls at him from a safe distance you coward.
@Stonerpug: it was Keane who threw the ball as well as the punch. Shearer did the smart thing and stood there while Roy had a meltdown and got himself sent off in the last minute for no reason.
@The Bloody Nine: You are 100% Correct.Shearer was too smart for that nonsense