REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Eileen Gleeson says Arsenal’s post-season friendly in Australia is “far from ideal” amidst potential implications Katie McCabe.
The Irish captain could face a gruelling 34,000km round trip to Australia days out from Ireland’s Euro 2025 qualifier against Sweden at the Aviva Stadium.
Six days after the WSL season ends, Arsenal will play an A-League All-Stars Women’s team at Marvel Stadium on Friday, 24 May. Ireland welcome Sweden to Lansdowne Road for their third Euro 2025 qualifier on Friday, 31 May, with the return tie the following Tuesday.
“We haven’t spoken to Arsenal yet,” Gleeson told a press conference this morning as she named her squad for the opening qualifiers against France and England.
“We have it obviously factored into our planning processes if she is in it. But we have to wait and have that conversation with the club whether she will or won’t be involved in that.”
Gleeson said McCabe herself hadn’t given any indication as to whether she will travel and potentially play. Asked by The 42 if it was a concern, the Irish boss responded:
“Well, I mean it’s far from ideal. [England manager] Sarina Wiegman and other coaches have mentioned it in their squad announcements and public conversations.
“It’s a long travel trip with a quick turnaround so it’s directly post the end of the season, straight into a really long travel trip with a really quick turnaround directly before a qualifier.
“So yeah, it poses a real challenge for the player and for us as well. If it happens, we will have to manage it and best prepare for it if she is involved.”
Of immediate concern for Gleeson and Ireland, however, is a trip to Metz to face France tomorrow week, Friday 5 July, before they welcome European champions England to the Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday.
“After the draw obviously we know the challenges of the group, the group of death that everybody didn’t want to be in. But we’re here now.
“It will be another magical experience for us, playing in the Aviva against top opposition.
“Of course we’ll have to be more pragmatic. We’re hard to beat. We wanted to emphasise creativity and being super aggressive in the Nations League and we had an opportunity to do that, but here the starting point has to be being pragmatic. We need to get points in any way we can, so that’s what will guide the approach to the games.”
Question marks remain over the venue for Ireland’s third home game against France.
That Tallaght Stadium was not initially confirmed led to speculation around the Girls In Green potentially playing further afield, with the GAA allowing soccer and rugby to be played at Croke Park and Páirc Uí Chaoimh raising further eyebrows.
“It’s undecided yet,” Gleeson insisted. “Still a lot of negotiations going on or chats going on around the availability of Tallaght Stadium.
“I’m not involved in those conversations right now but I’m sure all options that are available will be considered. That’s as much as I know about it now but the more options that we have the better, and I’m sure all viable options will be considered.”
Good to see Eamon Dunphy was spot on with his assessment of Brazil during his rant at the end of the champions league final…
Piques trips don’t lie….
And then Neymar does that!!!
outrageous. great goal.Barca will be happy. the Luiz clearance was a massive turning point
game was well over when luiz cleared
Brazil are still a class team. I think they will go on and win the World Cup for a sixth time.
Not a hope, they are only good in all those “nobody cares” cups or world tours.
Titles or cups meant nothing tonight. That was a simple case of passion and “who’s the best”. What a game! Fook the begrudgers”
Some clearance from Luiz that was more impressive than Neymars goal
Trappatoni has to go!
This is Spain’s Bishop Brennan’s kick up the arse. They’ll be back.
Def not joe, Brazil seem to really want it. But great clearance by David Luiz, coulda been a draw.
After the passionate singing of the national anthem there was always only going to be one winner. Brazil were awesome at times. Great curtain raiser for WC 2014.
I hope now people stop saying Neymar is the most overrated player ever.
first time since 1985 spain lose 3-0
Shakira played a great game.
Richie sadlier sounds like gift grubs Shane lunch :D
scrappy goal.arbeloa having a nightmare. have money on Spain. not looking good at the moment
Tippy tappy taps out!
After watching that masterpiece by Brazil tonight do you all, well almost all, still think as you did last year here on thejournal.ie, the Euro is of a much higher standard than The World Cup? :) :) :)
Brazil were class tonight! David Luiz was like a man possesed! Can’t wait to see Neymar playing with Barca! The only thing I’ll say is Spain played 120 minutes against Italy,had a days less rest & that pitch wasn’t fixed up since the last match.
Best game any of you will ever see!!
That would be France v Germany in the 1982 World Cup. I haven’t googled anything, so I may have something slightly wrong.
Did you watch it at the tennis club Paul?
I didn’t see the match, just saw the goals. I did see Brazil’s games against Italy and another team and was unimpressed with the standard of football. I know football and politics are two completely different things but at a time when there is so much trouble, pain and anger in the country, a lot of which is centred around the costs of holding a world cup and having terrible health care, high taxes, poor education etc, I would have felt sorry for brazil if they lost the game because the country needs a lift and something to cheer about and there were a lot of sacrifices made for it. I was surprised to see the score of 3-0 and I wonder if Spain weren’t giving it 100 per cent for these reasons above. As I said I didn’t see the game so I’m not saying they didn’t deserve to win, I just wonder if the result would have been different if it was the world cup final at stake.
Here’s where your analysis fell down – “I didn’t see the match”. Spain looked tired and Brazil broke them. They could have won by 5
Haha fair enough
Just figured out why good comments get red thumbs including trolls……..!!
I always knew that my team would get back on track ;) also I think that they needed some time to reconnect again with the new players