DEFENDER MEGAN CAMPBELL insists Ireland have the quality to play possession-based football under new manager Carla Ward.
The new era opened with a scrappy 1-0 win over Türkiye in Nations League B on Friday night. Ward immediately departed from the back three/five Ireland have been wedded to in recent years, and deployed a fluid 4-1-4-1 formation.
Ireland had 70% possession against the Turks, ranked 30 places below them in the Fifa World Rankings, but were sloppy on the ball and created few clear-cut chances.
Conditions at Tallaght Stadium were difficult, and time on the training pitch has been limited, but as one of the players told Ward, Ireland typically went into “chaos mode”.
Greater composure is needed if they are to adapt to the possession-based style the former Aston Villa boss hopes to implement. She likes attacking football, but is flexible and has masterminded some excellent defensive displays through the years. Striking a balance will be key.
“You can’t say a Carla Ward team is not exciting, whether it be good or bad!” Ward told The 42 upon her appointment. “Energy is number one. Aggressive in some phases, also compact in others. Exciting to play and watch.”
Campbell welcomes the new challenge, but is urging patience and confidence through this transitional period.
“It’s a new system and formation, it’s positive and we were trying things,” the London City Lionesses defender reflected.
“We want to be on the ball and we want to keep possession and do that higher up the pitch. You need to be comfortable in possession. We have the quality to do that. But the confidence is something we have maybe lacked in ourselves as a group. Now we need to put that right in terms of our confidence. Because everyone is technically good enough. The quality is there. As a team and as a squad, we are good enough.”
It’s put to her that some people may not think so. Ireland’s collective ability to play a possession-based style and build into attack will be doubted in some quarters.
“Well that’s their opinion, isn’t it? We don’t believe their opinion,” said Campbell.
“But you’ve got to have confidence as a team to be able and go and play. You can’t shy away from having the ball. Football is about having possession and creating opportunities. And we haven’t done that in a long time in terms of possession-based football with the national team. So we’re changing that up now.
“It’s not going to be perfect overnight. It’s a process we’re going through with new staff and it’s about building the confidence to enjoy having the football a lot more. Ultimately football is a game of opinions and people might disagree. We know we are good enough to be on the ball and good enough to create (more) chances than previously.”
Campbell made a rare start in a different role for Ireland on Friday night, drafted in as the left-sided centre-back alongside Anna Patten. Aoife Mannion played wide right, with Caitlin Hayes dropped for the first time in her Ireland career, after 18 full games.
Long-throw specialist Campbell has been hampered by injury through the years, but is generally introduced at full-back when available for the international stage.
She has operated centrally for London City recently, stringing some starts together, and the 31-year-old has enjoyed that position more as time has gone on.
“I love it. I think I’m more comfortable there. As you get older, you get a little slower and naturally you want to be more central. My understanding of the game, ability to read the game, suits me better at centre-back. Ultimately I’m honoured to be playing anywhere and helping the team.”
Campbell also hailed the input of Ward’s assistant head coach Alan Mahon, who she previously worked with at Manchester City.
“He’s brilliant. He’s coached at a high level for so long. He’s a brilliant guy and I’m so happy for him to get in here and he deserves the opportunity. He’s bringing such a positivity and showing that technical aspect in how we can become better. You need people like that, he’s fantastic and he’s great to have.”
Ireland travel to Slovenia today for their clash in Koper on Tuesday.
United are absolutely muck!!!
I agree, Daithi, and I’m a ManU fan. All that’s been holding them together was Ferguson. It’ll take a while to pick themselves up. Hope Van Gaal is given enough time!
Yeah, I think it’s a while off till they get themselves together!! Rooney was savagely bad!! Mata was poor. Evans, young, all were garbage!!
That’ll be two points dropped for Burnley come the end of season relegation battle. Bad result. Should be beating the likes of muck like United!
Poor result for Burnley. Need to be beating their relegation rivals at home to have a chance of staying up!
Burnley started very well against Chelsea a couple of weeks ago but were well beaten eventually – could well be something similar today. Anything less will be disastrous for Utd.
Noticed that Burnley’s starting 11 is entirely British – something very rare nowadays
I wouldn’t have Evans in my local pub team.
What’s worse is we let Pique go because we thought he was the next big thing!
Although you never know a prolonged run in the first team may see him come good.
Ah now, with all the money he has he’d surely pay for a few rounds
Pique was always going to end up back at barca
Pique was always going to end up back at barca
There’s an echo in here.
And United fans with the usual ‘welcome to the biggest club in the world’ deluded
Good chance for united to pick up 3 points against the team backed for relegation…but I still worry about the back 3 (jones, Evans and blackett) I think this game is a perfect chance for jutciewicz (sorry, I can’t spell it) and ings to prove themselves against a fairly lacklustre defense
Relegation 6 pointer !!!
Utd done very well to get the draw that’s 2 points in the bag WOW!!!!
Could be the point that saves United from relegation come next May.
A dreadful performance by Utd – as bad as anything that they produced last season. 2 pts from 3 games against the giants of Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley. Hard to see them finish in the Top 6, could be much lower than last season if they don’t cop on soon.
It’s early days yet but they’d want to get their shit in gear sharpish!
It would be plain stupid to play Evans again – after his dire performance against MK Dons.
Time for him to move on….
Great squad player!
Poor mans john o Shea he is. O Shea could play in goal
Yoda are you?
I have a wee theory about to United’s poor start to the season so far, which I have yet to see written anywhere (I’m open to correction).
Players who have been at United for years appear to be lacking in confidence, particularly central midfielders and defenders.
I reckon that boasting about having so much to spend on new players was bad enough, but the worst idea was identifying areas we need to strengthen and then not having them strengthened by the start of the season!
Everybody knows we need a proper central defensive midfielder like Keane was. Hence all the hype about Vidal. Everybody also knows the likes of Evans and Jones are prone to being rubbish so we need to strengthen there too, hence the hype about Blind, Rojo, and Shaw. Our wingers have been singled out as blunt instruments, hence the long running saga over DiMaria.
Such speculation must have an impact on the egos of the existing players. Imagine playing in any of these positions over these past few weeks, knowing that the club are actively trying to find a better player in your position! Your confidence would be shot, especially when you’re (by association) being partly blamed for the worst season United have had in ages!! Most of us agree that there is a lot of dead wood still at United, but I’m sure they know who they are too.
I reckon these kinds of big transfers should ideally be completed before the season starts and leave the time between gameweek 1 and Deadline Day to strengthen the squad!
True Man Utd players would relish the competition.
Does Ronaldo ever accept that anybody is better than him?
In any professional job the bottom 10percent of performers should always be moved on!
True class always finds another level, and manages to raise their game.
Time to get rid of the passengers at United and keep the winners!
I agree. But shouldn’t they be moved on before the season starts? I suppose the World Cup has had a big impact on Uniteds ability to do that this year…
Most definitely, a period if transition should be just that!
Vidic should have never been allowed to go before a high class centre back was found.
Your talking about a club that still hasn’t replaced Keane or Scholes!
Spot on. And they hail Carrick as the Messiah when all he can do is pass backwards!!
He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
“They all”? Who? His kids,never heard anyone say that about carrick.
Mainly the English media in fairness. Christ lads, this is feckin desperate stuff.
Good result for united.
Sean Dyche has to go. Poor result for Burnley :):):)
Di Maria looking great so far. Utterly ridiculous decision by Real to offload him.
For 60 odd million, great business by Madrid. Good player in fairness but Madrid tend to make few mistakes when selling players. Remember the furore when they sold Ozil for 50 million. Probably worth 20 now
Pure muck how is Anderson still getting a game
Bring back Moyes.
Just not creating enough chances. A team like burnley shouldn’t be coping as easy as they are at the moment.
Come on. No offemcr but its burnley and we kept a clean sheet but when we cant find a goal with 4 world class attackers it has to be the tactics #352is532
Should’ve won that,more injuries too. So much for 6 easy games to start.
Did not see game, too early here in Canada for me…. No such thing as easy games I would guess these days. Watching Man City game though, when is a blatant penalty not a penalty for smaller clubs though? Right in front of Ref and assistant too…. Stoke robbed……
We had a peno claim too with a few to go,handball in the box,I’m not even sure what’s a ball to hand/hand ball is anymore.
3-1 Utd for me.
Burnley 3-1 Utd?
2 – 0 to Burnley.
ManU’s glory days will not recommence for some years.
It takes a while to completely rebuild a team.
The foundations of the last ones were home grown.
Buying random players on the market is a lot more difficult as – who knows if they’ll gel.
You forgot your “mid table team” gem.
So easy to cancel United out.
No leader(s) or class….
The most scary statistic from this morning is that diMaria cost more than every player that has ever played for Burnley in its 100+ year history added together. And by some margin.
Can’t believe West Ham signed Song from Barca…..he’d be perfect for Utd
If MU now have a lengthy injury list I feel a bit sorry for van Gaal, it’s been hard enough anyway. Now for red thumbs, come on the blues.
Looks like a Oreo for each player in the Sky Sports pic!