VERA PAUW WILL remain at the helm and it’s business as usual for the Ireland manager despite the enforced changes to the women’s international football calendar.

Ireland WNT manager Vera Pauw. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Pauw took charge of the Girls In Green in September for the remainder of their 2021 Uefa Women’s European Championship campaign, for which the finals were set for England next summer. 

But with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing the postponement of their male counterparts’ Euro 2020 until 2021, it’s been reported that the women’s European Championships will now be played in 2022. The coronavirus crisis has also created a backlog of qualifying fixtures.

The42 understands that there is no change for Pauw, who is working away as manager and planning for Ireland’s remaining Euro 2021 qualifiers. The Dutch boss is in regular contact with her players, who have all been given individual training programmes to keep them ticking over through the football shutdown.

Ireland currently sit unbeaten on top of Group I as they look to qualify for a first-ever major tournament – although they have played a game more than top seeds Germany.

After two wins over Montenegro, a victory over Ukraine and four points earned against Greece, Ireland had been due to play Germany on 11 April before travelling to Ukraine on 5 June and then hosting the top guns in September.

But with women’s European qualifiers and international friendlies scheduled for June also postponed, it looks like those games will now be played in October and November with play-offs next April — that all depends on the worldwide situation with Covid-19, however. 

Although Uefa and England’s Football Association are yet to confirm the finals tournament’s move to 2022 for definite, the Danish Football Association say it had been agreed during a video conference between member nations at the beginning of this month.

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