VERA PAUW HAS been appointed head coach of the United Arab Emirates women’s team.
The Dutch coach, who was appointed head coach of the Ireland WNT in September 2019, led the side to their first-ever major tournament.
Yet the FAI did not renew Pauw’s contract following the 2023 World Cup and this is the 62-year-old’s first coaching role since then.
Pauw — who previously managed Scotland, Russia and South Africa as well as her native Netherlands — succeeded Colin Bell as Ireland manager on an initial two-year term in late 2019.
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The UAE are ranked 116 in the world, with Pauw confident of improving the standing of the team.
“I was the first female professional player and also the first to hold the Pro Licence in my home country, the Netherlands,” Pauw said.
“I am proud of my journey that brought me from the European finals with the Netherlands, the Olympic Games with South Africa and the maiden appearance of the Republic of Ireland at a World Cup. Now I am on a day to write a new chapter in the history of the game with fantastic people around me in the UAE. I am ready.”
In September 2023, The FAI outlined the reasons for Pauw’s departure from the job following a World Cup review.
Jonathan Hill, then the FAI CEO, said many players and FAI Director of Football Marc Canham had a “different position” to Pauw on Ireland’s style and preparation for games, prompting the Association’s decision to ultimately part ways with the coach.
“It’s important to stress that we are not here to criticise the manager’s approach in any of these areas,” Hill said then.
“Vera was very clear, consistent and open in stating, not just to us, but also to her staff and players that she believed her approach to core areas such as these was absolutely the right one and indeed something she had adhered to across her entire career.
“We are not doubting that conviction, nor indeed her beliefs. But we do feel it is important to recognise that in professional football, as in wider sport, there are always disagreements and at times, subsequent tension behind style and preparation.
“The manager had her views and believed in her approach. A number of the players and indeed Marc, simply had a different position.
“What we’re saying in simple terms is that we genuinely believe in order to propel the next phase of growth with this team for women’s and girls’ football in Ireland more broadly, we feel we need a different and fresh approach.
“There were indeed differences of opinion, but these are part and parcel of the game. It was clear from conversations with Vera that she was not going to change her fundamental approach.”
Hill added that the FAI’s internal World Cup review flagged “recurring themes such as training methods, the style and nature of sessions, and approaches to conditioning”.
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Vera Pauw named head coach of United Arab Emirates women's team
VERA PAUW HAS been appointed head coach of the United Arab Emirates women’s team.
The Dutch coach, who was appointed head coach of the Ireland WNT in September 2019, led the side to their first-ever major tournament.
Yet the FAI did not renew Pauw’s contract following the 2023 World Cup and this is the 62-year-old’s first coaching role since then.
Pauw — who previously managed Scotland, Russia and South Africa as well as her native Netherlands — succeeded Colin Bell as Ireland manager on an initial two-year term in late 2019.
The UAE are ranked 116 in the world, with Pauw confident of improving the standing of the team.
“I was the first female professional player and also the first to hold the Pro Licence in my home country, the Netherlands,” Pauw said.
“I am proud of my journey that brought me from the European finals with the Netherlands, the Olympic Games with South Africa and the maiden appearance of the Republic of Ireland at a World Cup. Now I am on a day to write a new chapter in the history of the game with fantastic people around me in the UAE. I am ready.”
In September 2023, The FAI outlined the reasons for Pauw’s departure from the job following a World Cup review.
Jonathan Hill, then the FAI CEO, said many players and FAI Director of Football Marc Canham had a “different position” to Pauw on Ireland’s style and preparation for games, prompting the Association’s decision to ultimately part ways with the coach.
“It’s important to stress that we are not here to criticise the manager’s approach in any of these areas,” Hill said then.
“Vera was very clear, consistent and open in stating, not just to us, but also to her staff and players that she believed her approach to core areas such as these was absolutely the right one and indeed something she had adhered to across her entire career.
“We are not doubting that conviction, nor indeed her beliefs. But we do feel it is important to recognise that in professional football, as in wider sport, there are always disagreements and at times, subsequent tension behind style and preparation.
“The manager had her views and believed in her approach. A number of the players and indeed Marc, simply had a different position.
“What we’re saying in simple terms is that we genuinely believe in order to propel the next phase of growth with this team for women’s and girls’ football in Ireland more broadly, we feel we need a different and fresh approach.
“There were indeed differences of opinion, but these are part and parcel of the game. It was clear from conversations with Vera that she was not going to change her fundamental approach.”
Hill added that the FAI’s internal World Cup review flagged “recurring themes such as training methods, the style and nature of sessions, and approaches to conditioning”.
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