Eileen Gleeson has not been offered a contract by the FAI and as a result will not continue as Ireland head coach. The news was confirmed by the FAI on Wednesday.
Following a brutal loss in their second Euro qualifier against Wales on December 3rd, Ireland missed out on making the European Championship finals in Switzerland next summer.
After being made interim head coach in August of last year in the wake of the departure of Vera Pauw, Gleeson led Ireland to being promoted to League A after an unbeaten Nations League campaign in late 2023. She then ultimately decided to stay on permanently in December last year.
It was after this promotion that Ireland was drawn into the so-called “group of death,” having to contend with England, France, and Sweden prior to claiming a seat at the Euros. After winning just one of these matches, Ireland was put into two additional qualifiers against Georgia, which they went through unbeaten, followed by a two-leg qualifier against Wales, where they lost.
FAI President Paul Cooke said: “We thank Eileen for all of her support over the recent period in her position as Head Coach of the Ireland Women’s National Team, and we wish her the very best.”
🚨 The FAI have just released a statement that they will NOT be offering Eileen Gleeson a new contract as WNT Head Coach.
Wishing Eileen all the best in her next job in the game💚 pic.twitter.com/gjtwND5EPx
— Rep of Ireland Player Tracker (@reptracker) December 11, 2024
FAI CEO David Courell added, “On behalf of the Football Association of Ireland, we acknowledge the dedication and passion that Eileen has shown in leading the Ireland Women’s National Team over the last 16 months.
“Eileen has long been a terrific ambassador for women & girls’ football in Ireland, and she leaves behind a positive impact on our Women’s National Team that included an excellent UEFA Nations League campaign, a memorable win over France in Cork, and a run to the Play-Offs for EURO 2025. We thank Eileen for everything that she has done.”
Gleeson's departure came days after members of the Irish national team had been outspoken in their support for the Dubliner to remain head coach in spite of their failure to qualify for the Euros. After their defeat against Wales, Ireland midfielder Jessie Stapleton told RTE, “I’d love to see her stay in the role, and I don’t think one result should define her. We’ve come a long way as a team under Eilo. I’d back her as a manager.”
While no clear replacement has been named as of yet, the FAI has stated in their press release that they have started the process to recruit Gleeson’s successor.
