The General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland has asserted that Vera Pauw's departure as the head of the Ireland women's team was not a result of player dissent or power struggles.
On Tuesday, Pauw was relieved of her duties with Ireland following an FAI board meeting. After extensive deliberations and discussions about the team's World Cup qualification campaign and the tournament itself, Pauw, who guided Ireland to their first Women's World Cup, was informed by FAI CEO Johnathan Hill that she would no longer be the Ireland boss.
In the lead-up to the World Cup, Ireland encountered a multitude of problems, and the ongoing saga involving Katie McCabe seemed to be the final straw.
During Ireland's last World Cup group game, a verbal exchange occurred between Ireland captain Katie McCabe and Pauw over substitutions. Post-game, Pauw stated, "If Katie McCabe says that she wants a change, that doesn't mean she's the coach. Everybody was doing so well. And I said, 'What do you want, Katie? To take the best player off?' No."
Later in the evening, McCabe tweeted a zipped-up emoji, fueling speculation that Ireland's players, including the captain, were not fully supportive of retaining Pauw as the head coach.
Manager Vera Pauw will no longer be the Republic of Ireland manager (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)The FAI and the players remained silent about Pauw's future. As weeks went by, speculation grew that player unrest played a significant role in the FAI's decision not to renew her contract.
However, PFAI General Secretary Stephen McGuinness has refuted this notion. He asserted that stakeholders had a more influential role than players when it came to the FAI's final decision.
"Everyone had input into this report," McGuinness stated on RTÉ's Morning Ireland. "The decision was made that Vera wouldn't be able to sustain the success she's had. On social media, fingers have been pointed, but in the mainstream, I think everyone understands this isn't a move driven by player power. The FAI recognizes that the team's long-term success necessitates someone to lead it to the next level."
McGuinness was also asked if players who had remained silent about Vera Pauw's future would eventually voice their opinions. He added, "In time, that will happen."
Eileen Gleeson will assume the role of Interim Head Coach of the Ireland Women's National Team for the two UEFA Nations League games in September. Ireland will first face Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on September 23, followed by a match against Hungary in Budapest on September 26.
