RTE have released their full sit-down exclusive interview with Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw late on Friday evening.
Pauw, who lost her job as Ireland boss this week, claimed in a statement this week that the FAI treated her with 'disrespect' and that she was 'overruled' in the role. Pauw also mentioned that the FAI's decision not to renew her deal was 'flawed,' and the 'outcome was pre-determined.'
The FAI has remained silent on the saga, but Pauw has not. She has now given RTÉ more information about what went on to reveal what happened between her and Katie McCabe at the World Cup.
However, in the full clip released by RTE, Pauw further went on to explain further about her role as manager being undermined by FAI executives. Pauw claimed that her contract review was not done by a technical director, not trained for that role.
Contract saga issues
"That review was done by the technical director," said Pauw. "He's not trained to make reviews, and he was part of the process, so the assignment of the technical director is something that...to do a review, immediately starting while still in camp after the Nigeria game, is something you cannot reflect.
"The evaluation has not been done, and he started with my assistant. First, my assistant, then the communications manager, and I came in as the third person.
"I felt immediately that my assistant had set the benchmark with things that were absolutely ridiculous. For example, he said there was no communication; we did not discuss things. Every morning we had a staff meeting, and every single detail of my task was discussed, from the setup of the training sessions to the game plan, the strategies."
In her first interview since the FAI confirmed they would not be offering her a new contract, former Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw has been speaking in depth to @corktod: https://t.co/xEicdFHwTq pic.twitter.com/wp7Hdxcp9J
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) September 1, 2023
Lost trust with FAI management
Pauw was accused of misconduct by former players at Houston Dash in December, and the allegations of weight shaming resurfaced again before the World Cup in July.
The former Ireland coach explained that the American report from her time in charge of Houston Dash created mistrust between FAI employees and herself.
"The management could have said, 'listen, we know what's going on, we heard the background, in December we have decided that this we know, Vera, we back her, there's no differences, so we just go on because we know it is not true,'" Pauw added.
"If you don’t want that, then I understand, but just say no to me and say it before we leave for Australia. I am a professional; I will give my all, but then it’s clear, and everybody will know what’s going on. I would have accepted and understood it.
"I said, 'Can we conclude that this article has brought attention to that squad that we did not overcome? At first, management said, 'yes,' and then they thought 'no, no, no, no.' I said, 'because of false accusations," she said.
The Dutch woman explained that she was asked if she had received garda vetting by the people who employed her. This left her feeling humiliated.
"And then it was said, 'false? Do we actually have garda vetting of you, Vera?' I fell off my chair because I don't know why he said it. If you get a report about one of your employees in December 2022, the first thing you do is check if you have garda vetting. That is your job, isn’t it?"
Turning down offers
The former Ireland boss also claims that she turned down two offers from other suitors while she waited for a conclusion in regards to her contract saga with the FAI. Pauw claims she kept her Ireland gig because she was committed to continuing with the Irish national team.
"I've had two offers in the process that I stopped because I was waiting for the contract. The FAI did not have social behavior to at least take a month's notice to tell me because that is normal HR activity, isn't it? To give your employer the time to find something.
"Now all the places are occupied, and I have said no to two offers - one was better than the other, but I've said no because I was with Ireland, and I would keep going.
"But after it was known [she would not be staying on], within a day, I have been called by AFC [Asian Football Confederation] because they are so astonished about the development of Ireland that they wanted me to teach a course in Bangkok to their tutors of Pro License and A License and to explain how we did it, what steps, what methods, and so on."
Manager Vera Pauw, left, and Katie McCabe during a Republic of Ireland women press conference at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)Thank you to Irish fans and accusing FAI of gender bias
Despite all this, the former Ireland coach has fond memories of her time with Ireland. She also claims that none of what went on with the FAI would have happened if Pauw were, in fact, a male coach.
"I have made for myself the decision that I will make a huge photo album with all those memories because that is what I want to take with me, not that last month in the way it happened.
"For now, it is important that people take the lessons out of it and probably think for themselves, yeah maybe she is right, maybe we should have done this in a different way, and yeah indeed, indeed we would not have done it if I would have been a male coach with the experience that I have, with the knowledge that I have."
