THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND WOMEN'S manager Vera Pauw has hit out at former England women's manager Phil Neville for taking the job despite having no experience in the role.
Neville, once at Manchester United and Everton became the England's WNT manager ahead of her and a number of other female candidates in 2018.
After a poor showing at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup with the Lionesses and poor performances in 2020 Neville left the role.
Since then Neville has moved to America to become the manager at David Beckham's Inter Miami.
Speaking at a panel about women in sport on Wednesday and on the findings of a KPMG backed report, the Ireland boss said,"Now the game is getting bigger and bigger and bigger, there is more money coming in,” said Pauw. “Also, more status is coming in and you can see everywhere that men are jumping on to use women’s football as a stepping stone for jumping back to men’s football, or to start their career.
Excited to be in front row seat @KPMG_Ireland for launch of major research piece into impact of sport on women in business. In the company of @sarahyoconnor Paul McCabe @verapauw @MaryOC_FIS and @sineada pic.twitter.com/6AXlFkI2TW
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) January 11, 2023
“And I think Phil Neville is the best and most famous example of it. He had no experience, and had coached one game in his life. There were about 50 women applying for the job. A few women were asked to apply, I was one of them. We all didn’t…none of us did get an interview. At a reception, they were asking Phil, ‘Oh, think about it, call you next morning’. And the next day at 12 o’clock he signed a contract, without any background.
“Just because of his name and being a male. That is a big, big problem in our game.”
Pauw will lead Ireland to their first major tournament in Australia and New Zealand next year and according to Pauw most coaches at the World Cup will be male.
“It’s very unfortunate because from 2000 until now, all the major championships have been won by women, apart from one, in 2011, when Japan won the World Cup,” she said.
“Somehow, women can bring something extra with women players out of their bodies, out of their team. Because we have lived it all through.
"Whereas men coming into the game, they need at least four years to adapt to the game because we have a different structure, we have a different history, we have different bodies, we grow up different in principle than boys and I can see that because I grew up as a boy, as one of triplets. I’m still surprised at times about how we are perceived.”
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