Vera Pauw's Fate Hangs in Balance: FAI's Decision on Head Coach After Women's World Cup Performance Review
Republic of Ireland's future with head coach Vera Pauw hangs in the balance after a disappointing Women's World Cup campaign With a disagreement between Pauw and captain Katie McCabe, the team finished last in their group, leaving the Football Association of Ireland to make a decision
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) will conduct a thorough and extensive evaluation of the national team's performance in their inaugural appearance at the Women's World Cup. Only after this evaluation will a decision be made regarding the future of head coach Vera Pauw. Following defeats to co-hosts Australia and Olympic champions Canada in their first two matches, and a draw with Nigeria, which secured their first-ever point at the World Cup, the Republic of Ireland finished at the bottom of their group.
The FAI stated that following the conclusion of our World Cup journey, a thorough review of the campaign and tournament will be undertaken, in accordance with our usual procedure. The outcomes of this review will be discussed at the upcoming FAI board meeting in the following weeks.
Pauw's contract is set to expire once the World Cup concludes. The Dutch coach expressed that she doesn't perceive this as her final match in charge and intends to participate in the team's homecoming event in Dublin on Thursday.
"Why would I not be at the homecoming? I go back with my team. Otherwise, I would have stayed in Australia enjoying the tournament," she added.
McCabe tight-lipped after Pauw fall-out
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Following her dispute with the head coach, Katie McCabe voiced her thoughts on social media. Pauw, the coach, raised concerns about Katie McCabe's plea for substitutions during the match against Nigeria, asserting that "she is not the one in charge".
McCabe seemed to question Pauw's hesitancy in utilizing substitutions in the second half of the goalless draw in Brisbane. This outcome ultimately led to Ireland finishing at the bottom of Group B. However, Pauw opted not to make any alterations until the 83rd minute. She later clarified her decision to decline McCabe's suggestion.
"Why would we consider changing?" inquired the manager. "Just because Katie McCabe expresses a desire for change doesn't necessarily mean... she isn't the coach.
"Everyone was performing excellently, so I questioned, 'What exactly do you want, Katie? Removing our top player? Absolutely not'."
During the game, I maintain a level of detachment and analyze the situation to promptly make any necessary changes. It is perfectly acceptable for players to express their emotions and communicate openly with the coach, specifically when it comes to addressing me.
Content "Desiring a new addition to her team, but everyone was performing exceptionally. Sinead Farrelly was potentially the standout player on the field at that particular moment, thus I was reluctant to substitute the top performer."
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McCabe refrained from commenting on her interaction with Pauw following the game, but she did express her thoughts on social media, seemingly in response to her manager.
Regarded by many as Ireland's finest player, McCabe played the entirety of the tournament as a left wing-back. Despite this position, she remarkably scored her country's sole goal in the Women's World Cup to date. It occurred when she successfully converted a corner kick into a goal against Canada.
McCabe expressed his satisfaction with Ireland's calm and composed defensive work, possession, and emphasized the importance of utilizing it effectively in the right areas, despite their ultimate elimination due to a 2-1 loss in the match and an earlier defeat to co-hosts Australia.
What is the Women's World Cup schedule?
Despite creating several promising opportunities, it is disheartening that we failed to capitalize on them.The group stage spans a duration of two weeks, culminating on August 3. Teams that emerge as group winners and runners-up will advance to the round of 16, scheduled to take place from August 5 to August 8.
The quarter-finals are set to take place on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney.
In Auckland, the first semi-final will be held on August 15, while the other semi-final will take place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. The final match will then be held at the Accor Stadium on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
