Eileen Gleeson is relishing the prospect of her first game as fulltime manager of the Irish women’s team with a friendly against Italy on Friday.
Gleeson had said she was only interested in being Ireland’s interim manager, but would reveal she changed her stance while standing on the sideline amidst of a downpour in Albania, looking proudly on her team as they won 1-0 against all odds.
After six unbeaten matches in the Nations League window, it is safe to say that expectations are high for Gleeson's Ireland. However, the level of competition is about to go up. First up in 2024 for Ireland is a friendly against Italy on Friday in Florence, followed by a visit from Wales in Tallaght next Tuesday.
The Girls in Green have secured a promotion to Nations League League A, which should be helpful in trying to qualify for the Euros in 2025.
Addressing the media on Monday, Gleeson touched on the significance of playing elite European teams like Italy with a Euro 2025 qualification campaign looming.
“I think it’ll be really important, we’ve seen Italy really progress since the World Cup and throughout the Nations League campaign so this is a real good benchmark of a game for us. Obviously we’re in League A now, Italy in second pot currently for the qualifiers, so it’s a real benchmark of what the opposition will be for the qualifiers.”
Adapting to Change on the Pitch
There is no doubt that football is an intense sport that puts players at risk of constant injury. Indeed, this has been the case for a variety of Ireland internationals who were absent over the course of the Nations League window.
As such, Gleeson will be without both Denise O’Sullivan and Tyler Toland, who were originally included in the roster for Friday’s game but have succumbed to injuries that prevent them from taking part in the two friendlies. However, while unfortunate, it's an opportunity to test other players in central roles
The first WNT squad of 2024 is here 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Baeye9vak0
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) February 15, 2024
“They’re huge and both central players but this is football unfortunately - you have to be ready to adapt, it’s one of the values we promote here”, Gleeson said in relation to O’Sullivan and Toland.
“So it gives us an opportunity to have other players fill those roles and take their opportunities. So yeah while big loss, we still have to move forward, we still have to use the full squad that we do have available to us.”
The Irish national team has also been turning to their domestic league, the Women’s Premier Division for newest call ups to the squad. This includes the likes of Peamount United’s Erin McLaughlin and 17-year-old Jess Fitzgerald.
Peamount United’s Erin McLaughlin and Jess Fitzgerald called up to the squad as injuries rule out Denise O’Sullivan and Tyler Toland.
A first senior call-up for Jess 🤩 pic.twitter.com/mqpWNBgtOs— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) February 18, 2024
Gleeson said Ireland's domestic league remains a great source for talent, both present and future.
We’ll always look to our domestic league so it has to be a source of our future players and current players and yeah so we’ll always look there as well as look to the WSL and the other leagues that the girls play in.”
Gleeson's squad also features the return of a handful of Irish players who played little or no role in the autumn campaign as Liverpool captain Niamh Fahey and her club teammate Leanne Kiernan as well as new-comer Emily Murphy. Also making a return is West Ham United’s Jess Ziu and Manchester United’s Aoife Mannion.
Gleeson commented on having such a large talented pool of players to choose from.
“Yeah I mean it’s brilliant for us. I mean we’ve had, like I said, players in that we have a good view on. We always knew these players were in their rehab in a return to play process and so for us to have them back in, Jess, Leanne, Aoife, Niamh, like that really shows that the talent pool is broadening, it’s getting deeper and then this gives us an opportunity now to have a look at them in this environment as well.”
Exciting times lie ahead for the girls in green and a victory against Italy would be a perfect accolade to add to a growing list of wins before taking on Wales on February 27.
