When Vera Pauw named the 23-player Ireland squad for last summer's World Cup, the absence of Birmingham City star Jamie Finn was undoubtedly one of the biggest shocks.
Pauw herself said that the decision to exclude Finn was the toughest she had to make in the lead-in to the tournament and, speaking to Balls and the Irish media on Monday, Finn told us that it was the toughest moment of her life so far.
Finn said of her World Cup disappointment:
I think, in my career, that’s probably the toughest moment ever, really, even in life. It wasn’t a great time at all. It was a shock for me, to be honest.
To play in six of the nine games and to be involved in absolutely everything…it was a shock. I think, at the time it was a very sad moment, even for my family, it wasn’t nice.
It was difficult, but anyone who knows me knows how much playing for Ireland means to me. Playing in the green jersey will never be beaten for me, and I think when we qualified that night, I was steered towards the World Cup. I was tunnel vision. I wanted to make that team.
For me, I knew I’d done everything possible, even with club - I started every single game. I knew I performed well that season. So, yeah, it was really tough to take
Finn started five of Ireland's eight games in their qualifying group for the tournament, and started the historic play-off victory over Scotland in Glasgow in October 2022.
Not only that, but Finn was indeed in fine form for Birmingham at club level, and had cemented herself as a favourite of Irish fans in the buildup to the tournament.
Though Finn travelled to Australia as part of the three-player back-up selection, her exclusion was evidently a bitter disappointment.
Pauw has since departed in acrimony, and Finn has returned to the playing squad, appearing off the bench in last month's 4-0 Nations League victory away to Hungary.
On Monday, as well as addressing the disappointment of the World Cup snub, Finn thanked the Irish fans for their tireless support and said she had her sights firmly set on the future.
READ HERE: Conor Hourihane Clashes With Derby Fans After Own Goal In Away Defeat
READ HERE: Rodgers Update On Mikey Johnston's Celtic Prospects Will Encourage Ireland Fans
Jamie Finn opens up on future hopes with Ireland WNT
26 July 2023; Jamie Finn of Republic of Ireland arrives for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Group B match between Canada and Republic of Ireland at Perth Rectangular Stadium in Perth, Australia. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Despite her disappointment at missing out on World Cup football, Jamie Finn was determined to get behind the 23 Down Under, as she travelled to Australia with the team as a non-playing member of the group.
She knew that any chance of breaking into the squad was an outside one, that depended on one of her teammates being struck down by injury, so she contributed as best she could from the sidelines, in what was a bittersweet end to the World Cup journey for a surefire presence throughout the campaign.
25-year-old Finn told the Irish media on Monday that she had felt a similar support coming her way from the Ireland fans - a good chunk of whom can count themselves avid members of the "Jamie Finn fan club."
When Balls.ie spoke to Irish fans outside the Aviva Stadium for last month's historic Nations League opener against Northern Ireland, more than a few told us that Finn was who they were most excited to see, and she certainly seems to be one of the most popular members of this Irish squad among the fanbase.
22 September 2023; Jamie Finn during a Republic of Ireland women training session at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Finn says that she can feel that support from the fans, and that it helped her through the bitter disappointment that came her way this summer.
Even during what happened [in July], there was a lot of support for me. It was so nice to see at the time. Obviously, you can go back to your family and they could be a bit biased. But it’s nice to see people you don’t know have that support for you. Even seeing people at the games that you don’t know with ‘Finn 17’ on the back. It’s amazing.
I took light in that situation, that people are thinking of me like that.
Pauw has been replaced by Eileen Gleeson, who Finn and others have acknowledged has been a welcome influence over this Irish squad, as they face their first challenge of the post-Vera era.
The Nations League campaign has gone swimmingly thus far, with six points from six, and it should be 12 from 12 by next Tuesday night, with Albania sitting 48 places below Ireland in the world rankings.
Gleeson has admitted that Ireland are already looking ahead somewhat, with one eye on the EURO 2025 qualification campaign they will tackle next year. Finn is determined to help Ireland qualify for a first European Championships - and to ensure she is on the plane preparing to play in the tournament.
Going back to playing for Ireland is such a proud moment for me and my family. I think obviously what happened really ramped that up - even though I don’t think it could be ramped up like everyone knows that about me.
But I think yeah that’s obviously the goal for me personally and as a team, as a collective as well we know what we want to do.
The Ireland WNT face Albania in a sold out Tallaght Stadium this Friday. Kick-off is at 5:45pm and the game is live on RTÉ 2.
SEE ALSO: Five Outside The Box Options To Be The Next Ireland Manager
