Ireland took on England in Friday night's EURO 2025 qualifier under the cloud of the distressing allegations of historical abuse by FAI coaches during the 1990s.
Sunday night's RTÉ Investigates documentary on the abuse was released in tandem with a sizeable spread in the Sunday Independent, featuring interviews with multiple players who revealed a history of alleged inappropriate advances by coaches throughout the 1990s.
The allegations brought an apology from FAI interim CEO David Courrell on Monday. Courrell said:
We are sorry for what you had to endure, we’re sorry that anyone could have ever felt unsafe.
It has been a dark week for Irish football, though some felt that the revelations were unfairly overshadowed by the surprise announcement of a new head coach for the men's national team.
After months of searching for a replacement for Stephen Kenny, the FAI announced on Wednesday that the Icelandic Heimir Halgrímsson would be taking over as head coach ahead of September's Nations League games.
Ahead of Friday night's Ireland WNT game against England, former Irish international Karen Duggan spoke perfect sense on the "tone deaf" timing of the FAI's announcement this week.
Karen Duggan criticises timing of Ireland MNT head coach announcement
Karen Duggan appeared on RTÉ's coverage of the game from Carrow Road on Friday, and shared her sympathies with the Irish players of the past who had been subjected to abuse and manipulative behaviour, as detailed in Sunday's reports.
She shared her hope that better practices would be put into place, and that the FAI would learn from these allegations and put better safeguarding structures in place.
'There needs to be regular checks'
Karen Duggan and Rianna Jarret share their views on RTÉ Investigates: 'Girls in Green' documentary, and tell us what they'd like to see happen next #RTESoccer pic.twitter.com/3GT5D9TM0X— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 12, 2024
The 35-times capped ex-Ireland international went on to share her disappointment at the timing of the FAI's announcement of Heimir Halgrímsson as head coach of the MNT.
Halgrímsson's arrival was announced in a week which saw the Irish game rocked by harrowing allegations from the women's game.
Duggan was spot on in her assessment of the FAI's handling of the situation. She said that to make the announcement of Halgrímsson's appointment in the week where the spotlight was on important issues in the women's game was "tone deaf" from the association.
To be honest, I was a bit miffed by it, I thought it was kind of tone deaf in a week where these women were brave enough to speak out and use their voice on such an important topic.
That voice and those sentiments should have been the only thing echoing throughout the FAI, I think, this week.
It was a little bit lost in the ether, you go on social media and it's all about the men's team announcement.
I just feel like it wasn't the time, we'd waited long enough for a men's team manager. We knew that this match was coming, it was an important week for women's football, an important week for football.
Nothing should be done to overshadow what was said, or the programme, or the revelations. I thought it was poorly executed, to be honest.
Given the announcement was put together on short notice on Wednesday afternoon, it is hard to see why it could not have been delayed in light of such an important and troubling story breaking just days beforehand.
The FAI addressed the questionable timing of the announcement this week.
David Courrell said that the association had contacted both Ireland WNT head coach Eileen Gleeson and the group of women who came forward with the allegations.
Interim CEO Courrell also acknowledged that the press conference for Halgrímsson's appointment had not been ideal in timing.
Our preference would have been to make this announcement at a different time, but due to a range of factors we had to proceed.
We communicated this to the group of women in advance and we have asked for their understanding.
I wish to stress that we do not want to diminish or try to move on from what is a matter of the utmost seriousness.
Despite this being an important day for Irish football, those courageous women remain at the forefront of our thoughts and we reiterate our support for them and commit to ensuring it remains the top priority for the association.
Anyone affected by the story of historical abuse in Irish football is encouraged to visit raiseaconcern.com
