The news many were expecting was confirmed on Tuesday evening, as the FAI announced that they would not be renewing Vera Pauw's contract as the Republic of Ireland manager.
Pauw led Ireland to their first ever appearance at a major women's international tournament this summer, and they earned their first ever point with a draw against Nigeria in their final World Cup group game.
However, with Pauw's contract up for renewal, and question marks surrounding the former Netherlands coach, it was somewhat expected that she would vacate the role after the World Cup.
The hunt is now on to find Pauw's replacement, with a few leading contenders already emerging.
Ireland WNT: The leading contenders to replace Vera Pauw
Eileen Gleeson
We'll start with the obvious choice.
Alongside her previous role as Vera Pauw's assistant, Eileen Gleeson has worked as the head of women and girls' football in the FAI since earlier this year. It has been announced by the FAI that she will take interim charge for the game against Northern Ireland next month, as the WNT play in the Aviva Stadium for the first time.
28 March 2023; Eileen Gleeson, FAI Head of Women and Girl's Football, during the launch of FAI / Fingal Girls' Transition Year Football & Fitness Course at Swords County Hall in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Gleeson has previously managed Peamount United and UCD Waves in Ireland, winning two league titles with Peamount and leading them to the last 32 of the 2011-12 Champions League. She also spent a season and a half with Glasgow City in the Scottish Women's Premier League, with the team going on to win the league title last season after she departed mid-season, with the side on 34 points from 36.
Gleeson would seem to be the obvious choice and, given her experience with the national team and the fact she has never managed a league finish lower than 4th as a club manager, she would be an excellent choice.
Tom Elmes
Elmes took over as Vera Pauw's assistant after the departure of Eileen Gleeson for Glasgow City in 2021, and played a crucial role in the team's qualification for a first ever World Cup in Australia.
31 July 2023; Republic of Ireland assistant manager Tom Elmes and Denise O'Sullivan, left, before the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Group B match between Republic of Ireland and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Elmes combines his responsibilities with the senior team with his role as head coach of the under-16 women's national team, and has previously managed Wexford Youths in the WNL.
His familiarity to the group at senior level is, again, a major plus point by his name, and you would imagine Elmes will remain involved with the side for the games against Northern Ireland and Hungary in late September.
Perhaps unlikely to get the nod over Eileen Gleeson, but Elmes' name is undoubtedly in the mix.
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Casey Stoney
FEBRUARY 7 2019: Manchester United manager Casey Stoney watches from the dugout in the semifinal of the FAWSL Continental League Cup. (Photo: Shutterstock)
This would be a major coup for the FAI should they pull it off, with the Irish Times leading the reports here that Stoney is in contention.
Ex-Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool star Stoney spent three years as the newly-formed Manchester United Women's manager from 2018 to 2021, guiding the team to promotion before securing back-to-back fourth place finishes. She would resign from her role in the summer of 2021 after disputes relating to the restricted budget the team was operating on.
Since then, she has managed the San Diego Wave in the NWSL, who boast US legend Alex Morgan, as well as Ireland's Kyra Carusa.
Stoney's experience would be invaluable, but it remains to be seen if she could be persudaded to leave her role in the States to join up with Ireland.
Alan Mahon
A former Ireland senior international, Mahon lined out for Sporting Lisbon, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, and Burnley during his playing career.
26 April 2000; Alan Mahon of Republic of Ireland during the International Friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Greece at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile
Mahon has been with the Manchester City women's team since 2014, firstly as an assistant coach before stepping up to the role of assistant manager in 2018. He briefly served as the club's interim manager in 2020, and continues as their assistant manager today.
During Mahon's time with Manchester City, the side have won the Women's Super League in 2016, as well as three FA Cups and four League Cups.
He certainly has the credentials for the job - whether he can be uprooted from Manchester is an entirely different question.
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Lisa Fallon
Lisa Fallon's coaching career has brought her to several different destinations, with the former Southampton and St. Pat's player earning her UEFA Pro Licence in 2018.
That same year, she was a member of Jim Gavin's backroom team as the Dublin Gaelic footballers secured a fourth All-Ireland senior championship in a row. She has also served as a coach at Chelsea and Cork City, and was head coach of Galway United for the 2021 season.
21 May 2021; Galway United head coach Lisa Fallon during the warm up ahead of the SSE Airtricity League First Division match between Cork City and Galway United at Turners Cross in Cork. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Since late 2021, she has served in FIFA's high performance department, and was part of RTÉ's punditry team for this year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Fallon's experience across a wide range of roles and sports would make her an excellent and well-rounded option.
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