I sense an air of trepidation ahead of Ireland’s two-legged Nations League playoff against Belgium. This should not be the case. Belgium are an inconsistent side and they’re not miles ahead of us, so we need to believe there’s a chance of beating them.
With that said, Ireland’s performances under Carla Ward have failed to inspire. I don’t think she is generating much excitement or a buzz among the fans either. It feels like we’re always waiting for something to happen, for someone to burst on to the scene, for a big performance where the promised ‘Carla Ward-ball’ materialises and the buzz returns. We can’t wait any longer.
Nothing surprised me about the squad she named – there was a predictability about it. The most glaring issue for me is our midfield options, or lack of them.
Ward spoke this week about how catastrophic it would have been if Denise O’Sullivan wasn’t fit for these games. She is right about that, but Denise is only coming back from injury. She’s got broad shoulders for a small girl and she’ll give it her all, but that’s a lot of responsibility for someone who has only played 20 minutes since August.
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We can’t expect to get 180 minutes of box-to-box football from her over these two games on Friday and next Tuesday. So, who will do that job for us? That’s the crux of it for me – identifying who plays alongside Denise. They’ll need to give some protection to the back line, offer some physicality, while also having the energy to get up and down the field.
Our options are limited because we’ve allowed them to remain limited. There were opportunities to give other players experience in the friendlies against the United States in the summer. I’m talking about the likes of Jess Fitzgerald, Ellen Dolan and Erin McLaughlin, who’ve been in squads before.
Ward’s CV spoke strongly when she was appointed. However, on the pitch and off the pitch I would like to see more. I expected more.
When it comes to scouting players, are there boots on the ground? In the past, we accused managers of just showing up at our own National League games for optics, but at least there was that. There’s no harm in caring about optics. At least let these players know they’re being seen. Motivate them.
Apart from the FAI Cup final, I’m not sure if she’s been to many of our games. Ward’s failure to attend the Shelbourne v Athlone Town game last month, which was crucial in the title race, was a misstep. Instead, she was working as a pundit on the Women’s Super League (WSL) for Sky Sports in the UK that weekend.
Shels have a midfielder, Aoibheann Clancy, who has been in a Ward squad, while Athlone have players who should be up for consideration. Watch them, get a better appreciation for the level of the league and the talent on display in it. That way, we can at least have an informed conversation, no matter how harsh the conclusions might seem.
When she was asked this week about Eileen Gleeson’s case against the FAI, it was possibly a clever response on her part; she stayed a little bit on both fences. But it’s all very messy. It’s between a rock and a hard place for her. If she came out with a stance on either side, she’d get burnt at either stake. And as much as the FAI might be her employer, would anyone tie themselves to that mast?
On a positive note, it’s great that Kelly Brady and Maria Reynolds were brought in to train with the squad. Kelly has been fantastic this season and Maria is an excellent player. But in Kelly’s case especially, why not give her a chance in the actual squad?
Several of the Athlone girls are effectively training as professionals, so she has that in her locker. She’s rapid and she gives an option over the top if we are struggling possession-wise. That is a significant strength. Including her would give a boost to everyone who is performing well in the National League every week. Maybe she’s not quite there yet, but give her a chance.
I’m not taking away from the players who have been selected, but there doesn’t seem to be any risk-reward element to this squad. Half the players are 28 or over, so they should be reaching their peak. More than that, they should be ready to step up and fill the gap left by the leaders of the team who have retired in the last year or so. But they spent so much time looking up to them, I’m not sure if they’re equipped to take on that responsibility.
I cling to the hope that maybe this will be where Ward’s Irel takes off. Belgium are unpredictable. They’re a team after our own hearts in that regard.
I think they pose more of a threat than Ireland. They have goals in the team, not least from Tessa Wullaert. We’re crying out for someone like that – a player who can create something out of nothing.
Whether they can turn it on against a lower-ranked team like Ireland is the interesting question. I say this because, like us, they often perform better against the bigger teams. In recent times, we have seen them give Spain and England a run for their money.
I’ll take hope from that inconsistency, but we need to produce much better than we have so far under Ward. It’s time for a buzz to be generated again. Beating Belgium in this playoff would go some way towards creating it.
