After all that has happened, it's a shame that it has come to this.
Vera Pauw, the former Team Manager of the Republic of Ireland Senior International Women’s Team, has broken her silence after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) opted not to renew her contract which expires this month. Pauw has released a passionate statement asserting that the Association’s review of her tenure and the World Cup campaign that led to her departure was flawed and pre-determined.
Statement from Vera Pauw - very critical of FAI. pic.twitter.com/Efxs4oOfAA
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) August 31, 2023
The review, spearheaded by the FAI's Marc Canham, encompassed all facets of the World Cup journey, including the qualification process. The input of Pauw, her team, and a selection of players was sought. However, upon presentation to the FAI board on Tuesday night, the board concluded not to extend Pauw's 4-year tenure.
Pauw, who expressed her desire to continue in the role, revealed in her statement today that her interactions with the FAI executives had reached a point of no return. She claimed that prior to the World Cup, following the infamous Athletic article, the FAI's began to interfere with matters on the pitch. A breach of authority as Pauw see's it, undermining her authority as a coach who should have the final and only say concerning on-field matters. Additionally, prior to the formal review, discussions were held with players and staff before and during the World Cup which Pauw believes undermined her position as coach.
The coach cited a lack of trust between her and senior FAI figures, recounting her plea to finalize her contract before the World Cup in Australia—a request that she claimed went unheeded. Pauw stated that talks did commence in March but soon after, were pushed out again and again.
Pauw also touched on an article published in The Athletic in July, featuring anonymous accusations from players and staff who had worked with her during her time at Houston Dash in 2018. The article alleged a "culture of fear" and inappropriate behavior by Pauw. Pauw staunchly denied these allegations.
Following Pauw's departure, the FAI confirmed that Eileen Gleeson, the head of women and girls’ football, will temporarily lead the team in their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Northern Ireland and Hungary in September.
The decision to part ways with Pauw has certainly split public opinion. Pauw had been at the helm of Ireland's women's football team since 2019, guiding them to their maiden Women's World Cup qualification through a play-off victory over Scotland.
Despite the turmoil and controversies, Pauw expressed pride in the team's achievements and progress during her tenure. The FAI's decision to part ways with her is seen as a strategic choice to lead the squad into the 2025 European Championship campaign, with the association citing a series of compounding issues as influencing their choice.
Pauw's departure marks the end of a chapter in Irish women's football, one that saw significant achievements but also brought to light internal conflicts and challenges.
Vera Pauw Full Statement
I have enjoyed four wonderful years working as Head Coach of the Republic of Ireland Senior International Women’s Team.
I have had the opportunity to work with excellent colleagues and players during that time and have truly loved the experiences we have had together and what we have achieved over that time. To have qualified for our first World Cup was a true reflection of our progress and was an historic achievement shared by us all. I am so proud of our campaign, from our first qualifying game through to our final match at the World Cup finals. It is hopefully only the start of much more to come.
While we had hoped for better results on the pitch in Australia, even when faced with our biggest opponents, we demonstrated our growth and our ability to compete at the world’s highest level. As an elite coach, losing never sits well with me, but the immense support and congratulations that I have received on our campaign coming from all over the world will have a long-lasting influence on me.
The Irish people have been so welcoming and supportive of me from the day I arrived here, and I have been very happy and always felt extremely safe in Ireland. I will never forget the warmth the Irish people have shown towards me and a part of me will always feel Irish from here on! To have been asked to be the Grand Marshall at the St Patrick’s Day parade earlier this year was such an honour for me and will remain a highlight of my life.
The Irish fans are rightly recognised all over the world for their fantastic support and the way they have been behind this team, both at home and away, has been remarkable. In Australia, there were thousands of Irish fans in the stadiums, on the streets, at the airport or singing in the pubs. We had a very special homecoming in Dublin. I knew that this was a goodbye from me to all the people in Ireland who have actively supported me. It was not a sad moment rather it felt like a celebration of our connection. It is great to see the growth in and enthusiasm for women’s football in Ireland and the way the fans have shared in our journey.
I am conscious that there has been a lot of noise in recent times around my contract and I believe I should make some brief comment.
I said before the World Cup that I was extremely happy in Ireland and that it was my desire to continue in my role. I entered into discussions with the FAI to extend my contract back in early March and was confident that this process could be concluded quickly. At that time I asked Ciarán Medlar to assist me and the process duly began. The FAI also expressed their commitment to this outcome and worked with my representative to bring this to a conclusion. I requested that their decision, whatever that may be, would be finalised at the very latest before we went to Australia.
Despite committing to issuing an offer to me, the FAI re-considered their stated position and I never received the promised offer. I parked the contract discussions while we were in Australia, as my sole focus was the team and the competition.
Following the article which appeared in The Athletic at the start of July, which included allegations I absolutely refute, I believe the FAI made some major mistakes by directly overruling the tasks of the coach.
My position became very challenging when executives in the FAI, not technical football coaches, effectively took my seat and spoke to staff members and players regarding their roles in the team before and after the World Cup. My advice – coming from my knowledge and experience – was often disregarded and not respected. In my opinion, no head coach in the world would accept interference of the executives in technical football affairs.
Unfortunately, trust broke down between me and certain people in the FAI. I believe that the review process which the Association has carried out was flawed and that the outcome was pre-determined. Indeed, some discussions were held with players and staff before and during the World Cup which undermined my position and had an impact on our teambuilding process. That is perhaps for another day.
However, I do not leave with any regrets and my overriding emotions today are of happiness and pride to have played a part in the wonderful journey of this team over the last four years.
This team will only grow. Better structures are now in place, facilities have improved, stability is secured and the players are ready to face any challenge. I am confident that women’s football in Ireland will go from strength to strength.
Thank you all so much for making my time in Ireland unforgettable!
I wish continued success to this team. I will be watching closely.
Vera.
