'Winning the group is unrealistic' - Vera Pauw dampens expectations ahead of Germany trip

Vera Pauw was quick to dampen expectations this morning as she named her squad for the upcoming game against Germany on September 19^th.

With three matches left to play in Group I on route to qualifying for Euro 2021 (which will take place in 2022), Ireland sit atop the group unbeaten.

In second place sit Germany, the holders of eight European Championships and two World Championships, who have a game in hand over the girls in green. 

Ireland’s final three fixtures are the toughest of the entire group. They restart their campaign against Germany in Essen next month, before heading to Ukraine to play in Kyiv on October 23rd.

Pauw announced a provisional 30-woman squad, which includes nine Women's National League players, for the Ruhr Valley engagement.

The squad will be based in Duisburg, where defender Claire O’Riordan plays her football, ahead of the games to comply with government travel guidelines.

They end the group with their only remaining home game, as Germany are the visitors to Tallaght Stadium.

Looking ahead to the first match in Germany, Pauw said the squad had to be realistic in their expectations for final three games. 

"Winning the group is unrealistic – we have to know where we stand to succeed,” the Dutch coach admitted.

”We want to take everything we possibly can from the Germany game but for me the key game is Ukraine.

“If we can take three points against Ukraine and steal a point against Germany we have a huge chance to go straight to England”.

This theme was echoed throughout her virtual press conference, where she also discussed her latest contract extension, injury concerns and elite athlete exemptions when it comes to quarantining after travelling for fixtures. 

Injury Concerns

Pauw confirmed that defender Megan Campbell is on track with her recovery from the injury she suffered playing for Manchester City against Tottenham in January of this year.

The injury is rarely seen among elite athletes, such that only Campbell’s surgeon had previously seen it in this context.

The Germany game comes a little bit too soon, but Pauw is hopeful of seeing Campbell back in the Irish set-up soon.

“There was a long time that the top surgeons doubted what to do with that injury but it looks like they've made the right choice and we're very grateful for that.

“Manchester City are guiding her very, very well and we have no impact on that, but we follow it, of course, because she's an important player for us.”

Chloe Mustaki’s injury, however, is a different story. Mustaki was hurt following a training ground tackle on Heather Payne in the run up to Ireland’s last game against Greece back in March.

“Chloe has ruptured her cruciate ligament so that will take nine months as from March,” Pauw confirmed.

“We guide her whole process, from the physio to the moment when she comes back and can start running and developing.

“From there, I will come back into the picture to help her get her rehab in the best way possible.”

Contract Extension

Yesterday saw the announcement from the FAI that Pauw had extended her contract, which would bring her to the postponed Euro 2021/22 tournament, were the team to qualify. 

For Pauw, it was merely a practicality as she had no intention of leaving the team mid-campaign.

“For me it was, let's say, a normal practice thing because the tournament is postponed and I would never ever leave Ireland because my contract would not allow that.”

Pauw added her delight that her backroom team of Eileen Gleeson and Jan Willem got the same extension.

“We're a team, the three of us, Together we guide this team. Of course I need to dictate final decisions, but we do everything together and without them I would be lost”.

Elite Athlete Exemption

Ireland is one of the few countries in Europe that has yet to implement an exemption to quarantine guidelines for elite athletes.

Under current guidelines and legislation, anyone who travels to a country outside of Ireland's Green List are requested to self-isolate for 14 days.

For this reason, the decision was made by Pauw and her management team for the squad to gather in Germany rather than Ireland.

The squad had first intented to assemble in the Netherlands but they will now go to Duisburg and have their full training camp there.

“That was a choice that we made quite early on,” Pauw recalls. “We would not take any extra risk where we don't have to take or where we may have alternative choices”. 

There is also an issue in regards to players returning to their clubs since the COVID-19 outbreak, such as Julie-Ann Russell, who plays her club football in Sydney.

Russell is unable to return to Australia due to the Australian government’s border control that has been triggered by the pandemic.

“Australia are only allowing 350 people back into the country each day and there is a waiting list of thousands of people waiting to re-enter,” Pauw explains.

“But we are still trying to find a solution to this and are very busy between the Association and the Australian Embassy and of course Julie Ann's employer to try to find a resolution.

“There are complex problems like this in different areas that we are being faced with but we will get there.

“The key thing and most important thing for us now is that we are going to get to play and we have found a fantastic base in Germany."

Republic of Ireland squad:

Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan (SC Braga), Grace Moloney (Reading), Courtney Brosnan (West Ham United), Niamh Reid Burke (Peamount United)

Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Keeva Keenan (Celtic), Louise Quinn (Fiorentina), Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Claire O'Riordan (MSV Duisburg), Claire Walsh (Peamount United), Aine O'Gorman (Peamount United), Isibeal Atkinson (Shelbourne)

Midfielders: Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Jamie Finn (Shelbourne), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Alli Murphy (London City Lionesses), Niamh Farrelly (Peamount United), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Jessica Ziu (Shelbourne), Ruesha Littlejohn (Leicester City), Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths), Stephanie Roche (Peamount United)

Forwards: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Heather Payne (Florida State University), Leanne Kiernan (West Ham United), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett (Brighton & Hove Albion), Julie-Ann Russell (Sydney University), Kyra Carusa (HB Hoge)