Who is Carla Ward, the new Ireland women’s head coach and former Aston Villa boss

Carla Ward tool charge of Ireland for the first time when the Girls in Green faced Turkey on Friday night in their Nations League opener.

The former Aston Villa boss is the 15th senior women’s manager and the fifth woman to take up the role.

She was appointed in mid-January, just over a month after the decision was taken not to renew the contract of Eileen Gleeson and her assistant Colin Healy.

So what do we know about Ward?

Where is she from?

Carla Ward was born on the Isle of Wight and is 41 years of age.

Who did she play for?

Ward’s playing career took her from Bristol City to Bristol Rovers, Sporting Plaza de Argel, Leeds United, Lincoln Ladies, Sheffield FC and Sheffield United.

And what about her managerial career to date?

Carla Ward’s first foray into management was with Sheffield United, where she initially was player/assistant manager. She took over as interim manager in January 2018 and was then given the job on a permanent basis.

A month after she left in July 2020, she was appointed Birmingham City boss, a role she held for one season, before she resigned and moved across the city to Aston Villa.

With a year left on her contract, she stood down as Villa boss in May 2024. The Ireland job is her first since then.

Why did she quit Villa?

Ward resigned last summer so that she could spend more time with her daughter, five-year-old Hartley.

She said on her appointment to the Ireland job that she found the intensity of club management kept her away from her daughter.

Ward said: “I think the work-life balance is huge, my daughter loves seeing me now more often. I’m doing the school run tomorrow when I get back, she’s got musical theatre, I can take her to swimming, I can take her to dancing.

“You can be watching games, you can take her with you not a problem, those moments are really important. The work life balance is massive.”

Hartley, however, gave her mum the green light to take on the Ireland job, with one condition - she would bring home an Ireland jersey.

“(She is) five, going on 25. Got her a kit as well. She can’t wait. She told me when I left that ‘you’ve got one job, bring me back a kit’,” said Ward.

What are her ambitions with Ireland?

Ward isn't shy in declaring that she wants to lead Ireland to back-to-back World Cups. The next tournament is in Brazil in 2027 and this Nations League campaign is the beginning of the qualification process.

Ireland are favourites to win promotion back to League A, which would boost their chances of qualification.

Ward said: "We have to try and get out of the Nations League. We have to get to the World Cup. I'm very clear in short-term and long-term plans."

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