Win demanded as Ward's Ireland aim to bounce back in Greece

04 Apr 2025, 05:00 by Emma Duffy · The42

Emma Duffy

GREECE IS THE word, as Ireland aim to get back to winning ways and rescue their Nations League promotion bid over the coming days.

Carla Ward’s side are in sunny Crete for the first game of a double-header against the Greeks, the Friday afternoon kick-off an unusual one amidst time difference, daylight saving and the likes [KO 3pm Irish time, RTÉ 2]. The return tie is at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Ireland were expected to again win this League B group, but they find themselves behind the eight ball after a humbling 4-0 defeat to Slovenia last month. They opened the campaign — and Ward’s reign — with a scrappy 1-0 win over Türkiye in Tallaght, before that chastening night in Koper.

Ward and captain Katie McCabe labelled it “completely unacceptable” afterwards, with the new head coach taking full ownership after her first-half approach backfired against a team ranked 14 places inferior.

She is deploying a new, fluid 4-3-3 system as part of a possession-based, more attacking plan — and has vowed to stick with that, but accepted certain experimentation like playing players out of position didn’t work.

McCabe pushed into the 10 from left-back but reverted at half-time. In her wake, Aoife Mannion struggled on her unnatural side. Kyra Carusa toiled on the right wing.

A warm-up injury to Megan Campbell had forced a late reshuffle, and a defensive nightmare saw Ireland concede after just three minutes. They trailed 3-0 shortly after the half-hour mark. It was scarcely believable viewing: Ireland repeatedly undone on the transition, making fundamental errors, and largely devoid of intent.

The second half was less calamitous, but it marked the Girls In Green’s heaviest defeat since 2018 and worst competitive loss in over 12 years.

Ward has since said the hurt of Euro 2025 qualification failure may have been underestimated, as well as the loss of leaders through international retirement and injury.

This is a “transitional period,” she stressed, and that alarming result was “a blessing in disguise”. “This could be difficult at the start, messy in the middle and beautiful at the end, I hope,” the former Aston Villa coach said as she named her squad for Greece.

Ward speaking to the media yesterday. Ryan Byrne / INPHORyan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

While the Slovenia post-mortem and need for a reaction have dominated the build-up, off-field matters have also been prominent.

There has been talk of assistant coaches and assistant head coaches; number twos and number threes; past, present and potentially future.

Last week, Ward said she would consider Colin Healy for a dramatic return if Amber Whiteley lands the Liverpool job on a permanent basis. Whiteley, due to report to camp for just the first game, is absent due to a passport issue. Alan Mahon, meanwhile, is also open to a potential return for his direct predecessor, Healy.

As Mahon said on a separate matter, this is all “ifs, buts and coconuts”.

The only certainty this week is Ireland have two must-win games against Greece to get their Nations League promotion bid back on track — and ultimately, help their 2027 World Cup qualification chances.

This squad runs along expected lines, with returning trio Saoirse Noonan (Celtic), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City) and Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne) the headline inclusions. Megan Connolly — the late addition to the XI against Slovenia — has joined the injury list, with Heather Payne ruled out for first fixture.

Tactical tweaks are certain, but wholesale changes are unlikely. Predicting this afternoon’s starting team is tricky.

Courtney Brosnan will be out to right the wrongs in goal. Campbell and Anna Patten were Ward’s first-choice centre-half pairing last month, while McCabe and Mannion are likely to return to the full-back areas. McCabe has been managing a calf strain but should be ready for action, while Mustaki is among the left-sided cover. The recently-overlooked duo Caitlin Hayes and Jessie Stapleton are other strong defensive options, the latter could also bolster the midfield.

Ruesha Littlejohn should continue in a holding midfield role after her excellent start to life at Shamrock Rovers, while Denise O’Sullivan’s leadership will be key, as always. Clancy, Tyler Toland, and Marissa Sheva — recently signed for Sunderland — are the other midfielders in the fold, while attacking choices have been boosted by the in-form Noonan and Leanne Kiernan, who missed last month’s games with a calf injury.

Ireland’s final third issues have been well documented of late. Carusa scored their only goal in the last window, and she’ll hope to start centrally again, while Amber Barrett is targetting her 50th cap.

Slovenia's Nina Kajzba and Ireland's Katie McCabe. Ryan Byrne / INPHORyan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

The Hero of Hampden scored in Ireland’s last trip to Greece: a Euro 2022 qualifier early in the Vera Pauw Era when they conceded late on in a 1-1 draw. “A bunch of street fighters made it so difficult for us,” Pauw reflected afterwards. Ireland won the return tie 1-0 at Tallaght Stadium in March 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Greeks are currently 61st in the world rankings, 35 places below Ireland, not that they can ever be read into.

Alexandros Katikaridis’ side are yet to get a point on the board in Group B1, losing 2-1 to Slovenia at home and 1-0 away to Türkiye. They are developing under Katikaridis, with Everton attacker Veatriki Sarri their most recognisable name. Forward Ioanna Papatheodorou, of Belgian Super League side OH Leuven, is also a threat, another overseas player in a largely home-based squad.