Over 15 years managing the women’s underage teams, he’d led teams to two U19 European Championship finals, an U17 Euros and fourth at the World Student Games. The concept of entering the U19 Ireland squad into the national league, limiting players from each club to two, was floated without gaining the internal will to proceed. Little, if any, interaction occurred between himself and the last three senior team managers and the executives tasked with melding the constituent parts allowed the gaps widen. “There was plenty of talk about the importance of women’s football but not much action,” he explains. “Lots of managers and heads of women’s football came in during my time and I was willing to help them all.

Source: Irish Examiner January 24, 2026 15:30 UTC