Vera Pauw has sent her "full respect and love" to Clare Shine after the Republic of Ireland international stepped away from the game last week, aged 27.
Glasgow City striker Shine, who has been open about her mental health struggles in recent years and has seven senior caps, said in a statement: "My happiness and well-being needs to come first and I'm excited to begin the next chapter of my life."
On Friday Pauw offered her unbridled support to the Corkwoman, revealing they'd had an honest conversation around the player's decision.
"All respect for her," Pauw said. "I've had a very long and good talk with her, she told me in person.
"The thing is she really feels this is the best decision for her. It’s a shame for football, but at this moment football is not important.
"For us, for me, the only thing is her health, her wellbeing and that she’s happy. She has chosen this direction so full respect and love."
Pauw was speaking at the announcement of her squad for the World Cup play-off against Scotland or Austria on 11 October.
Ireland will convene at Abbotstown on Tuesday and sit down together Thursday evening to watch the Scots' first-round play-off collision with Austria. Ireland will have a three-scout team at Hampden Park to help them prep for every eventuality.
"It's a bit odd. Never seen that before," Pauw remarked when asked about how tricky it is to finetune the side given Ireland won't know who they'll be playing until a few days before the game.
"The opponent can fully concentrate on us already. But we have organised that. There's three people going to the Scotland-Austria game.
"One scout for Austria, one scout for Scotland and [assistant coach] Tom Elmes will go because he's delivering the presentations to the team, he's doing the analysis of the opponent.
"He can focus on the overview and being ready the next morning to present. We usually don't do that, it's usually one scout. In this case, we need to do everything to be absolutely ready for the game."
The manager frequently calls her players "tigers" and she was not afraid to talk up their readiness for the play-off battle. Pauw is confident they have the steel, nous and desire to get the job done.
"We started now three years ago with a team that really wanted to achieve, that wanted to make a difference," she added.
"We grew into a team that now is absolutely determined to go to the edge to get a result, and I think that that is what we showed. Against Sweden, for example, nobody would give us a chance but they did not feel that at all.
"They went on the pitch to win, and of course, doing that in a way that is realistic so that it's growing our chances. And therefore nobody's afraid of Austria or Scotland, although we do know how strong they are -if you look at their selected players and the clubs beside them, you know how strong they are.
"But we will prepare in the same way. It's another final, like it was against Finland, like it was against Slovakia."
Leanne Kiernan, Ellen Molloy, Megan Connolly and Ruesha Littlejohn are all out injured, leaving the door open for Niamh Farrelly, among others, to stake a claim.
"It depends on how she performs," Pauw said of Italy-based midfielder Farrelly.
"She's doing much better at Parma. Initially she was struggling to get her feet on the ground but she’s getting sharper… she’s not losing balls, she’s not losing duals anymore. She’s better than four weeks ago and that is why she’s selected.
"Megan Connolly is one of the big, big players. It is not only missing Megan Connolly on the pitch but also off the pitch. Niamh Fahey [who is back in the squad after missing the Finland and Slovakia games] is another one.
"We have many players that in a positive way are pulling up the others to a higher level. I am very proud of that, because I feel that many players are performing at a higher level with us than at their club, and that is because of those players.
"Those players give them the space to grow and they help them to grow. You don't see that often. So together, we are in a good space in that sense."
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Reading), Megan Walsh (Brighton & Hove Albion), Eve Badana (DLR Waves)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Claire O'Riordan (Celtic), Diane Caldwell (Reading), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Megan Campbell (Liverpool), Áine O'Gorman (Peamount United)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Niamh Farrelly (Parma), Roma McLaughlin (Central Connecticut University), Jess Ziu (West Ham United), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Isibeal Atkinson (West Ham United)
Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Amber Barrett (FFC Turbine Potsdam), Abbie Larkin (Shelbourne), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC), Kyra Carusa (HB Hoge)
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