Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw has confirmed that she is monitoring four eligible players who could be added to the squad for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
In October, Pauw revealed that she'd been contacted by some previously uncapped players in the wake of Ireland's qualification for the finals – and some of those potential players have caught her eye.
The manager said that they were being seriously considered, but also said that the coaching staff would be taking into account the achievements of the current group who secured Ireland’s first ever spot at a women’s major finals tournament.
"When we qualified players from all over the world who had Irish backgrounds saw a chance to be part of this team. This is an opportunity but also a risk," Pauw said at the launch of Sport Ireland’s new 'It’s My Time’ campaign.
"This squad has qualified; this squad has lived through everything so the only way we bring in players is they already have a passport or have been through that process and have to be better than what we have already. If it’s close [in standard] we don’t do it.
"The reason Lily [Agg] and Lucy [Quinn] have had such an impact is because their heart is here. Of course it is an opportunity for them but they really, really want to play for us and they have embraced the culture.
"It doesn’t mean we will be bringing them in but there are four players that we are seriously looking at and following. It's not that any of the players are not performing but when you have as many injuries as we have, other players have had to step up and we need more depth on our bench.
"Lily Agg has stepped up, Megan Campbell came in, Hayley Nolan is stepping up. That creates room for others and someone from outside coming into the bench means an opportunity to not lose quality, but they must be better than what we already have."
Jess Ziu and Ellen Molloy have already been ruled out of the tournament next July and August following cruciate injuries, while Savannah McCarthy is another on the long-term absentee list after suffering a similar injury back in March.
Leanne Kiernan [ankle], Megan Connolly [fractured ribs/bruised kidney] and Ruesha Littlejohn [foot] are others who missed the play-off win over Scotland, but Pauw offered a more hopeful assessment on those players.
"Megan Connolly and Ruesha Littlejohn will be back. Megan is already playing (Brighton) and Ruesha is getting close to it.
"Leanne Kiernan is recovering after her ankle injury. She has a chance to make it. The plan is that she will play with her club in February so hopefully she will."
Pauw also confirmed that the squad would remain at their Brisbane base for the duration of the World Cup with their group clash with Nigeria taking place in the city, with matches against Australia and Canada scheduled for Sydney and Perth respectively.
"We have decided to stay in Brisbane, there is only 35mm of rain there while Sydney has 135mm in that period.
"We have the short straw, have to travel about 8000km. It would be better to not have a base camp, to take all our stuff to each place but then we'd have the last choice of hotel, so now we are trying to have a base in Brisbane and travel in and out to Sydney and Perth."
Meanwhile, Pauw welcomed the news that professional deals and minimum wage introduced to Women's National League from the 2023 season.
This agreement has been reached after the National Leagues Committee approved the introduction of measure and it was ratified by the FAI board.
"It is necessary and a hugely important step for the development of our game in Ireland. It is too easy that players like Jess Ziu are taken out of the league and into England and then rushed into a system that is at such a higher level. They will get injured.
"It will help both domestically. Players will have more opportunity to train because they can be freed up from work and also they cannot just be taken. There will be a transfer fee or a training fee going to their clubs, whereas now they go for free.
"Hopefully it will mean our young players will stay in Ireland longer. If you go from here to England, particularly to the Superleague or Championships and you don’t have staff at that club who know how to guide that jump you always, always get injured players.
"I don’t stop any player [moving to England]. I’ve been one myself so I understand that, of course they want to play professionally, but I have serious discussions with them about going so young.
"Everyone knows that clubs are pulling on Jessie Stapleton but she is just 17 years old. We must be so careful with young players because an ACL is happening within a split second."
The 'It's My Time' campaign from Sport Ireland and Healthy Ireland looks to encourage women over 40 to make time for themselves and increase their activity levels through sport and exercise. For more information on It's My Time, visit www.sportireland.ie/itsmytime
Follow every game from the 2022 FIFA World Cup via live blogs on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, or watch live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
