Whatever happens at the World Cup over the course of the next three weeks, no one can say it has been a smooth ride for the Republic of Ireland.
According to Vera Pauw, the journey to a first ever major tournament began in the bowels of the Obolon Arena, Kyiv, in the autumn of 2020. Ireland blew their chances of making it to the Euros that night, losing a game they had to win after Aine O'Gorman's freak own goal, and a Katie McCabe penalty miss, gifted the points to Ukraine.
A devastating blow, but it was the making of them.
Pauw extended her contract two months later and - fuelled by a desperate hunger to finally make the breakthrough - they clawed their way to Australia and New Zealand via the play-offs.
There may be some debate around the team's creativity, and the lack of a Plan B when they concede first. But there's no doubting their resilience.
This is a side - and a manager - that's queasily familiar with adversity.
A timeline of the last 12 months:
- July 2022: Pauw releases a statement alleging that she was raped as a young player in the Netherlands. The Dutch football association (KNVB) offer her an apology.
- September 2022: Ireland beat Finland and Slovakia to set up a World Cup play-off against Scotland at Hampden Park.
- October 2022: Amber Barrett's goal settles a tight game and sends Ireland to the World Cup for the first time.
- In the dressing room afterwards, Ireland players sing Celtic Symphony by the Wolfe Tones, a song which includes the line, 'Ooh, ah, up the Ra'. Footage of the celebrations goes viral. Pauw says: "We apologise from the bottom of our hearts to anyone who has been offended by the content of the post-match celebrations after we had just qualified for the World Cup." - October 2022: Later in the month the draw for the tournament is made, pitting Ireland against co-hosts Australia, Canada and Nigeria.
- December 2022: Pauw is named among several managers and coaches in a report by the NWSL that discovered widespread, ongoing misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League. The report claims Pauw attempted to "exert excessive control" over her players' "eating habits" and that it was not in "best practice" when she was manager of Houston Dash from November 2017 to September 2018.
- The FAI issue a statement of support for Pauw. It reads: "The FAI continues to support Vera and her team as they prepare for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023."
- Pauw is named the RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year. - January 2023: Pauw is among eight coaches sanctioned by the NWSL as part of their corrective action in response to the findings of the report. Her future employment in the NWSL is conditional on acknowledging misconduct, participating in training, and demonstrating a sincere commitment to correcting behaviour.
- February 2023: Ireland draw 0-0 against China in Spain, with DA De La Harpe, Aoife Mannion and Marissa Sheva handed debuts. Before the game Pauw says she's been in contact with Iowa-based employment lawyer Thomas Newkirk and vowed to fully clear her name.
- April 2023: Pauw returns to the USA as the Republic of Ireland are fixed to play two friendlies against the world No 1-ranked side. They lose both but acquit themselves well. Sinead Farrelly declares for the Girls in Green and makes an impressive debut. She'd been out of the game for eight years after suffering injuries in a car crash. In 2021, Farrelly and her old team-mate Mana Shim went public with allegations against former Portland Thorns coach Paul Riley, the subsequent investigations finding widespread sexual abuse and misconduct in the NWSL.
- June 2023: Pauw names a 31-player training camp squad ahead of a friendly against Zambia. Ireland win that game 3-2, and a week later the manager reveals her final 23-player squad for the World Cup. Mannion and Megan Campbell miss out due to injury, Leanne Kiernan and Jamie Finn are overlooked. Pauw says breaking the news to those who didn't make it was "the worst day of my career".
- Pauw says she's hopeful she can agree a new deal with the FAI before the World Cup. Her current contract expires after the tournament. - July 2023: Ahead of Ireland's friendly against France - their last match before departing for Oz - The Athletic publishes a lengthy piece chronicling Pauw's time at Houston Dash, with four ex-players and three former members of staff all interviewed under the cover of anonymity. One player described her methods as "abusive and inappropriate"; another said she "created a culture of fear".
- Pauw addresses the issue at her pre-match press conference, once again strongly denying the allegations and claiming there is one individual actively trying to "destroy" her career.
- When asked about how her contract talks are progressing, Pauw replies: "It is not signed, we will see. I am happy here. I want to stay here and we will see what is happening."
Every time Ireland earn a moment to savour, controversy seems to yank them back into a dark room. That pattern could well continue over the next few weeks with Pauw highly likely to face more awkward questions from the international media, and the manager's Ireland future still not nailed down.
We've stepped on to the rollercoaster, and though it's been a pretty intense two weeks around the Ireland camp, things are about to escalate.
Perhaps Kyra Carusa, the effervescent Californian set to lead the line against the Aussies, put it best after Thursday's 3-0 loss to France.
"We're professionals, that's what we're here for right?" she said. "And what a position to be in, I don't think anyone would ever stand here and say they weren't ready for that. That's what we live for, it's what we train for, recover for.
"We have to remember, we are Ireland! Every opponent is looking at us and thinking they're going to get points off us. We have to thrive on that. That has to become our superpower. I really do think, this team especially, that is ingrained in us... that grind and grit."
They will need every bit of it Down Under. Having hurdled all major obstacles before them up to now, Ireland are about to face their greatest challenge.
