Eileen Gleeson said the Republic of Ireland are in a "super exciting time" as she prepares to hand over the reins to the next permanent manager of a team that appears to be peaking.
The Girls in Green finished off their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 6-1 hammering of Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on Tuesday as a landmark year ended in style.
The side was under the microscope following Vera Pauw's post World Cup departure, the Dutch coach paying the price for dressing-room unhappiness. A desire among the squad to play a more attacking brand of football could have backfired if they stuttered through a winnable Nations League group.
Under the guidance of interim boss Gleeson however, they cruised past Northern Ireland, Hungary and Albania, winning all six of their games, scoring 20 goals and conceding just twice.
The FAI will announce Pauw's permanent successor before Christmas, with Gleeson confident a flush of youth has heightened competition and left the panel in good shape to compete in both the short and long term.
"Yeah it's a really positive time I think," she said.
"Young players transitioning through which is a super exciting time. We've got to bring in some young players from the LOI as well so it’s a really positive time for women’s football in Ireland.
"It’s been a magnificent year 2023, participation in a first ever World Cup, promotion to League A, six [wins] from six. The story is continuing and I keep saying the longer-term aim is Euro 2025 and the World Cup 2027, and having the consistent qualifications for those tournaments, so these young players coming through are really bright. We want to keep continuing to develop those young players."
Gleeson was irritated by suggestions they'd take their foot off the gas in Belfast.
Ireland won the group when they got past in Albania at the end of October, and with little jeopardy on their next encounter, they produced a lacklustre display to scrape past Hungary 1-0.
The North could have clinched second spot if they'd pulled off a shock in Belfast, but they were overwhelmed by the hungry and techncially superior visitors. Irelan d played like a side with a point to prove.
"You don't need to motivate these girls, it’s intrinsic," added Gleeson.
"You’re playing for your country. There’s nothing you can be prouder for. It’s not always a given but I know the girls and there’s one bad performance [against the Hungarians] and suddenly we lack motivation and we’ve no personality, so let’s keep perspective here.
"We know the girls, we know their character, we see their character game in game out. I didn’t have any, or ever have any doubts about that. Their motivation is there. The squad is competitive, and the girls work super hard. We saw that out there."
Gleeson couldn't hide her satisfaction at ending the year with such an emphatic performance.
It had been 29 years since a senior football match between the two countries took place at Windsor Park. In 1994, Jack Charlton's Boys in Green eased to a 4-0 triumph. In 2023, the Girls in Green went two goals better in a ruthless showing.
"It was great to be part of his occasion, coming full circle from the Aviva, sport bringing together north and south," Gleeson said.
"And our main focus was performance. A nice loop from the Aviva bringing it to Windsor.
"We gave respect to Northern Ireland, we knew they would be competitive at the start and they were. We had to be patient and wait to carve open the chances and when they came we took them.
"We were clinical, six different scorers, so for us it’s a really good performance, good intensity, we had a lot of distractions about whether we lacked motivation or hadn’t got personality. We didn’t want to listen to that. We know who we are and that showed on the pitch."
