The Republic of Ireland broke new ground in 2023.
They featured at their first ever Women's World Cup, acquitting themselves well in a fiercely tough group; then over the course of the autumn and winter, the Girls in Green swaggered to UEFA Nations League promotion with six wins out of six.
There were difficult periods of course. Vera Pauw's reign ended in a drawn-out and messy fashion as claims and counter-claims between the manager and the FAI soured what had been a successful era. But overall, it's been a tremendous year for a team that continues to raise the bar.
Here's how it all unfolded.
JANUARY - Controversy rocks the camp
The tone was set for a rocky first eight months of the year in a wet and windy January which saw Vera Pauw sanctioned by the US National Women's Soccer League [NWSL]. In December 2022, Pauw had been named in the Joint Investigative Report, which alleged that while manager of Houston Dash from November 2017 to September 2018 she had shamed players for their weight and attempted to exert excessive control over their eating habits.
Pauw strongly rejected every allegation made against her, but the story would linger for the rest of her reign as Republic of Ireland boss.
In her first act of official World Cup preparation, Pauw confirmed she'd be bringing her squad to Marbella in February for a 10-day training camp that would include a behind-closed-doors game against Germany and an international friendly with China.
Elsewhere, Chelsea launched an audacious £250,000 bid to sign Katie McCabe from Arsenal. The offer was rejected.
FEBRUARY - New faces called in as prep ramps up
Pauw named her first squad of the year for the Spain camp, with US-based Marissa Sheva and Manchester United’s Aoife Mannion earning maiden call-ups. Australia-born wing-back Deborah-Anne De La Harpe was also drafted in just before the China friendly in Cadiz, with all three newbies featuring in a dour 0-0 draw.
Mannion really impressed alongside Louise Quinn and Megan Connolly in a central back three. At the time, it looked like the tenacious, aggressive defender would be the one most likely to get a seat on the plane for Australia. But there would be plenty of twists and turns before Pauw’s squad announcement in June.
MARCH - Coming to America
Pauw, Diane Caldwell and former international Paula Gorham were chosen to represent the team as Grand Marshals for Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day parade. The vibes were good as a new Sky-sponsored home kit was launched and the FAI committed to honour every player who has ever featured for the Ireland women’s team with a commemorative cap as part of their 50-year anniversary celebrations.
On the last day of the month, Pauw named her squad for an April double-header against the world No 1-ranked USA. Goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse [eligible through her Dublin-born mother] was the latest new recruit.
APRIL - A high-quality addition comes on board
After helping Arsenal to a brilliant Champions League win against Bayern Munich, Katie McCabe ended the night in a protective boot. A 50-50 challenge late in the contest caused bruising on the Tallaght native’s ankle bone, but she would recover quicker than expected to travel to America.
Ahead of the first game against the USA in Austin, there was another surprise new arrival. Former USA underage international Sinead Farrelly was included in the squad after getting an international transfer.
She had been out of the game for eight years prior to a return to the NWSL with Gotham FC after being in a serious car accident in 2016. In 2021, she and her old team-mate Mana Shim went public with allegations against their former Portland Thorns coach Paul Riley, the subsequent investigations finding widespread sexual abuse and misconduct in the NWSL.
The elegant midfielder started in the respectable 2-0 loss at the Q2 Stadium [Denise O'Sullivan won her 100th cap that night], but did not feature in the 1-0 reversal in St Louis a few days later. Still, Farrelly exhibited so much quality on her debut that it seemed inevitable she would be going to the World Cup. "We've been waiting for a player like her," Pauw beamed.
MAY - Brisbane plans expanded, Aviva on the horizon
With tough decisions looming ahead of her World Cup squad announcement, Pauw received some bad news on the injury front. Mannion - who previously suffered two ACL injuries - tweaked her medial collateral ligament in Manchester United training. Her hopes weren't ended, but it was an untimely concern.
Elsewhere Megan Campbell's absence from the Liverpool squad heightened worries about the experienced defender's fitness, but there were more encouraging developments as Savannah McCarthy, Chloe Mustaki, Niamh Fahey and Leanne Kiernan all returned to games/training.
In other news, it was confirmed the team would play at the Aviva Stadium for the first time ever against Northern Ireland in September's UEFA Nations League group opener.
The FAI also revealed Ireland would take on Colombia in a behind-closed-doors game in Brisbane one week before the enormous World Cup clash with Australia at Sydney's Accor Stadium.
JUNE - Fringe players stake their claim
Pauw named her squad for a Tallaght Stadium double-header against Zambia and France. With players dripping into camp at various stages depending on their club commitments, the Zambia game offered a golden opportunity for those on the fringes to stake their claim.
Ireland were without several key figures as they beat Zambia 3-2 thanks to Amber Barrett's brace and a Claire O'Riordan header. A few days before the match, Barrett's strike against Scotland in the World Cup play-off had been named the FAI Goal of the Year.
Afterwards Pauw acknowledged there had been "huge pressure" on some of the players in what was effectively an audition to make the World Cup. Some shone, others stuttered. Five days later, Pauw named her squad. Mannion missed out having failed to recover in time, while there was heartache too for Leanne Kiernan and Megan Campbell. Jamie Finn - a consistent presence during the qualifiers - was named only as a reserve. Pauw broke down during a media day at the UCD Bowl as an emotional 48 hours caught up on her. "It's the worst day in my career," she said.
JULY - Touchdown in Oz and the beginning of the end
Part 1
The build-up to Ireland's farewell game against France was completely overshadowed by a piece in The Athletic that put Pauw's time at Houston Dash back under the microscope. Four ex-players and three former members of staff were interviewed under the cover of anonymity, with one player describing Pauw's methods as "abusive and inappropriate". Another said she "created a culture of fear".
Pauw, who was also interviewed for the piece, claimed she received a death threat from a member of the Houston Dash staff after she switched training to the evening to avoid the daytime heat.
"How can you defend yourself against a lie?" the manager told a pre-France press conference, at the end of which Katie McCabe quipped sarcastically: "It's been a pleasure talking about the World Cup, guys. Really appreciate it." It was the first public hint of tension between the manager and captain.
The French eased to a 3-0 victory, with Ireland flying to their team base in Brisbane the next day. Once there, they trained for two days before taking on Colombia in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Meakin Park. It was a disaster. Ireland walked off the pitch with less than 20 minutes played after a heavy challenge on Denise O'Sullivan sent the Corkwoman to hospital. Travelling journalists had been denied entry to the game but once the news leaked, all hell broke loose.
The next morning Pauw told reporters at the team hotel that "the fear in [the players'] eyes convinced me to take decision" to abandon the game. Colombia, furious at allegations that they were out of control, countered by claiming Ireland over-reacted.
There were serious concerns O'Sullivan would be sidelined for the tournament, but those fears were misplaced. She recovered to start the group opener against Australia, later expressing bewilderment at the hysteria around the whole incident.
Part 2
Ireland finally began their World Cup against the co-hosts, emerging at the magnificent Accor Stadium to a crowd of 75,784. The atmosphere was electric, and the Girls in Green performed well in a close contest that was settled by Steph Catley's penaty early in the second half.
They flew back to Brisbane for the weekend and then boarded a five-and-a-half-hour flight to Perth for their next clash against reigning Olympic champions Canada. Irish fans took over the rain-lashed Perth Rectangular Stadium, and were sent into raptures when Katie McCabe's fourth-minute corner drifted into the top corner.
But Megan Connolly's own goal just before the break changed the momentum, with the Canadians snatching what proved to be the winner through substitute Adriana Leon seven minutes into the second half. The result ended Ireland's hopes of making it to the knockout stages, and they headed into the final group game against Nigeria playing for pride.
A stalemate was overshadowed by a touchline spat between McCabe and Pauw, who later told a post-match press conference that her captain had wanted the bench to make a substitution. "If Katie McCabe says that she wants a change, that doesn't mean she’s the coach," Pauw remarked. McCabe responded by posting 🤐 on social media platform X. It fuelled speculation that Pauw had lost the dressing room. Her contract was weeks away from expiring and the FAI refused to comment on her future.
AUGUST - A sort of homecoming
Ireland returned to a homecoming on Dublin's O'Connell Street that was attended by over 8,000 supporters. "Be with us because [at the] next tournament, we go for medals," Pauw tells the crowd. However her time as manager is up. At an FAI board meeting a full report on the team's World Cup qualification campaign and the tournament itself was discussed. Afterwards, the decision was made to part company with the 60-year-old.
Two days later, Pauw released a statement in which she accused the FAI of making "major mistakes" by interfering in football matters during the World Cup.
"My position became very challenging when executives in the FAI, not technical football coaches, effectively took my seat and spoke to staff members and players regarding their roles in the team before and after the World Cup," the statement read.
It would not be the last parting shot in an unsavoury split.
SEPTEMBER - A Caldwell missive but Gleeson and Co steady the ship
In a sitdown interview with RTÉ Sport's Tony O'Donoghue, Pauw claimed some of her staff turned against her and questioned the process around the FAI's World Cup review. She also cleared the air with Katie McCabe, saying: "I love Katie. Without spark no fire. And without fire no performance. Katie gives us so much. No hard feelings to her at all."
Two weeks later, FAI CEO Jonathan Hill addressed the press. "What we are saying then in simple terms is that we genuinely believe that in order to propel the next phase of growth for this team, and women's and girls' football in Ireland more broadly, we feel we need a different and fresh approach," he said.
Eileen Gleeson took over on an interim basis, with a line seemingly drawn in the sand. However, ahead of the clash with Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Diane Caldwell laid bare the frustrations of the squad when she said: "I think the results, performances that we got, were in spite of Vera being coach. We approached her many times about professionalising many aspects, but it was hard to get change.
"I think there were many areas that could have been better, yes, under her tenure."
After the dust settled on Caldwell's scathing assessment, Celtic defender Caitlin Hayes declared for the country and went straight into the team. In front of almost 36,000 fans, Ireland swept past the North 3-0, then travelled to Hungary where they prevailed 4-0.
A good month was further embellished by Katie McCabe's inclusion on the short list for the Ballon d'Or. It was the first time an Irish footballer was nominated for the prestigious award since Roy Keane in 2000.
OCTOBER - Electric McCabe continues to soar
Caldwell won her 100th cap in a 5-1 hammering of Albania in Tallaght as the Nations League continued to deliver goals and morale-boosting victories. Katie McCabe was sensational, firing home a superb hat-trick and making the other two for Kyra Carusa.
In the return fixture, Denise O'Sullivan's late effort settled a contest that was delayed by 90 minutes due to a Biblical downpour. Gleeson described the first half as "absolute chaos", but her team escaped with another three points.
At the Ballon D'Or awards, McCabe finished 23rd in the list of 30 nominated players. Spain's Aitana Bonmati took the top honour.
NOVEMBER - Hungry young players and a Hungary win
With the FAI working through a list of 12 candidates for the job, Gleeson became increasingly coy about the prospect of throwing her hat in the ring. When asked if she was 100% out of the running, the Dubliner replied: "I am 100% not answering. I don't know how many times I can answer the same thing."
Her commitment to giving youth a chance continued with Peamount United teenagers Erin McLaughlin, Ellen Dolan and Freya Healy all in the panel. Ireland ended the month with a scrappy 1-0 win against Hungary in Dublin thanks to a second-half own goal.
DECEMBER - Gleeson steps up to the hot seat
Ireland completed their Nations League campaign with a 6-1 destruction of the North at Windsor Park, where Amhrán na bhFiann was played for the first time ever. Eileen Gleeson once again refused to engage with questions about her taking the head coach position permanently, but one week before Christmas, the news is confirmed.
Gleeson got the gig after a flawless three-month stint, agreeing a contract until after Euro 2025.
"I am truly honoured and privileged to be involved," the Dubliner reflected. With her backroom team to be confirmed in the new year and the FAI in discussions with a top nation to play a high-profile friendly in February, 2023 ends with renewed optimism.
After a kaleidoscope of emotions in a crazy 12 months, the Girls in Green will dust themselves down over Christmas and get ready to do it all again. More highs, more lows and more history.
