Jessie Stapleton has earned a reputation for being a high-quality Swiss Army knife.
Defence, midfield, attack: the 19-year-old has operated in every compartment of the pitch in a career that's been on a steady rise since her days playing for Cherry Orchard boys' team in the DDSL.
Stapleton enjoyed a breakthrough February with the Republic of Ireland when she started in the middle of the park against Italy (a scoreless draw) and Wales (a 2-0 defeat).
She's in Eileen Gleeson's squad for this week's huge Euro 2025 qualifier double-header against France and England, desperate for another opportunity to show she can shine wherever her services are required.
"I just play where I’m told," laughed the Dubliner, up on media duties at the team's Castleknock Hotel base on Monday.
"I don’t really know what my best position is... I’ll play in goal if I have to.
"When I played with the boys I played centre-back, centre-mid. When I first started out I was a winger but we won't go back to there! Even in the underage League of Ireland I played up top, when I was with Shels I was centre-mid, centre-back, striker. I’ve played in a lot of positions but it's great experience. If it’s needed I’ll play anywhere."
The Girls in Green are facing into an incredibly difficult qualification campaign after being pitted the French, England and Sweden - all ranked inside the world's top five.
The messaging from inside the camp has been clear and consistent: this is exactly the sort of challenge they've been working towards.
Having gained promotion to League A of the Nations League before Christmas, Ireland have the safety net of a guaranteed place in the play-offs for the Euros, even if they finish bottom of their four-team group, but they are loathe to think in those terms.
"It's very exciting," said Stapleton, who is on loan from West Ham to Reading. "For myself, I think it’s probably one of the best camps to be a part of, playing against two top teams. We’re ready to go.
"We’re Irish, we don’t go down without a fight. We’re going to show up, we’re going to be hard to beat but then again we’re going to bring our game onto them. We’re good footballers.
"There’s a lot of great experience in the team. Each year we get better and better, the squad is more competitive than ever now so I think we can go out and put up a good game."
Ireland face France in Metz on Friday night and then welcome England to the Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday for a blockbuster international derby.
They performed very well against the Italians in February, with Stapleton excelling in midfield, before slumping to a disappointing defeat to Wales in Tallaght.
Lessons have been learned from that loss, insists Stapleton, who stressed that it was merely a bad day at the office rather than a tactical malfunction.
"I think against Italy we showed up," she added. "We played really well as a team. Against Wales, we didn't change a lot in the first half and I don’t think it was down to formations or tactics that we did slip up. I think Wales just came out the better side in the first half.
"You have to adapt on the pitch and that’s what we did. We changed formation and adapted. It was a bit too late [to change the result] but I don’t think it was down to formations or tactics - they just showed up and we didn’t on the day.
"That’s football. In a friendly that’s what happens. Now we learn from that and it won’t happen again for the next two games.
"There’s a lot of competition in the squad but I think that makes it even better. We all push each other on. We all support each other.
"Even if you’re on the bench or in the stands, we’re all there for each other."
Watch France v Republic of Ireland in Euro 2025 qualifying on Friday from 7.35pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on 2fm's Game On
Watch Republic of Ireland v England in Euro 2025 qualifying on Tuesday 9 April from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on 2fm's Game On
