Republic of Ireland head coach Carla Ward says she would "100%" be open to bringing Colin Healy back into the fold if her assistant coach Amber Whitely gets the Liverpool job permanently.
Ex-assistant coach Healy departed along with boss Eileen Gleeson after the Euro 2025 play-off loss to Wales, but he later claimed the FAI had given him assurances he'd be kept on even if Ireland failed to reach this summer's tournament.
FAI CEO David Courell and chief football officer Marc Canham have both disputed his version of events, with the fallout continuing to cast a cloud over the women’s squad ahead of their Nations League double-header against Greece next week.
In February, when asked whether she considered keeping Healy on her back-room team, Ward said: "It wasn't an option to consider him because he was gone from the organisation before I came in."
On Monday, Canham appeared to contradict that when he suggested Ward had made it clear she wanted Alan Mahon as her assistant head coach. "Carla had a really clear vision, and who her assistant could be," he said.
Ward brought in Whitely as an additional member of her coaching staff in early February. Whitely had been Matt Beard's No 2 at Liverpool but she was promoted to the role of interim manager following Beard's exit last month and is a live contender to get the gig full time.
"If there was an opportunity that (Healy) could have stayed on in Amber's role, 100% he could have."
"If Amber gets the Liverpool job and Colin made himself available, of course he would be considered," Ward told the media at FAI HQ after naming her squad for the Greek matches.
"He's really well respected among the players and staff. I don’t know him, I’ve not spoken to him but he seems a great guy. Would we have a conversation? 100%. It would be natural to.
"When I came in he wasn't employed by the FAI, he wasn’t an option. If he’s an option now, 100% would we consider him? Yeah. I’ve never met him but the girls speak highly of him, the staff speak highly of him, he seems, from what I’ve heard a lovely guy.
"Alan Mahon was coming with me whether I got this job or the other international job [she had applied for].
"If there was an opportunity that [Healy] could have stayed on in Amber's role, 100% he could have.
"I could only bring Amber in because there was an opportunity to bring her in. Colin had already gone."
Asked directly about Canham's assertion she had made the call on the full makeup of the back-room team, Ward said: "Being really honest, my day was long and crazy [on Monday]. Have we spoken about it? No. Have I seen [his comments]? Yes.
"Look, I'm not going to get into 'he said and she said' because it’s a really exciting moment to talk about where we are in terms in the squad.
"It was before me and not a conversation for myself. I’ve answered it on four occasions, said the same thing and never changed.
"You've asked me would I have employed Colin? Yes I would have. Why wouldn’t we if he was in the building? He wasn’t in the building because he was no longer an FAI employee.
"I brought in one person, that was Alan Mahon.
"We got a budget to bring in another coach so I said: 'Can we have a look?'. It was camp to camp, part-time, so I had a look around as to who was available. I know Amber, she’s a well-respected coach in England, and called her to say there might be an opportunity. We spoke and brought her in."
Republic of Ireland head coach Carla Ward has reiterated that it was her understanding it was not an option for her to retain Colin Healy - in addition to her assistant Alan Mahon - when she was appointed, after the FAI's Marc Canham appeared to contradict that on Monday pic.twitter.com/4XRptNfjTS
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 26, 2025
The contradictory messages have further complicated an increasingly messy affair, but Ireland's mission on the field at least is crystal clear. After the dreadful 4-0 loss to Slovenia, they need six points from this double-header to keep alive their hopes of winning their League B group and gaining promotion back to the top tier.
Ward revealed she is still trying to strengthen her options by scouring the globe for Irish-eligible players, while also keeping a close eye on the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division. Midfielder Aoibheann Clancy has been called up for the first time since November 2022 after making a fine start to the campaign with Shelbourne.
"Yes we've got a few on our radar," Ward added. "There were probably a couple that were close this time but we haven’t seen enough of them yet.
"There was one in particular who might have made the squad had she not picked up an injury this week, someone who’s coming to the WSL in the summer.
"But I'm focused a bit more on home here because there are some hidden gems in the League of Ireland."
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
League B, Group 2
Friday, 4 April: Greece v Republic of Ireland, Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium, Heraklion, 5pm (Live on RTÉ2 / RTÉ Player)
Tuesday, 8 April: Republic of Ireland v Greece, Tallaght Stadium, 7.30pm, (Live on RTÉ2 / RTÉ Player)
