Hayley Nolan was one of Ireland’s biggest fans during their successful World Cup qualification campaign.
However, the London City Lionesses ace doesn’t want to settle for a cheerleader role when the Girls in Green head to Australia next summer.
Nolan has one senior cap to her name so far - in the friendly defeat to Belgium in April 2021.
After a long-term injury and omission from Vera Pauw’s squad, she was back in the squad for the September qualifiers and October play-off in Scotland.
This week she is in Marbella on a training camp and is likely to feature next Monday in a friendly against Morocco.
She said: “For me, missing out on (the qualification campaign), you turn into a fan.
“I’m obviously a big fan of the team, I’m good friends with a lot of the girls in the team, so I want them to do well.
“We are all Irish, we are big fans, we want everyone to succeed. So for me, I was just delighted to see them do so well.
“To be unbeaten in a year is a credit to them and to the coaching staff.”
Nolan, a centre-back who can also play in midfield, added: “I was always quietly confident that I could get back into the team.
“In September I actually was aiming to get back in for the October camp, because I had to get games under my belt.
“But I got called in a bit earlier in September and I was delighted to be called back in by Vera and to be given the opportunity to be around the girls for such a monumental occasion.”
As for the training camp and friendly against Morocco, she said: “For myself, it’s definitely an opportunity.
“It’s an opportunity for everyone over the next nine months to make sure they are sitting on the plane going over to Australia.”
Kildare native Nolan began her senior career with Peamount United, before moving to the USA with college side Hartford Hawks.
After a spell with Connecticut Fusion, she moved to London City Lionesses in 2020.
Soon after her Ireland debut she suffered a dislocated shoulder and was sidelined for seven months.
“It was a big blow for me, off the back of making my debut. I had aspirations to push on within the squad and obviously at club level as well,” she said.
“But I am definitely in a better place and stronger now.”
Strong enough to challenge for a place in Vera Pauw’s World Cup squad in one of the most competitive areas of the pitch?
“There are so many great players, so many young players coming through in those positions,” said Nolan. “You could see that in this campaign and the last campaign.
“There is going to be a lot of fighting for positions on the plane. But that’s the best thing for the team.”
READ NEXT:
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
