Vera Pauw says Ireland will take a raincheck on basing themselves in Sydney for next year’s World Cup and that they will instead use Brisbane as their HQ.
The Girls in Green have been handed a tricky task in their first ever appearance - both on the field and in the air.
As well as a roundtrip of almost 35,000km to get to the finals, they will have to fly an extra 10,000km to get to their three group games.
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And while their opener is against co-hosts Australia in Sydney, they have opted instead to search for a base in Brisbane, 1,000km north of the popular travel destination.
Explaining why, Pauw said it was down to expected rainfall levels in the two cities
“We have decided to stay in Brisbane, there is only 35mm of rain there while Sydney has 135mm in that period,” she said.
“We have the short straw, have to travel about 8000km.
“It would be better to not have a base camp, to take all our stuff to each place, but then we’d have the last choice of hotel, so now we are trying to have a base in Brisbane and travel in and out to Sydney and Perth.”
Brisbane to Sydney is a 2,000km round trip, while it’s 4,000km each way to get to Perth on the southwest coast.
Pauw was pushed yesterday on whether the FAI’s travel itinerary would include a few new faces.
She is currently monitoring our second-generation Irish players who, she believes, could add competition to her squad.
However, she warned that only committed players who would be big improvements on the current stars would be considered.
“When we qualified players from all over the world who had Irish backgrounds saw a chance to be part of this team,” she said. “This is an opportunity but also a risk.
“This squad has qualified, This squad has lived through everything so the only way we bring in (new) players is they already have a passport or have been through that process and have to be better than what we have already. If it’s close (in standard) we don’t do it.
“The reason Lily (Agg) and Lucy (Quinn) have had such an impact is because their heart is here.
“Of course it is an opportunity for them but they really, really want to play for us and they have embraced the culture.
“It doesn’t mean we will be bringing them in but there are four players that we are seriously looking at and following.”
Pauw’s search for new recruits is driven, in part, to injuries that have already ruled some key players out of next year’s World Cup, including Jess Ziu, Ellen Molloy and Savannah McCarthy.
Ziu’s ACL tear has been attributed to the switch from part-time to full-time football. She moved during the summer from Shelbourne to West Ham.
With professional contracts to be introduced in the Women’s National League ahead of the 2023 season, Pauw is hopeful that players will be better prepared for moves abroad.
“It is necessary and a hugely important step for the development of our game in Ireland,” she said.
“It is too easy that players like Jess Ziu are taken out of the league and into England and then rushed into a system that is at such a higher level. They will get injured.
“It will help both domestically. Players will have more opportunity to train because they can be freed up from work and also they cannot just be taken.
“There will be a transfer fee or a training fee going to their clubs, whereas now they go for free.
“Hopefully it will mean our young players will stay in Ireland longer.
“If you go from here to England, particularly to the Superleague or Championships and you don’t have staff at that club who know how to guide that jump you always, always get injured players.
“I don’t stop any player (moving to England). I’ve been one myself so I understand that, of course they want to play professionally, but I have serious discussions with them about going so young.
“Everyone knows that (English) clubs are pulling on Jessie Stapleton but she is just 17 years old.
“We must be so careful with young players because an ACL is happening within a split second.”
For more information on It’s My Time, visit www.sportireland.ie/itsmytime
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