Vera Pauw says it is a ‘shame’ that Ireland won’t have their World Cup send-off at Aviva Stadium.
But the Girls in Green boss believes every effort was made to stage the France friendly at the Dublin 4 venue.
Ireland will host fellow World Cup finalists France at Tallaght Stadium - their traditional home - on July 6.
That was after Aviva Stadium was ruled out because of what the FAI described as ‘scheduled pitch redevelopment work’.
Not only was it a chance for Ireland to play in front of more fans, it would have been a good opportunity to prepare for the opening World Cup game against Australia.
That game on July 20 has been moved to the 83,500-seater Stadium Australia to meet huge ticket demand.
“We’ve done everything,” said Pauw today. “We’ve tried to discuss the maintenance schedule. It’s a shame. But we’re happy at Tallaght Stadium.”
Pauw is also close to confirming another friendly on June 22 but Aviva Stadium and the RDS have already been ruled out.
Quizzed further on not playing at the Lansdowne Road venue, Pauw said: “This would have been a perfect moment because the send-off game, there would be massive interest for it.
“Everybody has been involved, everybody has been in very positive discussions. There’s also contracts involved.
“Everybody wants us to improve and everybody wants us to succeed but it’s much more complicated than just a choice.”
But Pauw is delighted that Ireland’s World Cup opener will be played in front of a giant crowd and insists her team won’t freeze on that stage.
“We were very frustrated that we only had 1700 tickets. Now the Irish people living in Australia and the extra fans who want to travel to Australia might have the chance.
“The very special thing about this group is that they do not perform less or differently when they play for five spectators or when the stadium is full.
“We saw that in Sweden, we’ve seen it in Finland, we saw it in Tallaght Stadium, so I’m not concerned about that at all.
“We did investigate it and tried and tried and tried to see if we could move the schedule (to Aviva Stadium).
“It would have been a massive opportunity to try and have the send-off game, but not so much as preparation, more that Ireland can see us.
“We tried, it’s not possible, but we will make a massive party of it in Tallaght Stadium.”
Today, Pauw named her squad for a training camp in Spain that starts on February 13 and includes a friendly against China in Cadiz on February 22.
Irish-eligible Manchester United defender Aoife Mannion and Washington Spirit attacking midfielder Marissa Sheva are included for the first time.
Injuries have ruled out Niamh Fahey, Savannah McCarthy, Chloe Mustaki, Ellen Molloy, Jess Ziu, Aoife Colvill and Leanne Kiernan.
But Durham WFC goalkeeper Naoisha McAloon and Glasgow City defender Claire Walsh have been drafted in.
Republic of Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Megan Walsh (Brighton & Hove Albion), Grace Moloney (Reading), Naoisha McAloon (Durham WFC)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Diane Caldwell (Reading), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Claire Walsh (Glasgow City), Megan Campbell (Liverpool), Áine O’Gorman (Shamrock Rovers), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Isibeal Atkinson (West Ham United)
Forwards: Amber Barrett (Potsdam Turbine), Heather Payne (Florida State University), Kyra Carusa (London City Lionesses), Abbie Larkin (Shamrock Rovers), Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit)
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