Vera Pauw has warned the European Club Association to prepare a fleet of ambulances for this summer’s World Cup - if member clubs withhold players from international duty until 10 days before the tournament begins.
The ECA statement last month threatened to throw preparations for all World Cup-bound sides, including Ireland, into disarray.
Ireland face co-hosts Australia in the second match of the tournament on July 20 - so clubs could refuse to release their players until July 10.
READ MORE: Stephanie Zambra recalls the day Ireland's women team went on strike
The Girls in Green, meanwhile, have Tallaght friendlies against Zambia on June 22 and France on July 6, as part of the build-up to their first ever major tournament.
They are then scheduled to fly out to Australia on July 7 in order to acclimatise and recover from jet lag in their Brisbane base, ahead of the Sydney clash against the Matildas.
If the ECA follows through on their threat, it would throw Pauw’s plans into disarray.
And according to the Ireland boss, it would put the welfare of her players at risk.
“If we were to do this, going for the ECA idea, you can put an ambulance next to the pitch for all the ACLs that will happen,” Pauw warned.
“That’s 11 weeks of no football, then 10 hours of jetlag dumping into Australia and see what you do.”
Pauw’s English Championship-based players have already wrapped up their club campaigns, while her Super League stars finish up later this month.
Concerned by the rumblings from the ECA, she has been in touch with clubs to outline her plans to allow players to rest up before coming into camp.
“Of course it is a worry. I have sent letters to all the clubs to explain why we do what we propose,” said Pauw.
“The European Club Association does not realise there are players who have 11 weeks of no football before the World Cup, so saying this means you hurt players.
“What they have to say is players need to have at least two weeks rest before they step into a programme. Then you protect players.
“You don't protect players by saying, 'because there are a lot of injuries' - and we have spoken about where those injuries are coming from - 'they cannot be released before 10 July’.
“10 July? That is 10 days (before the World Cup). So then we would come with players who have not played for 10 weeks, go with a jet lag of 10 hours to Australia, and then play?”
She added: “The Championship coaches that I’ve spoken to are extremely happy. It’s a new shift so I’m talking with everybody but the ones so far are happy with how we build it up.
“It’s about player protection. That’s why we have these individual programmes. Every single player will be healthy, fresh and ready for the World Cup.
“If others don’t know how to do that, it’s not my problem. My job is to get them healthy for the World Cup.
“I’ve discussed it and people say it’s not a worry.
“But I’ve written in the letters to the coaches the reason why. That’s my reference point.”
Pauw said that the majority of clubs that she had written to responded positively to her.
“Only one club has said they’re waiting on the European Club Association,” she said.
“I’m thinking, ‘Sorry, you’re responsible for the health of your players’.
“The ECA have no experts on periodisation so on what basis do they think they can order a programme for players?”
When it comes to preparing her players for the World Cup, Pauw has tapped up one of the best in the world when it comes to periodisation.
Raymond Verheijen has worked with the Netherlands, Russia and South Korea ahead of men’s World Cups, along with a number of club teams, such as Barcelona and Manchester City.
“I always go for the best,” said Pauw. “We have worked together since 1998.
“I’m working through development of the football theory, making football learnable, coachable and getting players fit.
“We’ve worked that out and he’s an absolute expert in this area, the best in the world.
“I’ve built up a lot of experience over the years myself, adding to that programme, but when you go to the specific details, you need someone focussed just on that.
“He’s a football physiologist and knows exactly how and when.
“I’m putting in a proposal based on our periodisation and we are flying over next Tuesday with our sports scientist Niamh McDaid, together with Niamh, we are flying to the Netherlands to have a meeting about it all.”
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