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Vera Pauw continues to be pursued by allegations from her time at Houston Dash

How off-the-court matters have been a real issue at Wimbledon; the football coach who has become a threat to US national security

Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw says “there is a person that is targeted to destroy my career.” Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

John O'Sullivan's face
John O'Sullivan
Thu Jul 6 2023 - 10:00

Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw can’t seem to shake off allegations made by the New York Times-owned Athletic website dating back to her time at the Houston Dash. The topic resurfaced at what was ostensibly a press conference for Ireland’s final warm-up match against France in Tallaght ahead of the Women’s World Cup in Australia.

Gavin Cummiskey wrote: “Any chance the FAI had of putting an end to reports about Vera Pauw’s time coaching the Houston Dash in advance of the World Cup disappeared when the Republic of Ireland manager, unprompted, told a room full of media that “there is a person that is targeted to destroy my career.”

“This agenda is known, this agenda has been on Twitter, and after the World Cup I will see if I can take legal action,” Pauw revealed.

“For now, this strategy works.” Who is this person? “This person is from the US.” Can you name them? “No.” Why not? “Because I need to see what the legal access can be from that.” Is the person from the Houston Dash. “They are not from the Houston Dash.” It’s all very Machiavellian.

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Rain may have curtailed play on the outside courts at Wimbledon for a second straight day, but our intrepid reporter Johnny Watterson wrote about how off court issues have become a real problem in women’s tennis.

“The physical and mental health of athletes has become an important talking point within women’s tennis in particular. Anett Kontaveit announced she will end her career at Wimbledon. Persistent back issues have plagued the Estonian who last year was second seed.

“In May Amanda Anisimova, the 21-year-old American who reached the French Open semi-finals in 2019, announced that she’d be taking an indefinite mental health break.”

Dave Hannigan, in his weekly column, writes about a former American footballer and coach Tommy Tuberville, now a senator representing Alabama, who is causing a stir in America, accused by the White House as being “a threat to national security.”

“[Tuberville] earned those brickbats by using his senatorial veto to block nearly 250 military promotions. Since March, he has refused to endorse otherwise routine elevations in rank, most to succeed vacancies left by retiring colleagues, until the government rescinds its health insurance policy that provides time off and reimbursement to service members who travel for abortions.

“The Biden administration,” he claims, “has turned the Department of Defense into an abortion travel agency.”

There may have been a niche group of people in Croke Park last Sunday who chose to follow the exploits of England captain Ben Stokes in the second Ashes Test against Australia rather than give their exclusive attention to events on the pitch in Derry’s victory over Cork.

Ciarán Murphy was one of them. He explained: “I then mentioned on Monday that I might have been the only person in Croker spending their afternoon thus, only to be met with a steady stream of messages telling me that in fact there were plenty of people who decided England captain Ben Stokes’s heroic 155 in a losing effort was a far better bet than the All-Ireland football quarter-finals.”

Manchester United signed Mason Mount for €64 million and have their sights set on adding Inter Milan goalkeeper, André Onana. Declan Rice is expected to complete his medical at Arsenal today with West Ham receiving €116 million.

Mary Hannigan is away

ON TV

SOCCER: Women’s international friendly, Republic of Ireland v France, Tallaght, RTÉE 2 (8pm)

GOLF: Leona Maguire and Lahinch amateur Aine Donegan are playing in the US Open at Pebble Beach and you can follow their progress on Sky Sports Mix (9pm-4am)

CRICKET: Women’s second T20, West Indies v Ireland, BT Sport 3 (9.45pm).

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