Pauw voices ‘concerns’ over Saudi Arabia sponsorship of World Cup

Republic of Ireland v China, Nuevo Mirador, Cadiz, 1pm (Live on the RTÉ News Now Channel)

The colour purple will be visible when Ireland meet China at Nuevo Mirador stadium in Cadiz, Spain.

Historically the hue represents efforts to achieve gender equality, with Katie McCabe’s team choosing to follow the lead of US and English players by wearing purple wristbands to support the Canadian women’s squad who are preparing for the World Cup “under protest” due to their federation’s funding disparity.

“The players have asked if they can wear the wristbands,” confirmed Ireland manager Vera Pauw before training in Marbella. “I said that’s a management decision and the management is okay with it.”

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McCabe will don a rainbow-coloured captain’s armband in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, which flies in the face of Fifa threatening to sanction seven captains from European countries at last year’s World Cup in Qatar if they wore the “One Love” armband. All the male skippers, including England’s Harry Kane and The Netherlands Virgil van Dijk, abandoned the idea.

The Arsenal winger makes no secret of her relationship with Ireland team-mate Ruesha Littlejohn. The move follows Australia displaying rainbow-coloured numbers during Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Spain.

“I’m fully behind that,” said Pauw, who also added her voice to a chorus of female coaches and players openly against Saudi Arabia sponsoring the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

“We have our concerns, it’s up to Fifa to decide, it’s not up to us. Let us say we have our concerns.”

Concerns around the rights of women in Saudi Arabia?

“Yeah.”

Ireland open Group B against Australia in Sydney on July 20th before facing Canada in Perth six days later. Preparations for these daunting games against the host nation and Olympic gold medalists Canada began last Friday with a chastising training run against the world number two-ranked side Germany.

After using 26 players, Ireland conceded five goals in a 105 minute contest, but a stronger starting XI is guaranteed for China as the recently converted Irish – Aoife Mannion, Marissa Sheva and Deborah-Anne De La Harpe – all make debuts. The English, American and Australian-born recruits have been cleared by Fifa to declare for Ireland through family ties.

“We have three players who really need to be tested,” said Pauw. “Two of them will start because we really need to make a final decision on them. We don’t bring them in to have another look, we need to be clear now. The other one will play in the second half.”

Mannion, the English-born Manchester United defender, can feature alongside Lou Quinn and Dianne Caldwell, De La Harpe should get an opportunity at wing back while Sheva operates in an attacking role alongside McCabe, who must shake off a dead leg or hand the rainbow armband to Denise O’Sullivan.

“Of course [the new trio have increased competition] but don’t forget we have also lost players. We have lost Jesse Ziu, Ellen Molloy and Savannah McCarthy is not back and Leanne Kiernan is not in, so they are to make sure we have a very good squad to bring to the World Cup.”

China, ranked 14th by Fifa, seven places ahead of Ireland, recently lost 4-1 to Sweden as they also prepare for the World Cup, having been drawn in England’s group.

Ireland (possible): Brosnan (Everton); Mannion (Manchester United), Quinn (Birmingham City), Caldwell (Reading); Finn (Birmingham City), O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Agg (London City Lionesses), Walsh (Liverpool); McCabe (Arsenal), Sheva (Washington Spirit); Payne (Florida State University).