Vera Pauw: ‘There is a person that is targeted to destroy my career’

Any chance the FAI had of putting an end to reports about Vera Pauw’s time coaching the Houston Dash in advance of the Women’s World Cup disappeared on Wednesday 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.”

Earlier, Pauw accused The Athletic, a sports website owned by the New York Times, of having an “agenda” against her.

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Reputations are under strain, views are polarised and entrenched. Half stories rise to the surface, sleepless nights are de rigueur. The Republic of Ireland are returning to the World Cup.

Katie McCabe was understandably livid on Wednesday. A lifetime trying to get her country on to football’s main stage and the only story swirling around Tallaght stadium focused on fresh allegations levelled at Pauw about matters dating back to 2018. And counteraccusations from the Dutch coach which have distracted Irish preparations for their first major tournament at the worst possible moment.

“It’s been a pleasure talking about the World Cup, guys,” McCabe concluded. “Really appreciate it.”

She was being sarcastic. Over the previous 27 minutes both Irish manager and captain were asked about one issue, with a few questions thrown in about Thursday night’s warm-up against Hervé Renard’s France.

“You can’t defend yourself against a lie,” Pauw insisted.

In December, following a National Women’s Soccer League investigation, Pauw was banned from coaching in United States. The FAI stood by her with then chairman Roy Barrett branding the sanction as “unfair”. Pauw is contesting the findings via Iowa attorney Tom Newkirk. She says one Dash staffer threatened to “shoot her in the head” because she changed training from morning to evening.

Regardless of the truth, whether Pauw was “abusive and belittling” or “a woman being direct” as The Athletic wondered, this story had calmed. A clear road was opening to the World Cup until Pauw asked Sarah Shephard, a writer at The Athletic, a question in April: “When do you start thinking of the double standards and not only protecting players from coaches but also coaches from players?”

Shephard went to work, turning to soccer writer Steph Yang for help. The pair spent the last two months revisiting the Dash’s 2018 campaign. Four players and three former employees went on the record, anonymously. Pauw was given right of reply. The statements could not be more different.

Pauw denies approaching The Athletic but Shephard told Off the Ball on Tuesday that Pauw and Houston “wasn’t something that was on our agenda or in our thinking at all ... It was very unusual I suppose the way it happened, and sparked by Vera coming to us initially”.

Pauw says the website did not use the 12 supporting statements she supplied from players and coaches who worked with her in Scotland, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa and even two former Dash players. In fact, they did use one quote.

The immediate issue for Pauw and the FAI is McCabe’s reaction. If the Arsenal winger is unhappy, then the Ireland squad is unhappy. Direct and as quotable as they come, the 27-year-old endeavoured to refocus on the monumental challenges that lie ahead but each answer was notable for the absence of high praise for her manager.

[ ‘I thank her for allowing me to work with her’: How Katie McCabe grew into the leader Arsenal and Ireland need ]

“It’s a real negative distraction,” McCabe said. “I can’t answer for each and every player. Of course Vera has a style of management that we’re used to now over the last two years. It’s something we’ve worked together, we’ve argued with each other. You’re never going to get on 100 per cent with your manager at times. She pushes me and I push her. In my opinion and from my personal relationship with Vera, of course, we’ve clashed many a times but we’re always professional enough to make sure we are fully focused for the team.”

Pauw’s primary argument is that male coaches like “Pep Guardiola, Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho” would not be dragged through the brambles in this manner.

“There is great safety in the truth,” she said. “That truth is with me.”

But that is not the issue any more. Pauw has allowed her only season coaching day to day at club level to suck energy from a historic moment in Irish sport.

Her contract is up after the World Cup. Silence surrounds the negotiations for a new deal despite the 60-year-old noting recently that Ciarán Medlar from BDO was in talks with the association. Medlar was a key figure in delivering terms with the FAI following the women’s threat of strike action at Liberty Hall in 2017.

Does Pauw expect to be Ireland manager after the World Cup? “We will see. It is not signed, we will see. I am happy in Ireland. I want to stay here.” Hopeful? “I’m not hopeful, no. Hopeful is if I’m begging or something. Ireland has embraced me and I feel very, very comfortable here.”

Tellingly, when asked about Pauw’s future, McCabe did not provide the sort of support that would make this issue disappear. Neither have the FAI.

“It’s not my decision to make. Obviously time will tell. Me and Vera have worked together for the last few years and we’ll see.”

The distraction of some football cannot come quick enough.