Carla Ward has been appointed as the Republic of Ireland women’s soccer team manager on a two-year contract that takes the English coach up to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
The FAI have moved quickly to replace Eileen Gleeson, who lost her position after Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 2025, ahead of the opening Nations League ‘B’ fixture against Turkey in Tallaght on February 21st.
Ward will be assisted by former Irish international Alan Mahon, with Emma Byrne providing continuity from the previous management as the goalkeeping coach.
Mahon previously worked with the Manchester City women’s squad but it is Ward’s wealth of experience from her time at Sheffield United and both Birmingham clubs, Birmingham City and Aston Villa, where she signed several Irish players including Anna Patten and Ruesha Littlejohn, that appealed to the association’s six-person recruitment panel led by chief football officer Marc Canham.
“We are thrilled to announce a head coach of Carla’s pedigree,” said Canham. “To be able to secure such a top-quality coach is a statement of where our ambition for our women’s national team can go.”
Ireland’s inability to back up qualifying for the 2023 World Cup by making it to the European Championships in Switzerland this summer meant that the FAI missed out on Uefa’s €1.8 million participation fee.
With only Nations League fixtures in 2025, veteran defenders Niamh Fahey and Diane Caldwell recently announced their retirements from international football.
“This is an unbelievable opportunity,” said Ward, “not just with the national team but in helping to add to the fantastic work being done to develop women and girls’ football in Ireland.
“Over the next two-and-a-half years, as we build towards the World Cup, we can make a real difference and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
This indicates that Ward’s role will include a wider scope than preparing the senior squad for matches.
International football suits the Torquay native at this stage in her career, and she was part of Emma Hayes’ USA staff that won an Olympic gold medal in Paris.
Aston Villa tried to dissuade the 41-year-old from leaving last season, when she cited the upbringing of her five-year-old daughter Hartley and “work-life balance” as the reason for taking a break from the club game.
In her three seasons at Villa, they finished ninth, fifth and seventh in the Woman’s Super League while also reaching an FA Cup semi-final.
“In my option, Carla is one of the best managers in women’s football,” said Damian Vidgany, Villa’s director of football, “and we are sad to see here go.”
The appointment somewhat lessens the sting of Ireland’s most talented group of players having to watch 16 countries compete at the Euros in July.
Ward’s arrival might also alter the perspective of Denise O’Sullivan and Caitlin Hayes after the senior players took to Twitter last month to criticise the association’s decision to cut ties with Gleeson’s assistant coach Colin Healy.
“We selected Carla as she possesses the perfect blend of expertise and experience to deliver on our ambition to qualify for major tournaments,” said David Courell, the FAI chief executive. “I would like to thank my fellow members of the recruitment panel, Paul Cooke, Packie Bonner, Laura Finnegan, Marc Canham and Aoife Rafferty who helped to oversee a very professional process that resulted in appointing the best candidate to drive this team forward.”
As a player, Ward made more than 200 appearances for Sheffield FC scoring over 100 goals from midfield.
She will be formally unveiled at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
“I have worked with Irish players before and their personalities maybe match a bit of mine,” said Ward. “I think we stand for the same [things] in terms of our values and our principles. I felt it was the right match.
“I’ve been in club football for a long time now and I’ve had a fairly successful career so far. Work, life balance was number one. Stepping away from club football, the next step was to step on to the international stage.
“The opportunity to get to the World Cup is most important.”
On Ireland’s leading players, Katie McCabe and O’Sullivan, entering their thirties, Ward added: “If you look at the average age we are coming into a peak moment. Ireland has world class players, it is exciting.
“I know there is some work to do in terms of infrastructure in the youth groups but on a whole it is a project that can be taken to a place where I’d like to be involved with.”
Ward immediately sought to avoid the pitfalls experienced by her predecessor when emphasising the importance of creating positive links with League of Ireland clubs.
“I think it is important that we establish very quick relationships and be visible to the League of Ireland.
“I have a five-year-old myself and if you are a young girl growing up in Ireland they need to be able to see that there is an opportunity to play professionally.
“Part of my job is not just the national team, it is really important to give opportunity to young players to be able to see a pathway to the top.”
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