Eileen Gleeson confirmed as head coach of Republic of Ireland Women's National Team
Eileen Gleeson Credit: Conor Ryan (ETPhotos)
The Football Association of Ireland has officially appointed Eileen Gleeson as the Head Coach of the Ireland Women’s National Team, following her successful interim tenure.
Since September, Gleeson has guided the team through a victorious campaign in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, where Ireland triumphed in all six games and secured a promotion to League A.
Gleeson's permanent role as Head Coach comes at a pivotal time, as she prepares the team for the 2025 UEFA Women’s European Championships qualifying phase, set to commence in April 2024.
The team's journey to the Championships will kick-off with an international camp in February, and in the interim, Gleeson will be busy assembling her coaching and support staff, with announcements expected in the new year.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the role, Gleeson said, “For me, there is nothing greater than being Irish. To lead my country on the highest stage internationally and be entrusted with the responsibility of maximising the potential of this exciting team and future Ireland players is the proudest and most humbling moment of my life to date.”
She added, “This is an extremely exciting time for Irish Women’s Football. I am truly honoured and privileged to be involved. I look forward to an exciting and busy 2024 on the road to qualification for the UEFA Women’s European Championships in 2025.”
FAI CEO, Jonathan Hill, expressed his delight: “We are delighted that Eileen will continue to lead our Ireland Women’s National Team going into the qualifying campaign for EURO 2025. This is a special team that has made history. With Eileen, we are confident that we can continue on our journey with qualification to a first-ever European Championships. We will ensure that Eileen gets the full support of the Association to achieve that aim."
FAI Director of Football, Marc Canham, also commented on the appointment.
“It is an appointment that caps off a truly memorable year for this team. When we started the process of recruiting a new Head Coach for the Ireland Women’s National Team, we did not want to rush it but also it was important to have someone in place by the end of the year.
"We spoke with candidates from around the world and we are delighted to confirm Eileen as the outstanding candidate following an extensive interview process."
