This time, it may be different. The Ireland players were in a buoyant mood yesterday as they gathered at Friends Arena. Even three straight defeats in this qualifying group – and five games now without a goal – have done little to dampen the good vibes within the camp.
Perhaps, the giddiness was down to what the players had planned for the head coach later that evening. It was Eileen Gleeson’s birthday yesterday and Kyra Carusa revealed that the squad would be marking the day in their own distinct way. ‘We have little traditions that we like to do when we are in camp for someone’s birthday, but Eilo especially, we have something special planned, something we put aside just for her, but it is on the down-low for now,’ said the striker with a smile, before it was pointed out that her eighth international goal would be the perfect late present.
‘Maybe it will be. A present one day later. That could be it,’ she laughed.
The lack of goals has become such an issue that it is threatening to become the leading narrative around this team, but Gleeson insists she is not concerned that it was hanging over the team. ‘I’m not really worried about that,’ the head coach insisted. ‘We all agree that we could have done better in certain moments and that we are not going to get many chances in these particular games when you are playing top opposition.
But it is also about the long-term view of Euro 2025 and how we get there.’ While finishing in the top two of this gr.
